The Thirty Names of Night
| Author | Zeyn Joukhadar |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Literary fiction |
| Publisher | Atria Books |
Publication date | November 2020 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 304 |
| Awards | Stonewall Book Award; Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Fiction |
| ISBN | 978-1-9821-2149-5 |
The Thirty Names of Night is a novel by Zeyn Joukhadar, published November 24, 2020 by Atria Books. The book received the Stonewall Book Award for Literature[1] and the Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Fiction.[2]
Background
In a Ploughshares interview, Joukhadar said that the novel took shape during its second draft, when he visited an exhibit on Little Syria at the New York City Department of Records and Information Services organized by the Arab American National Museum.[3]
Reception
The Thirty Names of Night received a "Positive" consensus from the review aggregator Book Marks, based on ten reviews.[4] The novel also received starred reviews from Library Journal,[5] Booklist,[6] and Kirkus Reviews.[7]
In The New York Times, Rayyan Al-Shawaf gave the novel a positive review, writing that despite reservations about its pace and plotting, it stood out for its lyrical quality, its depiction of early-20th-century Syro-Lebanese communities, and its portrayal of a contemporary protagonist shaped by "an unrelenting sense of bodily imprisonment".[8] Writing for ZYZZYVA, Nessa Ordukhani described the book as "an intricate story of love and loss, community and culture".[9] In a mixed review for USA Today, Delfina V. Barbiero wrote that the novel's many themes could at times feel overwhelming, though she praised its treatment of the protagonist's gender identity struggle.[10]
| Year | Accolade | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Stonewall Book Award for Literature | Winner | [1] |
| Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Fiction | Winner | [2] | |
| 2020 | Bustle's Best Books of 2020 | Selection | [11] |
References
- ^ a b Rainbow Round Table (September 9, 2009). "Stonewall Book Awards List". American Library Association. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
- ^ a b "Previous Winners". Lambda Literary. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
- ^ "The Thirty Names of Night". Book Marks. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ Rohrbaugh, Lisa (April 1, 2020). "The Thirty Names of Night". Library Journal. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ Hyzy, Biz (May 1, 2020). "The Thirty Names of Night". Booklist. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ "The Thirty Names of Night". Kirkus Reviews. March 1, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ Al-Shawaf, Rayyan (November 24, 2020). "Queer Exile: Three Novels About Émigrés, Lovers and Family". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ Ordukhani, Nessa (January 5, 2021). "'The Thirty Names of Night' by Zeyn Joukhadar: At the Crossroads". ZYZZYVA. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ Barbiero, Delfina V. (November 24, 2020). "Review: 'The Thirty Names of Night' ties past to present in compelling tale of nonbinary identity". USA Today. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ Colyard, K.W. (December 21, 2020). "The Best Books Of 2020 — If You Read Anything This Year, Make It One Of These Books". Bustle. Retrieved December 22, 2021.