I havent read anything by this author before and found myself having mixed feelings. Eva Asprakis’ Thirty-Eight Days of Rain is a raw and honest portrayal of a young woman grappling with infertility, identity, and belonging. Androulla, the protagonist, finds herself at a crossroads as she navigates the complexities of marriage, immigration, and motherhood. Interesting but not my favourite read of the year.

I really loved the set up of this one being set on the annual rainy days, although I do wonder if, as a motif, it was a bit on the nose in terms of symbolism. However, I really enjoyed this read and was exactly what I wanted it to be - thought provoking and emotional, even if not everything felt fully resolved or satisfactory

“Thirty-Eight Days of Rain” explores one year in the life of the main character, Androulla, with each chapter set against one of the annual rainy days in Cyprus—a clever but sometimes distracting motif. The novel earnestly tackles themes of identity, infertility, marriage, and the struggle for a sense of belonging through citizenship. I found it somewhat difficult to connect with and feel invested in Androulla and her challenges throughout the novel. Major themes were introduced and revisited, yet they were not fully resolved in a way that maintained my interest beyond a superficial level. Considering the emotional depth Androulla felt towards being a Cypriot citizen "by descent", I had hoped for more specific historical and cultural context to enrich the emotional narrative provided. Her struggles with infertility were effectively conveyed towards the end of the novel when the author's clear research into Androulla's medical condition more significantly captured my interest. The narrative often reads like a quasi-memoir rather than a fictional exploration, given the reflective tone and intimate revelations that seem to parallel the author's own experiences. The vulnerability involved in infusing so much personal experience into a novel is commendable. While this particular story did not resonate with me, it might be the perfect read for others.

Great cultural story of a woman who identifies with her stepfathers country and is trying to become a citizen, plus her marriage and health and fertility issues chronicled during the days that rained. Really enjoyed.

An unflinching literary novel exploring themes of womanhood, infertility and PCOS, immigration and complex family dynamics. For fans of Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney, Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami, and Starling Days by Rowan Hisayo Buchanan.

"What matters more, your place as a daughter or as a mother?"

This novel was a bit of a mixed bag for me - I felt like it wasn't 100% certain of what it wanted to be. The author covers a range of topics from PCOS to creativity, immigration politics to body dysmorphia and while there were suggestions that all of these things connected to each other, it was ultimately almost too busy a novel for any of them to take precadence.
The two main components of the book are the question of Androulla's citizenship in Cyprus and her efforts to become a mother, and how one challenges the other.
I thought the sections where Androulla talked about being pregnant and the various changes she was making in her life to facilitate that were very good, and very immersive.
The sections about the immigration issue fell a little flat to me. I don't feel we were really given enough relatable information here to understand why she was risking her resident status in the country when she could have simply applied for a Greek passport. Obviously there are socio-political aspects to this but I feel like the author may have placed a lot of assumed knowledge on the reader (understandable if they are from Cyprus, etc) that means Androulla's strong feelings on the matter don't have the same power for an external reader.
The first quarter to one-third of the book felt very disjointed to me. The coldness between Giannis and Androulla over an incident that happened while he was away is very badly drawn. We are told about it after the fact, in a clunky conversation with Androulla's adopted sister Naomi with the latter asking questions as if she didn't already know the story.
All in all, this is an ambitious novel where some components work really, really well. It's obviously a very personal novel and tackles some big themes, I just felt that certain aspects of it did not gel and others that needed more context to really pack a punch.
My thanks to the author and publisher, via NetGalley for the ARC of this novel.

As the novel opens, Androulla, newly adopted and newly married, torn between what she has and what she seems to want, is not a particularly likeable character. Yet, as the story progresses, Androulla progresses as well. Her world is not always fair to her, but she struggles on and in the end is able to sense peace within herself. Definitely considered a coming-of-age story. Asprakis has made the thirty-eight days of rain an integral part of the story. I was captivated by her description of the varied kinds of rain used and found myself re=reading parts to see how her descriptions added to the emotional feel of her story. Slow in the beginning, the story speeds up as Androulla faces the pitfalls her life has dealt. It is, finally, a story about the search for one's identify in the world.

DNF - I kept trying to engage with the writing style & the narrative but, I didn't jive with this one as well as I had hoped so I'm stepping off now.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

📝 - Androulla has just got married when she learns that she will likely never be able to have children naturally due to suffering from PCOS. At the same time she is grappling with her citizenship, hoping to gain Cypriot status through her stepfather, and her husband is going through citizenship issues of his own. Through this story centred around the 38 days of rain Cyprus gets every year, Androulla unravels her own identity, what it means to be a woman, a mother and a Cypriot.

