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Luma Mufleh narrates her coming-of-age memoir in a candid conversational tone. Initially, she stresses details and descriptions that illuminate her love of family and her home country of Jordan. Gradually, as she grows, so does her awareness. The joys she felt in her youth turn to fear as she realizes she's attracted to women. Her storytelling skill grounds listeners as she recounts dramatic situations, such as the traumatizing incident that caused her to realize that being gay could end her life. Her escape to the U.S. doesn't end her nightmares, fear, or feelings of loss. Neither does telling the truth. Mufleh makes clear her longing for home, grief at having been rejected by her family, and sorrow at being a refugee. S.W. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2023]