Sisters in Arms

We don't exist in this world. Here we're neither Germans nor refugees; we aren't newsreaders or experts. We're some kind of joker in the pack, and they don't know if they can use us for anything.

Kasih, Hani, and Saya have shared a deep friendship since school and the years they lived in the same public housing estate. Kasih and Hani still live in the same city, but now Saya is returning and they have a lot to catch up on. Yet, amid the laughter and determination of their sisterhood, it's clear to the three young women that they haven't escaped the racism that has accompanied their daily lives since childhood—the glances, the chatter, and the outright right-wing terror.

Sisters in Arms is a lyrical, explosive novel about the importance of friendship—the kind of extraordinary friendship that brings stability to an unstable world. Until one dramatic night that will change everything for the three women, propelling Kasih to tell the tale of themselves.

A smart, important novel that gives you a caress on the cheek and a punch in the jaw as you read it. The amazing thing is that in the end you want more of both.
—Pierre Jarawan, author of Song for the Missing

Will appeal to fans of Elena Ferrante, Zadie Smith, and Kamila Shamsie ... An immersive and thought-provoking read with a strong plot and relatable characters, and which explores urgent contemporary questions around racism and sexism in society.
—New Books in German

Shida Bazyar tells us—uncompromisingly, powerfully, and accusingly—what it means to have one's origins constantly questioned.
—Judges' comments for the German Book Prize