💭 - Unsurprisingly, this was quite an emotional read, especially as the story comes to its end. I found the developing identity of motherhood most compelling, perhaps as it is one I might be more readily able to relate to, but also as I felt I was missing some more context around Androulla’s childhood. It would have been good to have some scenes really showing her growing up with Cypriot culture, rather than the Greek/English from her biological parents. Along a similar line, I felt there was scope for more in-depth character study, to get more of an overarching view of Androulla and Giannis as a couple.
Overall a good read, and one I would recommend for those interested in themes of identity and motherhood

#NetGalleyARC I had a really hard time connecting with this book and struggled to finish it. The writing wasn’t bad, the story idea was good but i just couldn’t lose myself in the book. It’s definitely a “tug at your heart strings” type of book but my strings just didn’t tug.

A captivating, heart-wrenching, somber - yet hopeful - story. I was so immersed in Androulla’s world and found myself wanting nothing but the best for her. Her growth throughout the story was tremendous. In the first few pages of this coming-of-age novel, the twenty-something protagonist is diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a condition I also have and was diagnosed with at a similar age. Although my experience with it has been different, there is certainly some overlap and it was really nice to see this experience represented. I also learned a lot about Cyprus, which is where the book takes place. Highly recommend this book! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Wow what a book. I only received my copy yesterday and I have devoured it. This is definitely a book I would like to read again and again.
The story follows the MFC, Androulla, who is 24 and newly married to Giannis, and then in the midst of her chaotic marriage finds out she is infertile. The book follows her journey to self discovery whilst she tries to find her place and what it means to be a woman, a wife, a daughter, a mother, and most importantly what it means to be Androulla..
This was such a heart wrenching book with such a profound storyline that is so personal to the author herself (which makes me even more grateful for a snippet into such a personal space). The writing is beautiful and the pages are full of emotion. I loved the concept of the title - with the notion that it only rains 38 days of the year in Cyprus, and felt it added to the atmosphere of the book and the layers of emotion that it is always raining on the most challenging days for Androulla. The description of Cyprus really adds to the feel of the story and if I am ever to visit I will always think of this book.

I feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to read this book, so thank you again to Eva

Androulla is twenty-four, sort of married, and trying to become the Cypriot citizen she knows she is in her heart when she finds out she’s infertile. This is fine - at first. As the threads of her life become more tangled and frantic, Androulla is forced to confront her plans and hopes, examining her place in the world and the sense of belonging.

Being from North America, I struggled to really *get* Androulla’s insistence on citizenship by descendency, when she had an easier path to stay in Cyprus available to her - it felt somewhat ridiculous, like no one was telling her how impractical and dangerous this was? Even in a story! I did, however, appreciate the writing, framing, and the other themes of this novel. Asprakis does some great things with storytelling here, even if the motivations are wobbly at times.

a really fun litfic thats very well written i llove the chars. i love the ideas. i love the motifs. thanks for the arc!

I have downloads this book twice on my Kindle but the pages come out blackened, making it impossible to read. Sorry, but I can't review this one.


100 words required.

This deeply character-driven novel centres around the lives of Androulla and Giannis against the backdrop of Cyprus. It delves into weighty themes such as PCOS, marriage, relationships, and self-identity, offering a poignant exploration of personal struggles and triumphs.

The author's intimate portrayal of these themes lends the story a deeply personal touch, allowing readers to connect with the characters on a profound level. However, it's important to note that the novel includes heavy trigger warnings for infertility, pregnancy loss, and the aforementioned themes, making it a powerful yet emotionally challenging read for some.

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 to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Oh man, this one really tugged at the heartstrings, you could tell that it was just such a personal story for the author and I found myself SO invested in all of the characters.

A touching and emotional story which covers many themes - including infertility, identity and relationships.

Thank you to @netgalley for a copy of this eARC for review.

This is a heavily character driven novel mainly focusing on the characters Androulla and Giannis. This book is set in the backdrop of Cryprus and discussing heavy themes of PCOS, marriage, relationships, and self identity. It felt like an extremely personal way for the author to express a story that I'm sure many could relate to. Heavy trigger warnings for the previous themes and infertility and pregnancy loss. I would recommend this to someone looking for their next heart pulling story but would warn of these important triggers.

This felt like an intensely personal book for the author, telling the story of a young woman's struggles with identity, family, her body and relationships. It addresses some challenging subjects such as infertility, eating disorders and sex addiction.Knowing little about Cyprus, I found the setting and history interesting.
I enjoyed the story and cared about the characters but found some of the writing quite jarring, particularly the overuse of unnecessary adjectives. I was a little non-plussed about the 38 days of rain premise. If it only rains in Cyprus for an average of 38 days a year, it seems rather contrived that it should be raining on all the important days in the plot development. I found myself distracted from the story waiting for the rain to appear on each day!
Thank you to Netgalley for giving me access to this book as an e-ARC.