This is a strange novel, maybe it’s a kind of memoir, about a wealthy Palestinian woman coming to live in New York. She arrives with an on-off boyfriend cum benefactor, an apartment and a job in a weird private school but is unable to settle.

Her problem is the dirt of New York and at first she tries to eradicate it in lengthy cleaning rituals bordering on the obsessive. She likes the preadolescent boys she teaches because they are clean in the sense of innocence but, wherever she goes, the dirt seems to be mounting up. The coin in the title refers to a coin which she believes she once swallowed which is now wedged in her back in the area which she can’t reach to clean. This preys on her mental state!

Finally, she cracks and ends up rolling in her own filth, her life in tatters and apparently doomed but then there’s light of the end of the tunnel and the beginnings of a mental and physical recovery.

Why is this bizarre journey readable? To explain it, we need to understand the concept, most commonly associated with the work of Mary Douglas, that dirt is simply matter out of place. Shoes on the dining table are dirty but not the shoes on your feet! Understand that and then, the notion of dirty, as opposed to clean, begins to create a social order where differences are exaggerated. So, the narrator scrubs her body raw and still sees it as filthy.

Her recovery is by coming to terms with dirt and in the simplest way that is achieved by burying herself in filth. Of course, this matters because she is a Palestinian and therefore by definition she is also ‘matter out of place’ but by accepting and befriending the dirt of the city she is also locating herself within it.

Maybe that is a happy ending and perhaps you’ll find the voyage a little too visceral and messy to bear but at least it is possible to make some sense of it and understand the story’s weird appeal!

Yasmin Zaher's debut The Coin was one of my most anticipated 2024 releases. Turns out, this wasn't my kind of thing at all, though I'd press it into the hands of anybody who loves Ottessa Moshfegh, especially My Year of Rest and Relaxation. One thing I did love about The Coin is how thoroughly it smashes any expectations about what fiction written by a Palestinian woman about a Palestinian woman should look like. Its unnamed narrator is wealthy, young and aimless in New York, obsessed with her personal hygiene and increasingly trying out experimental pedagogy with the young teenage boys she teaches. What starts as 'free lessons', where she allows the boys to do what they like, morphs until they become guinea pigs for her own literary and political tastes. On one occasion, she takes them to see a radical poetry reading in New Jersey: 'After the dagger poems, I called for a head count'. The Coin is one of those novels where the blurb promises something that doesn't turn up until halfway through the book and doesn't end up being that important, but the publisher had to say something about what happens. In this case, it's the focus on the narrator getting involved in a scheme to resell Birkin bags, which she does do, but it lasts about twenty pages. The writing is sharper than Moshfegh, for my money, and I particularly liked Zaher's wry observations on beauty routines: 'Two thousand years of snail cream and you will see a woman's brain through her face'; 'I even used a hand mirror for better views, the type women use to be stunned by their vaginas'. We see her conflicted relationship with race as she continually tans to look more visibly Other, then loofahs off the dead skin. And while I struggled to connect with the first three-quarters of the book, I thought Zaher showcased her protagonist's alienation and dispossession cleverly in the surreal final section, which reaches beyond the unravelling woman trope to become something rawer. 3.5 stars.

I really don't know what to make of this book. Its essentially a story about a women unravelling and is a stream of consciousness. The narrative follows a Palestinian woman living in New York and how she lives her life, works and forms relationships. I wouldn't necessarily say there is a plot to this novel and its definitely a character study. I finished this book about a week ago and I'm still trying to form coherent thoughts about it. I think I was intrigued to a certain extent but its not my favourite book. I must say I totally agree with the review from Raven Leilani - this book is definitely filthy and elegant, and Yasmin's writing is very vivid, you can feel the oppressive heat and anxiety when reading. I think this book has a very specific audience that will love it, but unfortunately as someone who is very much here for the plot, this fell a little flat for me, but I would recommend to those who love a character study.

Zaher is definitely a writer to watch. The Coin is centred around a young Palestinian woman who has migrated to New York where she has a job teaching 8th graders in a local boys school. Her teaching methods are pretty unconventional but she certainly engages her pupils and indeed gives them occasional treats, at her personal expense, as she is the beneficiary of a family trust. Her relationships with men certainly unusual and somewhat insensitive. There is a homosexual who gets her to fund him in trading designer handbags and there is a fellow Palestinian with whom she has an on/off sexual relationship. However the constant theme throughout this novel is how she is forever seeking to come to terms with how much she misses Palestine. This sense of loss expresses itself through her experiencing physical discomfort from a coin she believes is still embedded in her back - a coin she swallowed as a child when she lived in Palestine. Her efforts to identify its exact location is one of the many memorable passages in this excellent novel. Another visceral passage is where she recreates a Palestinian landscape in her flat in an effort to re-establish a sense of self.
In summary this is a novel which gives a great voice to the main character who, as a result truly engages the reader. Zaher is to be congratulated on bringing such maturity to this, her first novel.

The Coin was released on July 11th, and is the debut fiction novel from Palestinian journalist & author Yasmin Zaher.

Our narrator is a wealthy Palestinian woman who is obsessed with personal hygiene and grooming. Having recently arrived in New York City, she wants to achieve what others in her family could not - the American Dream. Her friend has secured her a job teaching at a middle school in a disadvantaged area, but her teaching methods are... unconventional.

While she may project one image on the outside, things are not all as they seem. Her inheritance is tightly controlled, her homeland fractured, and her desire to live the glamorous life she wants in America seems destined for failure. Her obsession with being clean consumes her.

"When you walk into a woman's house and it's sparkling clean, you never think of all the madness entailed."

The blurb for this book mentions that the central character gets caught up in a scheme reselling Birkin bags - but for me, that was only a side plot. The real story was this woman who was struggling to forge an identity for herself while coming to terms with the trauma of having to flee her homeland for America, a place that contributed to her having to leave Palestine in the first place. ("How could the devil be the dream?")

If you're a fan of Weird Little Books™ about interesting, at times odd, insular female characters unravelling, then you might enjoy this.

It's a hard one to describe, because although there are several events taking place (the aforementioned Birkin scheme and the unconventional teaching methods), the woman is the plot. Her desire to have the perfect life, the perfect appearance, access to her inheritance and her homeland all contribute to her slow decline.

At times, I felt that some of it went over my head, but I loved the odd snippet of (very) dark humour and it's one I think about periodically since I read it. I'm not entirely sure I "got" it all, and if you struggle with stream-of-consciousness reads, maybe this isn't for you - but it was different, & it's one I've remembered since I read it.

Thanks so much to @wearefootnote for the #gifted eARC via #Netgalley. #TheCoin

The description of this book intrigued me and I really looked forward to seeing how the writer portrayed a woman in New York unravelling and the reasons why.
The actual book is seemingly a stream of consciousness from an unnamed narrator, who has obsessive behaviours around cleanliness.
I would’ve liked the concept of the coin itself to be explored in more detail, but I think that’s probably just because I missed some metaphoric meanings and implications. I didn’t feel empathy towards the narrator and found some parts of the book uncomfortable to read.
Overall although I did not enjoy it as much as I wanted to, I know many people will love this book.

3.5⭐️
I had no idea what direction this book was taking, but I liked it!
There's a lot to take from 'The Coin'; the ritualistic behaviours, nonconformity, and insightful reflections.
The quote, "I came from Palestine, which was neither a country nor the third world, it was its own thing, and the women in my family placed a lot of importance on being clean, perhaps because there was little else they could control in their lives," illustrates how the concept of 'control' can vary depending on time and place, leading to different coping mechanisms.
As a lover of handbags (and books), I can't not mention the Hermès bags!
Recommended read if you enjoyed 'Cleopatra and Frankenstein' by Coco Mellors.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the advance copy.

This has been a great read for me, I'm not too familiar with this writing style, but it did turn out to be such a gripping way to see the story of the protagonist unravel. This way I was able to follow the story in a different way of consciousness. Tho I must say not every part of the book had me hooked the same, the protagonist encounters a lot of different people and experiences, and even though it seems just weird and unreal at times, all of that is not far fetched. I'm all for women showing wacky behaviour, it makes one think if we have a reliable narrator here of it is just very exaggerated, and only half true.

This debut novel makes for an interesting read about the unravelling of a young Palestinian woman living in New York. She is a teacher, but her method is not traditional. Perhaps this is in part due to her personality. In places it is quite confronting. Zaher doesn't shy away from delving into various issues.

I have seen dozens of 5-star reviews for The Coin on social media lately, so maybe this coloured my opinion, but this novel left me cold, and despite its short length, it was a slog to get through.
Our unnamed protagonist is living in New York, working as a teacher and obsessing over her personal hygiene. Back in her native Palestine, her brother controls her large inheritance from her dead parents. She meets a man who embroils her in a scheme involving luxury bags, and from here, her carefully controlled life begins to unravel. Zaher is clearly indebted to Otessa Moshfegh with this one; she's hitting many of the same targets with her protagonist.

So, first, the good. The writing style here is bold and compelling, and Zaher is an accomplished wordsmith. The stream-of-conciousness style worked perfectly for the character. The literary device of the coin - once I clocked what it was - was a clever one, a metaphorical weight of her Palestinian heritage and the complexities of it. It wasn't the most clear metaphor at times but it was a clever and unique one, as well as a lens to view the lives of Palestian diaspora. I also loved Zaher's depictions of her narrator's life as a teacher; the kids and their own squabbles and desires were very entertaining.

But good writing & a good B-plot wasn't enough to save this one for me. Now, maybe it is because I have read many, many "messy young woman unravels in the big city" novels but this didn't hit for me at all. The surrealist elements didn't work for me, the plot felt disjointed, and it was near-impossible to get into the protagonist's head and connect with her. It is a deeply weird book - normally extremely my jam! - but nonetheless missed the mark for me.

That said. I will definitely seek out whatever Yasmin Zaher reads next. The writing is great and it is fiercely original in a literary landscape where that descriptor is used way too often. I'll be thinking about it for a while, it's strangeness and subversiveness, even if I didn't actively enjoy it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC.

This book follows a Palestinian woman living in New York and working as a teacher, as she slowly begins to unravel. It’s definitely a strange one, unique and for those who love books about unhinged women. I mostly enjoyed it, but it did lose me in parts.

I was incredibly excited when the publisher reached out to me to offer an ARC of The Coin. While The Coin is a genre I am only just dipping my toes into, contemporary realism with a dash of surrealism I suppose, I was hooked by the first page. I have to say I wasn’t sure fully what to expect other than knowing that the narrative was about a Palestinian woman moving to New York City. Then again I often enjoy going into a book blind.

What I will say is I instantly loved the writing. It’s almost stream of consciousness which I think worked perfectly for the novel. I found myself instantly invested in the character and her journey. Now, this style of writing might not be for everyone but I certainly loved it and thought it was done perfectly.

The more I read, the more invested I got. The coin is the perfect blend of exploring identity, class, society, community, sexuality and so much more. While covering a lot of hard hitting subjects Zaher manages to interweave a voice that is both empathetic, human and at times humours.

The Coin may not be for everyone but I most certainly loved every second of reading this. From the writing, the character and plot. Zaher weaved a wonderful tale that once you open the first page will keep you hooked till the end.

This is essentially a story about a woman unravelling. It follows a Palestinian woman who moves to New York to teach at a private school and makes up her curriculum as she goes. She befriends a homeless man, who then moves in with her and gets caught up in a scheme involving designer handbags. Although it's a book I wouldn't normally pick up, it was interesting to read something different! Parts came off like a stream of consciousness, and the main character doesn't always seem to be the most reliable in her storytelling, which keeps you guessing. She has various obsessions throughout the book and often reflects on her upbringing in Palestine. This was also the first book I've read by a Palestinian author, which is one reason that led me to pick this book up!

A brilliant debut a book that was so unique so well written a character that had me in her dizzying grip from the first pages.This will be among my years top ten .The best type of novel one that stays with you long after you’ve read it. #netgalley#thecoin.

