You Exist Too Much

You Exist Too Much

Fiction & Poetry, Modern & Contemporary Fiction
Hardback Published on: 19/11/2020
£14.99
11 reviews
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Bookseller Reviews

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You Exist Too Much
A compelling story of self-discovery
You Exist Too Much follows an unnamed protagonist as she struggles with her bisexuality, Palestinian-American identity and love addiction. In this relative... READ MORE
Leigh Kennedy

Synopsis

'Deeply compelling ... sexy.' Roxane Gay

'Takes you on a dizzying tour of love addiction, rehab, homophobia, betrayal, obsession and the aching need for a mother's unconditional love. At different times throughout, you'll find the protagonist needy, reckless and selfish but also smart, intuitive and trapped between two cultures - because as we all know, humans are nothing if not complicated. Roxane is right: this deserves five stars.' Stylist

Told in vignettes that flash between the US and the Middle East, Zaina Arafat's powerful debut novel traces her protagonist's progress from blushing teen to creative and confused adulthood.

In Brooklyn, she moves into an apartment with her first serious girlfriend and tries to content herself with their comfortable relationship. Soon, her longings, so deeply hidden during her teenage years, explode out into reckless romantic encounters and obsessions with other people, which results in her seeking unconventional help to face her past traumas and current demons.

As heard on Radio 2 Book Club, this captivating novel is perfect for readers who love Maggie Nelson and Garth Greenwell. Opening up the fantasies and desires of one young woman caught between cultural, religious and sexual identities, You Exist Too Much is a captivating story charting two of our most intense longings - for love, and a place to call home.

What people are saying about You Exist Too Much:
'Real and deliciously messy.' Attitude

'An elegantly written debut... A thought-provoking exploration of love and belonging, and how the two come together to create a sense of self.' New European

'Exquisitely written and crafted with a compelling lightness of touch.' Living Magazine

'A nuanced, sparky debut.' Observer

'A wonderfully written, queer, coming-of-age story.' i newapaper

'A novel of self-discovery following a Palestinian-American girl as she navigates queerness, love addiction and a series of tumultuous relationships.' The Millions, One of the Most Anticipated Books of the Year

'Powerful... With You Exist Too Much, Arafat announces herself as a provocative and insightful writer.' Irish Times

  • Publisher: Dialogue
  • ISBN: 9780349701783
  • Number of pages: 272
  • Weight: 460g
  • Dimensions: 236 x 156 x 28 mm

Customer Reviews

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You Exist Too Much
Compelling
Compelling and absorbing this rambling narrative roams all over the place, moving between memories of travelling to Palestine, a trip to rehab for love add... READ MORE
Claire Estelle
You Exist Too Much
Totally recommendable
You Exist Too Much takes us in a journey alongside a Palestinian-American girl through all the stages of discovering herself and how love (in all ways) can... READ MORE
Manuel Santillán
You Exist Too Much
A coming of age tale that fell flat for me
Reading the description of this book, I thought it was going to be a guaranteed 5-star read so I was disappointed to find that it was just OK. Our protago... READ MORE
Rachel Matthews
You Exist Too Much
Couldn’t put it down
I read this novel in 7 hours, because that’s how gripping it was! It was such a thoughtful insight into life with love addiction and I loved how the chapte... READ MORE
Yousra Abdelal
You Exist Too Much
You won’t want to stop reading...
Brilliantly readable, I finished this in one sitting. You Exist Too Much is ultimately about love, how intoxicating it can be and the damage it can cause. ... READ MORE
Lydia Gray
You Exist Too Much
A pleasure to read and truly captured the intersection of identity, sexuality, religion and familial ties.
This book was brilliant from start to finish and I read it in one sitting. Arafat's writing is a pleasure to read and truly captured the intersection of id... READ MORE
Sydney K
You Exist Too Much
Brilliant debut
Absolutely brilliant debut, shorter than I thought it was going to be, but that makes it no less spectacular. An addictive read I didn’t put it down until ... READ MORE
Tara Keating
You Exist Too Much
A Novel that Will Pull You Right In
I didn't know what to expect from this novel, but the storytelling is incredibly compelling. I had no defence, it pulled me right in. We follow a young P... READ MORE
Dominique de Ruijter
You Exist Too Much
A character study of cross-cultural and bisexual identity.
The former-anorexic, Palestinian-American female protagonist engages in a series of obsessive, destructive relationships before seeking therapy for love ad... READ MORE
Amanda Read