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I Sat Alone by the Gate
Amazon Best Seller in Middle Eastern Literature, Emigrants & Immigrants Biographies, and City Life FictionHow wonderful, that you could cross the ocean and still find yourself looking at mothers and children walking the streets, peering into store windows, and catching buses to get home in time for dinner.Maryam, a young woman from Baku, Azerbaijan, is thrown into the chaos of immigrant life when her mother decides to emigrate to the United States. Maryam initially remains inside at her window studying passersby and reflecting on their clothes, their coffee cups, and a hundred other points of divergence between two cultures. But reality eventually forces her from of the safety of her apartment and out into a foreign world that is at once fascinating, confusing, and not always kind.While first a story of immigration, I Sat Alone by the Gate is also a powerful, introspective tale of a young woman coming into her own. Mary Efendi’s tender portrayal of home will appeal to anyone who has ever had to leave the place they love behind.Mary Efendi was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, and moved to America in 2003. After almost two decades in the US, life took Mary back to Baku. When she is not reading fiction and drinking cortado in a coffeeshop, she can be found painting on large canvases in her studio in Baku’s Old City.
344 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 20, 2023
28 people are currently reading
2322 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
June 30, 2023
I wish I haven’t had finished it in 3 days. Especially when writer spent 6 years to finish the book :)
Every person from Baku/Azerbaijan will find something in this book that’ll touch their hearts and every immigrant will find something that they’ve been through in their immigration journey.
I’m giving it 5 stars and yes I am a bit biased ( just a little bit that a book lover can afford) because I want to support the author on this journey. I think the book deserves to reach to wider audience, needs to be translated into Azerbaijani and Russian at least.
Also, I want to thank Mary for describing our culture, traditions, country in an honest way, with its beautiful and not-so beautiful sides.
Loved the story. I wish the author inspiration to continue this writing journey, she is really good at it.
Every person from Baku/Azerbaijan will find something in this book that’ll touch their hearts and every immigrant will find something that they’ve been through in their immigration journey.
I’m giving it 5 stars and yes I am a bit biased ( just a little bit that a book lover can afford) because I want to support the author on this journey. I think the book deserves to reach to wider audience, needs to be translated into Azerbaijani and Russian at least.
Also, I want to thank Mary for describing our culture, traditions, country in an honest way, with its beautiful and not-so beautiful sides.
Loved the story. I wish the author inspiration to continue this writing journey, she is really good at it.
May 20, 2023
This is the story that I would recommend to anyone who is far from home-from the place they knew like their skin, and wander whether they are alone in that feeling or moment.
Maryam, her mother and brother leave Baku, Azerbaijan for the US- and as she narrates the story, it's more like she was plucked away from the warmth of her grandmother's food and resilience, to another country aboard the hope her mother had for a better life away from their father and the pain of his drinking, and what followed them was her mother's depression- and resilience.
It's not the colorful, everything is awesome, I love America kind of story- it is a young girl trying to make sense of her place in a world that she knows not and so like any stranger, she observes-always on the outside looking in.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
Maryam, her mother and brother leave Baku, Azerbaijan for the US- and as she narrates the story, it's more like she was plucked away from the warmth of her grandmother's food and resilience, to another country aboard the hope her mother had for a better life away from their father and the pain of his drinking, and what followed them was her mother's depression- and resilience.
It's not the colorful, everything is awesome, I love America kind of story- it is a young girl trying to make sense of her place in a world that she knows not and so like any stranger, she observes-always on the outside looking in.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
June 9, 2023
I read this book for free thanks to NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This book was an excellent insight into the immigrant experience in the US 20 years ago. I enjoyed hearing from the perspective that is foreign to my own life experiences. We followed the narrator from their early life in Baku to two transitional years in Chicago to the cusp of their next adventure as an adult/student in Washington DC.. She wears her emotions through itnall' and is guided by them. Thanks for a great read!