An interesting and well written story about the ups and downs of being a young woman in New York while grippling with her Palestilian heritage. The meteaphorical chip on her shoulder (the coin in/on her back) was used sporadically and I am not sure I fully understood it or the latter hald of the novel. But the parts I did underdstand I really enjoyed and everything was written amazingly by Zaher. I personally enjoyed reading about her time as a teacher and her relationships with her students, the main characters blasé attitude to teaching and how she wants to protect them. This was a nice little story that I didn't fully get but I'm glad I could read it.

The Coin
By Yasmin Zaher

This book is dizzying, thrillingly subversive and utterly unique.

On the surface it's the story of the unraveling of a young woman but it's actually an allegorical wasps nest with themes of aesthetics, cleansing, exploitation, colonialism, wealth, class and race disparities, indoctrination, superficiality and cultural ignorance.

I am especially interested in the sensorial violence experienced by the narrator in the city she selects to live in following her departure from a city that is essentially being turned to rubble. Everything is dripping in tacit disdain.

My burning question throughout was who exactly the narrator is addressing. She breaks the fourth wall several times, but as her implicit accusations become more personal, it's clear it's not me, the reader, she is speaking to.

Stunning in it's imagery, audacious in it's probable meaning and exhilarating in it's potential, this is political parody at it's best. An Sean Bhean bhocht comes to mind.

If you loved " If An Egyptian Cannot Speak English" for it's themes, this will probably excite you.

Publication date: 11th July 2024
Thanks to #NetGalley and #FootnotePress for the ARC

As a child the narrator, a Palestinian woman, swallows a coin. Years later she emigrates to New York, and whilst teaching at a boys’ school, she rediscovers the coin that she thought she had lost inside of her. A natural but not traditional teacher, obsessed with cleanliness and high-end fashion, she navigates her sense of justice and racial, sexual and gender identities, forming unconventional relationships along the way.

This book is really well written and a unique and fascinating read. To be honest, it was so unique I would say it borders on strange. The unnamed protagonist is definitely questionable in her actions and mental state, and she has an individualistic sense of justice and what is right, which can be seen in particular, with how she treats her students. The idea of the coin was interesting, but I felt the meaning behind the impact of it on her life could have been focused on more. In terms of structure, I found it quite hard to follow at times as it wasn’t linear per se. Written in the first person, there is also the reference to ‘you’, who I assumed was the reader but wouldn’t be surprised if it was something more conceptual. Some of the scenes around cleanliness and sex were frankly just bizarre.

I can see this book really splitting audiences. I think some who like post-modern reads will really enjoy it. However, it definitely isn’t the easiest of reads and I think it’s abstract nature could put a lot off. It certainly is memorable and I’m glad I read it but unfortunately I found it too conceptual.

The Coin is unlike any other book I have read, unnerving, intrusive and addictive. Following the narrator (a wealthy young Palestinian woman) as she tries to build a new life for herself in New York, she slowly unravels as she tells us about her family, her inner thoughts and her relationships through her obsession with a coin she swallowed as a child.. At times she seems vulnerable and as if she is being taken advantage of, but then she seems to be fully aware of who the people in her life are and what she means to them.

This book is a conversation starter and I am sure we will hear more about it and Yasmin Zaher in 2024.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read The Coin.

The Coin, I don't really know why to make of this book. The writing, conveyed the disturbance, disgust, laissez faire the narrator had towards life. Some of the descriptions were utterly disturbing as they were obviously TMI (Too Much Information).

It is a kind of book where the central character is trying to make sense of herself - body, mind and all. How she makes sense of herself and the word around her is raw , honest and frankly disturbing and disgusting at times. You will want to stop reading but will come back for more to know where is she going next. So yes disturbing yet compelling the reader to keep reading.

It's a 3.5 stars for me.

Fans of character driven literary fiction might enjoy this stream of consciousness novel. An unnamed narrator wanders through life, obsesses about cleanliness, has high end stuff, and wonders about a coin that once lodge in her throat. I'm sure I missed the underlying point of it but I also missed feeling empathy for the character. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. This wasn't for me but it's short and I enjoyed the language.