Small fires everywhere | Celeste Eng

A tightly woven novel, following the intertwined fates of the ideal "Richardson" family members, and the mysterious mother and daughter who turned their lives upside down. Mia Warren comes with her teenage daughter Pearl to Shaker Heights, a quiet suburb in Cleveland, and rents a house from the "Richardson" family. Then Mia begins working in the Richardson household to help the mother, Elena. The four children of the Richardson family are drawn to Mia and her daughter. But Mia carries a mysterious past, and her disregard for the rules threatens to overturn the carefully planned community life. An old friendship between a couple of the Richardson family's friends and their attempt to adopt a Chinese-American girl sparks a custody battle, dividing the town dramatically, and bringing Mia and Elena face to face. Elena insists on investigating Mia's past, doubting her and her motives, but her obsession leads to devastating and unexpected losses. "Small Fires Everywhere" reveals the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, the powerful pull of motherhood, and the danger of believing that following the rules can prevent disasters. Sahar Al-Subai translated this novel faithfully and skillfully, accurately conveying the spirit and culture of the American text into Arabic.