This book was an excellent insight into the immigrant experience in the US 20 years ago. I enjoyed hearing from the perspective that is foreign to my own life experiences. We followed the narrator from their early life in Baku to two transitional years in Chicago to the cusp of their next adventure as an adult/student in Washington DC.. She wears her emotions through itnall' and is guided by them. Thanks for a great read!
November 28, 2023
***I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway***
Do you ever read a book that you enjoyed but can't really put into words why? Or what the book was even about? I feel like this one fits into that category. Is it an immigration story? Yes. Is it a coming of age? Probably. Is it a love story? At times. Family story? Often. But what is it at it's core? I don't know. Maybe that's different for everyone who reads it...and that's kinda cool.
This novel covers the teenage years of a girl from Azerbaijan where she immigrates to America (Chicago, specifically) with her mother and brother. She builds a new life. It's interesting seeing Chicago through the eyes of this young girl. She flips America on its head as she tries to find comfort in places that remind her of home, while also being curious about what is new.
It's almost a stream of consciousness style of writing, which I tend to enjoy. I loved that chapters covering very simple, seemingly unimportant topics (like what fruit tastes like in America vs. Azerbaijan) are treated with the same thoughtfulness as chapters on very serious issues (like loneliness or love).
Overall, this is a good novel that points to a slice of life that we often don't get to see in literature. I would recommend it to folks who like character focused stories.
Do you ever read a book that you enjoyed but can't really put into words why? Or what the book was even about? I feel like this one fits into that category. Is it an immigration story? Yes. Is it a coming of age? Probably. Is it a love story? At times. Family story? Often. But what is it at it's core? I don't know. Maybe that's different for everyone who reads it...and that's kinda cool.
This novel covers the teenage years of a girl from Azerbaijan where she immigrates to America (Chicago, specifically) with her mother and brother. She builds a new life. It's interesting seeing Chicago through the eyes of this young girl. She flips America on its head as she tries to find comfort in places that remind her of home, while also being curious about what is new.
It's almost a stream of consciousness style of writing, which I tend to enjoy. I loved that chapters covering very simple, seemingly unimportant topics (like what fruit tastes like in America vs. Azerbaijan) are treated with the same thoughtfulness as chapters on very serious issues (like loneliness or love).
Overall, this is a good novel that points to a slice of life that we often don't get to see in literature. I would recommend it to folks who like character focused stories.
July 30, 2023
I Sat Alone by the Gate was an interesting story that I didn’t appreciate completely until I was well into it. I kept waiting for something big to happen in the story instead of just appreciating the journey.
Maryam is a young woman that emigrates from Baku to Chicago with her mom and brother, leaving behind everything and everyone she knows. Her mother has hatched a plan to rebuild their lives in America and Maryam must accept it.
Efendi effectively portrays the immigrant struggles with the emotional turmoil and bureaucratic obstacles the family faces. The whole idea of giving up so much of who you are to build a life in a new world was extremely sad.
The book is culturally immersive with vivid descriptions of Baku, food, dress, customs, and history. Being from Chicago, I enjoyed reading Maryam’s impressions of her new world and some of the details such as a textbook in Baku vs the US.
**Trigger warning for sexual assault
Thank you to Goodreads for this ARC. I was a Goodreads giveaway winner.
Maryam is a young woman that emigrates from Baku to Chicago with her mom and brother, leaving behind everything and everyone she knows. Her mother has hatched a plan to rebuild their lives in America and Maryam must accept it.
Efendi effectively portrays the immigrant struggles with the emotional turmoil and bureaucratic obstacles the family faces. The whole idea of giving up so much of who you are to build a life in a new world was extremely sad.
The book is culturally immersive with vivid descriptions of Baku, food, dress, customs, and history. Being from Chicago, I enjoyed reading Maryam’s impressions of her new world and some of the details such as a textbook in Baku vs the US.
**Trigger warning for sexual assault
Thank you to Goodreads for this ARC. I was a Goodreads giveaway winner.
