Crescent
A Novel, 2003, 368 pages
Reviews
"Abu-Jaber's language is miraculous…It is not possible to stop reading."
—Booklist starred review
"A story that unfolds beautifully, as lightly and naturally as a roll of silk."
—The Nation
"Radiant, wise and passionate…a book written by an author who never for an instant relinquished her grip on this willingly enchanted reader."
—Beth Kephart, Chicago Tribune
"A powerful story about the loneliness of exile and the limits of love. An impressive second outing by Abu-Jaber."
—Kirkus Reviews
"A deliciously romantic romp"
—Vanity Fair
"Exquisite…Readers stuffed on headlines but still hungering for something relevant will enjoy this rich meal."
—Christian Science Monitor
"A pleasing hybrid of Like Water for Chocolate and Haroun and the Sea of Stories."
—Orlando Sentinel
"[A] lovely tale…an urgent mix of Scheherazade-style storytelling and treatise on the loneliness of exile."
—Andrea Spencer, Oregonian
"Lush, poignant, and searing…unfolds with all the startling beauty of a hidden garden."
—Connie May Fowler
"Abu-Jaber affirms the precious fragility of life, love, family, and the human community in meaningful ways."
—Sena Jeter Naslund
"Abu-Jaber is a high-spirited, magnificently graceful storyteller, a poet of deliciously fluted fiction, character, and culture."
—Naomi Shihab Nye
"[A] beautifully imagined and timely novel."
—Publishers Weekly
"Crescent is a rich, delicious concoction that has you rooting for the star-crossed lovers."
—John Muncie, The Baltimore Sun
"Readers stuffed on headlines but still hungering for something relevant will enjoy this rich meal."
—Ron Charles, Christian Science Monitor
"Radiant, wise, and passionate…[Abu-Jaber] never for an instant relinquished her grip on this willingly enchanted reader."
—Beth Kephart, Chicago Tribune
"Wise, spirited, and evocative, this work offers an ardent look at the human side of political cant."
—Library Journal
"It is a story about how to cook and how to eat, and how to live in the new country. And, like all good novels, it is about how to tell a story."
—Sigrid Nunez
"Romantic, whimsical and wonderful in every way, being both sensuous and smart. I want to hang out all day at Nadia's Cafe."
—Whitney Otto
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