The prose of this book really worked for me but I can imagine that not everyone would enjoy the style. As an only child, I felt I really understood the sibling dynamics even though that's something that doesn't always register for me. I read it very quickly and in one sitting, which I'm glad of because I think it is a book to be experienced rather than thought about over a long period of time. It does a lot with sisterhood, race, religion, and navigating challenging circumstances.

Liked this. I came to this thinking it was going to be a quirky little story about a quirky little character and I was looking forward to it, I’ve never been so glad to be wrong, it’s so very much not, yet so very much more than that.

I thought this story was beautifully written, heart breaking and beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. I loved the sisters!

Listen up! "When We Were Sisters" is a powerful examination of the complex and intricate bonds of sisterhood. The book throws light on the struggles faced by three Muslim American girls who are left to fend for themselves in a world that's not always kind. But what's truly inspiring is that even in the face of adversity, these girls find a way to create a family that's stronger than anything they've lost. So, if you're looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat and make you believe in the power of sisterhood, this is it!

A beautifully written and lyrical book that was a real joy to read. I didn't know what to expect but I loved it. I would highly recommend

I really enjoyed the poetic voice of this story. I would have liked to read the perspectives of the other two sisters, but I understand that this is a personal story for the author. I am looking forward to the reading their poetry collection.

Content warnings: Death, Dying, Parental death, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Islamophobia, Racism.

Kausar is orphaned at a young age, and she and her two older sisters are now “taken care of” by their uncle. However, they soon realise they only have each other and must look after themselves. It's a story of the abuse they survive, the relationship between the sisters and the difficulties of growing up before your time.

This is a very poetic and moving story and a definite book to add to your 2023 TBR list. The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

I inhaled this novel in two sittings and loved it. Kausar, the youngest sister of three tells the story of growing up without parents; left with an Uncle who gives them the bare minimum and leaves them to raise each other, sometimes helped and guided by other adults. I loved the poetic, lyrical and fragmentary nature of the storytelling. The exploration of gender and growing up as a a muslim American were particularly powerful.

Wow, this book was so beautifully written. The storyline and characters, oh I just adored it. It had me captivated from page one. Such a gorgeous book.

A phenomenal story, full of such warmth, heart and lyricism. The journey the 3 sisters go on will take you on the best kind of emotional rollercoaster imaginable.

An incredibly lyrical masterpiece by Fatimah Asghar, I read this in 2 days. Asghar details the journey of three sisters through the death of their parents, the uprooting of their lives into one of neglect, abuse and trauma as they live with their uncle, in poetic prose that is both grief-wrought and tender. I was also surprised and moved by the multiple themes Asghar is able to weave in through this story, many of which touched on lightly but never superficially: queerness, islamophobia, gender, chosen family... A beautiful novel, and one that left me thinking about it even weeks later.

There’s something so special with books about sisters. About that bond that is unmovable yet fragile. How do we live if not with our sisters? How do we learn to love willis we do not first know that sisterly love?

I felt so much and so much more.

4 Stars

I absolutely love books about sisters. Even though I don’t personally have one myself I deeply relate to the bonds of sisterhood with some of my greatest girlfriends. it was a beautiful story. I will be sharing more thoughts and a full review very soon, but I absolutely can wait to acquire and share this with other readers. I think this would make an exquisite read for a book club as well.

In this heartrending, lyrical debut work of fiction, Fatimah Asghar traces the intense bond of three orphaned siblings who, after their parents die, are left to raise one another. The youngest, Kausar, grapples with the incomprehensible loss of her parents as she also charts out her own understanding of gender; Aisha, the middle sister, spars with her 'crybaby' younger sibling as she desperately tries to hold on to her sense of family in an impossible situation; and Noreen, the eldest, does her best in the role of sister-mother while also trying to create a life for herself, on her own terms.

As Kausar grows up, she must contend with the collision of her private and public worlds, and choose whether to remain in the life of love, sorrow and codependency she's known or carve out a new path for herself. When We Were Sisters tenderly examines the bonds and fractures of sisterhood, names the perils of being three Muslim American girls alone against the world, and ultimately illustrates how those who've lost everything might still make homes in each other.