August 9, 2023
What does it feel like to grow up in one country and then suddenly be forced to immigrate to a foreign land many thousands of miles away? This is the main question that I SAT ALONE BY THE GATE focuses on. In eloquent, empathetic language, the book gets inside the head of Maryam, an eighteen-year-old who moves from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Skokie, Illinois, with her mother and brother. As she and her family struggle to find jobs and adjust to the new language and culture, Maryam becomes physically homesick for her homeland on the Caspian Sea. She feels as if there is an iron grip around her neck, experiences headaches and panic attacks, and loses her appetite. (It doesn’t help that American peaches and chicken taste like paper compared to the organic foods she is used to.)
Even as Maryam begins to find success at work and in community college, makes friends, and falls in love, she worries that she will never be “unchained” from her nostalgia for Azerbaijan and the people she left behind. Her thoughts of her grandmother’s house, with its mulberry and fig trees and twining grapevines, are especially vivid and evocative. Maryam’s adjustment is further complicated when she experiences a harrowing sexual assault. By the end of the book, Maryam and her family have overcome some of the bureaucratic hurdles to becoming US citizens, but at what emotional cost? A worthwhile book for readers who’d like to put themselves in the shoes of immigrants to the United States. (I received a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway, and the above is my honest opinion.)
Even as Maryam begins to find success at work and in community college, makes friends, and falls in love, she worries that she will never be “unchained” from her nostalgia for Azerbaijan and the people she left behind. Her thoughts of her grandmother’s house, with its mulberry and fig trees and twining grapevines, are especially vivid and evocative. Maryam’s adjustment is further complicated when she experiences a harrowing sexual assault. By the end of the book, Maryam and her family have overcome some of the bureaucratic hurdles to becoming US citizens, but at what emotional cost? A worthwhile book for readers who’d like to put themselves in the shoes of immigrants to the United States. (I received a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway, and the above is my honest opinion.)
September 4, 2023
I read this book for free in exchange for my honest review.
I loved this book. The book itself was an easy read. The discussion of the length of time and sacrifices it takes for immigrants to legally obtain green card, all while learning how to culturally adapt to America while respecting the family's past country is one that every American should read. This book also addresses physical abuse and sexual abuse and how the main character (Maryam) learned to deal (or not deal) with the unfortunate events. The cultural and food descriptions were wonderful and made my mouth water! Great book.
I loved this book. The book itself was an easy read. The discussion of the length of time and sacrifices it takes for immigrants to legally obtain green card, all while learning how to culturally adapt to America while respecting the family's past country is one that every American should read. This book also addresses physical abuse and sexual abuse and how the main character (Maryam) learned to deal (or not deal) with the unfortunate events. The cultural and food descriptions were wonderful and made my mouth water! Great book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2023
I won this book as a giveaway on goodreads. The only reason for a four star review is for the length of the book. This book showed a life story and journey through leaving what was home to a new country. All the trials the family went through and the ordeals. It really was well written and opened my eyes to the experiences one may face in an unsafe country, then traveling and making new in a place you know no one and have to start over. Leaving those you love and friends behind.
August 9, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. The fact that she referred to her panic attacks as "her silent torturer" was the best way I've heard anyone describe them. Reading from Maryams perspective on the way she saw Americans was interesting. The book makes you think about what someone goes through to become a legal American citizen. I don't want to have spoilers so I'll just add that after a certain event happens to Maryam the author does an amazing job at showing us how it changed her and the effects it had on her relationships with others.
April 6, 2025
A deeply personal but also universal story of an immigrant struggles, perseverance, and molding of a new identity.
February 6, 2024
Experiencing new cultures
Won this Kindle version through Goodreads. An enjoyable read that was written to allow you to see through the eyes of a Middle Eastern immigrant’s first two years in the US. The story telling was culturally enlightening. Would definitely recommend.
Won this Kindle version through Goodreads. An enjoyable read that was written to allow you to see through the eyes of a Middle Eastern immigrant’s first two years in the US. The story telling was culturally enlightening. Would definitely recommend.
Want to read
June 19, 2023What a pleasure it was to read this book, alone, not by the gate though. I would recommend it to anyone ever leaving, relocating from one place to another. A very honest analyze on how immigrant soul feels. I had a double pleasure, being privileged to share one city with the author and with the character, so I had similar reflections while moving from Baku ( my hometown) to Paris.
