An Unnecessary WomanAn Unnecessary Woman
Score Modern
What it's about
Aaliya, a reclusive woman in Beirut, divorced, childless and shunned by her family, quietly translates her favorite books into Arabic, one a year, then puts them away unread. As she struggles with her aging body and memories of the war-torn city, an unexpected disaster threatens what little life she has.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. It's a love letter to books and to solitude.
You'll love it if you liked
Stoner
Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont
The Remains of the DayGood to know
It's quiet and full of literary references. There's little plot; the pleasure is the voice.
By the numbers
- Readers61 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics47 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller5 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz2 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #142 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #655 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1238 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Dark
More by Rabih Alameddine
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Quick answers
Is An Unnecessary Woman worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. It ranks #1,238 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 70.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is An Unnecessary Woman about?
Aaliya, a reclusive woman in Beirut, divorced, childless and shunned by her family, quietly translates her favorite books into Arabic, one a year, then puts them away unread. As she struggles with her aging body and memories of the war-torn city, an unexpected disaster threatens what little life she has.
How long does it take to read An Unnecessary Woman?
About 8 hours (306 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after An Unnecessary Woman?
If you liked it, try Stoner by John Williams, Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor or The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro.