A New Year

A story about family, aging, fresh starts and the beautiful things that happen when we least expect them to. Suad misses her husband. He died unexpectedly during an argument at work, and she never got to say goodbye. But Suad knows she is lucky.

Her three children have promised to look after her. After several false starts, Suad receives a warm welcome from her oldest son and settles down with his family in the countryside.

Everything goes smoothly – at first. Her grandchildren love her crunchy, homemade falafel and watching TV together. But as time goes on, things between Suad and her daughter-in-law grow tense. Soon, her daughter-in-law stops giving her lifts into town. She accuses Suad of interfering with how she raises her children. Then she won't talk to Suad. Finally, she asks her to leave the house. For the first time, Suad is on her own.

Determined to make the best of it, Suad makes a new life for herself. How can she budget for just one person? How can she fill the long hours? And will her new neighbours warm to her?


Leila Aboulela is an award-winning novelist whose work has received critical recognition for its distinctive exploration of identity, migration and Islamic spirituality. Her novels have been translated into fifteen languages and include Bird Summons, Minaret, The Translator (a New York Times 100 Notable Books of the Year), The Kindness of Enemies and Lyrics Alley (Fiction Winner of the Scottish Book Awards). Aboulela was the first winner of the Caine Prize for African Writing and her short story collection, Elsewhere, Home won the Saltire Fiction Book of the Year Award. Aboulela grew up in Sudan and in her mid-twenties moved to Scotland where she now resides.

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