Take it on a summer trip, it is delightful and easy yet with food for thoughts.
Take it on a summer trip, it is delightful and easy yet with food for thoughts.
January 16, 2024
A family of 3 arrived to America with hopes and fears in their hearts. One of them is an 18-year-old girl, desperately missing her life in Baku and finding refuge only in her memories.
Sincere manner of author makes you feel like you are listening to your friend who shares her intimate filings with you, drinking a cup of coffee. You don’t understand how you gulp the book in couple of days. All your spare time you want to spend reading it, and when you don’t you can’t help yourself thinking of main character, Maryam, and her life. While you are reading, you started to know each member of the family, their personalities, temper, strengths and weaknesses. This is a story of real life, story of every immigrant and every little girl who has to grow up, the story about “the art of never giving up”.
This book worths to be read and it will definitely be a good present.
Sincere manner of author makes you feel like you are listening to your friend who shares her intimate filings with you, drinking a cup of coffee. You don’t understand how you gulp the book in couple of days. All your spare time you want to spend reading it, and when you don’t you can’t help yourself thinking of main character, Maryam, and her life. While you are reading, you started to know each member of the family, their personalities, temper, strengths and weaknesses. This is a story of real life, story of every immigrant and every little girl who has to grow up, the story about “the art of never giving up”.
This book worths to be read and it will definitely be a good present.
March 6, 2024
ARC COPY-I really liked this book, I love reading about other cultures and learning about other countries. The family had a very hard life, even before coming to the US. The book details all the difficulties that awaited them as new immigrants. As Americans born, then growing up in the US, most have no idea what the immigrants' journey is like. This story was gut-wrenching at times. Other times, we enjoyed their triumphs as they worked towards their goal of making a good life in America. I was sad after finishing the book. I had become so invested in their journey. I highly recommend you read this book!
August 15, 2023
I won a copy of I Sat By the Gate via a Goodreads giveaway, which was great. Most times, the best thing about a giveaway is getting to read books you otherwise wouldn’t be exposed to and learning something new from it.
But sometimes, the best part of a giveaway is reading a book and walking away glad it was…a giveaway. See, while I read I Sat By the Gate, it became abundantly clear that some books just aren’t for me. Like this one.
On a functional writing level, I struggled with the read. The dialogue was grating and lacked natural flow (that wasn’t a stylistic choice). Repetitive prose abound. I didn’t find the writing nearly as emotionally compelling as I’d expect from a book like this (probably because of the 1st person narrative, which is hard to nail). I don’t feel like I learned much of anything about Azerbaijan (minus some food, which to be fair, honestly sounds bomb). Etc, etc, etc…
But then again, is any of that critique fair when this book was written in English by a non native English speaker? I sure as shit can’t write a book in my own language, let alone a second language.
Is any of this fair when this book is autobiographical fiction? Or maybe this isn’t even fiction - it might be straight up memoir?
Anyway. Point is. I feel like a jerk for not vibing with this book.
It wasn’t all rough, though. In terms of depicting the immigrant experience in America, I thought I Sat By the Gate did a pretty decent job covering how one goes about (reluctantly) building a life from scratch in a foreign place - in both big and extraordinarily mundane ways.
This is one of those books where you gotta look beyond what’s on the page to enjoy it, but there IS quite a bit to glean from the story if you can do that.
Unfortunately, I struggled looking beyond the page enough to enjoy the read.
I do applaud Efendi for writing a book about her experience.
But sometimes, the best part of a giveaway is reading a book and walking away glad it was…a giveaway. See, while I read I Sat By the Gate, it became abundantly clear that some books just aren’t for me. Like this one.
On a functional writing level, I struggled with the read. The dialogue was grating and lacked natural flow (that wasn’t a stylistic choice). Repetitive prose abound. I didn’t find the writing nearly as emotionally compelling as I’d expect from a book like this (probably because of the 1st person narrative, which is hard to nail). I don’t feel like I learned much of anything about Azerbaijan (minus some food, which to be fair, honestly sounds bomb). Etc, etc, etc…
But then again, is any of that critique fair when this book was written in English by a non native English speaker? I sure as shit can’t write a book in my own language, let alone a second language.
