A map of home is a coming-of-age novel about a girl, Nidali, who is born in Boston and throughout her childhood and adolescence, makes her way from Kuwait to Texas. She encounters arguments with her father, love and compassion, and explores her own sexuality. Nidali is very bright and her father advocates for a strong education and emphasizes the importance of Nidali attending school even if there is only one exam. Her father can be abusive and abrasive at times with Nidali, and her younger brother, Gamal. He does seem to care for his children, but also gets into arguments with his wife. As a result of the gulf war when Iraq invaded Kuwait, Nidali and her family move to Egypt. Nidali’s father is from Palestine and her mother is from Egypt. Her grandmother is Greek, so Nidali struggles with her own identity. She has friends in every place she and her family move, and has boyfriends, but when Nidali moves to Texas, she meets another boyfriend and loses her virginity. Nidali is a complex character who deals with heartbreak and struggle. In fact, her name means ‘struggle.’ While her family life is complicated, and her love life is confusing, Nidali finds out who she is. At the end of the story, she gets ready to leave for college in Boston. It is interesting that she is born in Boston (at the beginning of the story) and attends a college in Boston (at the end of the story). Young people might be able to relate to Nidali and her struggle as growing up is not always easy. This novel touches on issues that are controversial, and Randa Jarrs’s explicit language makes the novel even more impactful. Everyone can look and Nidali and find some commonality regarding growing up and getting through tough times.
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