As the region finds itself under a canopy of grey, there is a certain romance in the rainfall that calls for a slower pace. It’s the perfect excuse to stay indoors, swapping your current Netflix show for a set of new hardbacks and leaning into the art of a well-spent afternoon (read: books and coffee). To help you curate your literary journey, MOJEH selects six of the most compelling new releases.
A Mask, The Colour Of The Sky By Basim Khandaqji (translated by Addie Leak)
The 2024 International Prize for Arabic Fiction winner finally receives its English counterpart. This novel depicts the complexity of identity through its portrayal of equally complex characters. Following a Palestinian archaeologist who assumes a hidden persona to access restricted sites, Khandaqji, writing from within the confines of an Israeli prison, crafts a narrative that is as much about the soil we walk on as the skin we inhabit. A necessary, haunting read for those who seek depth beneath the surface of history. Read Now
Mariam, It’s Arwa By Areej Gamal (translated by Addie Leak)
Set against the backdrop of the 2011 Egyptian revolution, this debut is an exploration of female lineage and the paths that lead us home. When Arwa and Mariam meet in a Cairo subway, they begin a dialogue that spans generations, from Saudi Arabia to Germany. It is a story of finding salvation in the shared histories of the women who came before, rendered in prose that feels like a dream you never want to wake from. Read Now
The Origin Of Species By Ahmad Abdulatif
For the reader who looks toward the future, Abdulatif offers a post-human Cairo where the boundaries between the living and the spectral dissolve. Taking Darwinian theory to its most poetic extreme, this novel reinterprets the evolution of a city on the brink. It is bold, experimental and suited for an audience that values the intersection of tradition and the way of the modern world. Notably, the book has also been selected for the 2026 International Prize for Arabic Fiction. Read Now
A Moment In Time: Designing A Country Garden By Kathryn Herman With Rizzoli Electa
Spring in the GCC often calls for a retreat into nature, and this Rizzoli release is a guide to a home located within the softness of a garden. Beyond simple landscaping, it explores the garden as a room without walls, emphasising harmony and the quiet luxury of outdoor living. It is the perfect coffee table addition for a season focused on wellness and the art of the slow-living. Read Now
Sisters In Yellow By Mieko Kawakami
Kawakami has become a literary darling for her unflinching look at the female experience in Japan. Her latest novel is a noir-tinged tale of four women in Tokyo navigating a world of compromises and survival. It’s a study of the unbridgeable divide between the rich and the poor, and the lengths women will go to protect one another in the shadows. Read Now
Villa Coco By Andrew Sean Greer
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Less comes a trip to the Italian countryside. Readers follow an aspiring archivist who becomes the assistant to a ninety-two year old Baronessa, the flamboyant Coco. It is a comedy of manners and an ode to a life lived out loud, making it a comforting companion for a rainy day cosied up indoors. Read Now