Is any of this fair when this book is autobiographical fiction? Or maybe this isn’t even fiction - it might be straight up memoir?
Anyway. Point is. I feel like a jerk for not vibing with this book.
It wasn’t all rough, though. In terms of depicting the immigrant experience in America, I thought I Sat By the Gate did a pretty decent job covering how one goes about (reluctantly) building a life from scratch in a foreign place - in both big and extraordinarily mundane ways.
This is one of those books where you gotta look beyond what’s on the page to enjoy it, but there IS quite a bit to glean from the story if you can do that.
Unfortunately, I struggled looking beyond the page enough to enjoy the read.
I do applaud Efendi for writing a book about her experience.
June 23, 2024
Each sentence is imbued with such warmth, longing for childhood, for the Motherland. Only an emigrant or a person who had to live far from the Motherland can feel this and realize the value of everything that you had.
Read
November 14, 2023One of my Azeri friends gave me this book, which reads with the immediacy (and loose ends) of a memoir. I was glad to see American culture through the eyes of a thoughtful young woman, caught in the uncertainties of adolescence.
Though it contains some beautiful purple patches and word choices (e.g. the MC's grandmother was riffling through their suitcases in Azerbaijan, still searching for things she could "pack into our future"), I wished I could have read the story after a better editor had wrestled it into shape.
Though it contains some beautiful purple patches and word choices (e.g. the MC's grandmother was riffling through their suitcases in Azerbaijan, still searching for things she could "pack into our future"), I wished I could have read the story after a better editor had wrestled it into shape.
September 4, 2023
I loved this book, every page of it. I do believe it will certainly impact lives of immigrants who do read it and give them hope that “it does get better”. This book is not for just gulping it. Its beauty is in details and slow, captivating mood.
This is not a heavy drama with heartbreaking circumstances, nor is it a blockbuster material with unpredicted twists. But it’s a “light read” only if you read it lightly. If you pay attention to details, you not only enjoy the whole palette of delicious writing, but realize that this book is deep. Deep in a simple, real way. And it’s full of hope and possibilities.
This is not a heavy drama with heartbreaking circumstances, nor is it a blockbuster material with unpredicted twists. But it’s a “light read” only if you read it lightly. If you pay attention to details, you not only enjoy the whole palette of delicious writing, but realize that this book is deep. Deep in a simple, real way. And it’s full of hope and possibilities.
June 25, 2023
I Sat Alone by the Gate
I’m not sure why this book was written. I kept expecting some poignant story. I wanted there to be something to learn, a point of view I never would have thought about. Instead I learned how to spend hours of my life reading a book about a fairly mundane life of an individual that emigrated from Baku, Azerbaijan. It explains why she left, how and where she arrived. Then it went on to explain the family struggles. I noticed she moved back to her hometown, but that wasn’t discussed. It seems like that could be the best part of the story but the book ended before we found out.
#GoodreadsGiveaways
I’m not sure why this book was written. I kept expecting some poignant story. I wanted there to be something to learn, a point of view I never would have thought about. Instead I learned how to spend hours of my life reading a book about a fairly mundane life of an individual that emigrated from Baku, Azerbaijan. It explains why she left, how and where she arrived. Then it went on to explain the family struggles. I noticed she moved back to her hometown, but that wasn’t discussed. It seems like that could be the best part of the story but the book ended before we found out.
#GoodreadsGiveaways
June 25, 2024
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Greenleaf Book Group for choosing me!
Mary Efendi has done a wonderful job of showcasing what the life of an immigrant can be. This book is well written and provides beautiful details allowing the reader to feel as if you are walking beside Maryam as she explores the new world around her and faces life in a new country.
The cast of characters all lends to the allure of this amazing book. From the men at the optical shop to her family, Teymour and Arash. Surely, they will all live on in my mind for a long time.
Mary Efendi has done a wonderful job of showcasing what the life of an immigrant can be. This book is well written and provides beautiful details allowing the reader to feel as if you are walking beside Maryam as she explores the new world around her and faces life in a new country.
The cast of characters all lends to the allure of this amazing book. From the men at the optical shop to her family, Teymour and Arash. Surely, they will all live on in my mind for a long time.
August 15, 2023
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger warning: Sexaual Assault and trauma.
The author has done a comendable job in describing her life and culture in Baku, followed by the struggles of moving to the United States. I appreciated learning things through her lens, her teenage and then young woman eyes. It's a good read :)
Trigger warning: Sexaual Assault and trauma.
The author has done a comendable job in describing her life and culture in Baku, followed by the struggles of moving to the United States. I appreciated learning things through her lens, her teenage and then young woman eyes. It's a good read :)
September 28, 2023
Mary's book is a captivating read that beautifully captures the immigrant experience. As someone who moved to the US 15 years ago, I felt an instant connection to the relatable moments and emotions depicted in her writing. Mary's storytelling is both touching and skillful. I eagerly await her next book
October 28, 2023
A long, slow read: this book sounded interesting when I put in for the Goodreads guveaway. I won the book but lost time slogging through. Gave up at 50% mark because it no longer kept my interest. The stilted language of the character, though authentic to the ethnicity of the characters, lacked color and bored me.
October 28, 2023
I won this book on Goodreads. It was an excellent story describing the experience of immigrants looking for a better life and the joys, fears, and the emotional roller coaster of coming to a new country to start a new life. Would highly recommend it!
September 30, 2024
I really enjoyed reading it... Brought back my own memories of similar experiences. So, definitely could relate on many levels, even with some generational gap. And it helped me understand the origin of some of my own idiosyncrasies that I now can identify, thanks to this author.
Couple of favorite quotes readily come to mind: "It took God 20 minutes to act". And another one "Assyrians still exist?" (he-he-he, yeah, not many, but still there! Cute naivete, though). There are other quotes, as I liked this author's style of prose.
Alas, I was a little disappointed of the lack of good historical knowledge about her own native hometown - the only thing in Icheri Sheher that dates back to 15th century is the Shirvanshah's Palace. Everything else, including the defensive walls and Giz Galasy, dates back to the 12th century, and Giz Galasy was built over earlier structures dating from the 7th to 6th centuries BC. And Icheri Sheher is translated into English as The Inner City, not The Old Town... It is important to represent your culture and history the most accurate way possible, especially now, as publication becomes a record for generations to come. In 6 yrs of writing this book and google being available, I am surprised not much research went into this...
A few notes: a common, but inexcusable, error, especially for a well-read author educated in the US - the rug is "Persian", the language is Farsi. And I doubt that while in conversation, Maryam's mother would have called it a kielbasa. Only Polish call it such. For all Russian speakers, it is a kolbasA. And as a reader, I find it more authentic and endearing when the sentence structure is preserved in conversations and dialogs, eventhough retelling is done in a different language. That is, conversations between a mother and a daughter took place in Russian (and/or Azerbaijani, or a mix of the two as is common for Baku natives). So, when translated into English, I would stay away from proper English, and preserve the Russian and dialectual sentence structure, even if it is incorrect. It adds authenticity. I also did not care much for just "Caspian" all over the book as opposed to the actual and correct "Caspian Sea".
But, I had a hard time putting the book down, craving to know more and more. So, I would definitely recommend this book, and more importantly, will read more by the same author.
For someone who wrote an Amazon review saying "I don't know why this book was written..." - welcome to the concept of a literary prose. You want lessons - read a textbook!
Oh, and another thing: author eludes in her book that her background is Middle Eastern, completely ignoring the fact that Azerbaijan is georgaphically located in Europe and culturally is a mixture of the two, as it is where East ends and West begins... This creates and perpetuates an incorrect perception that Azerbaijan is in Asia...
Couple of favorite quotes readily come to mind: "It took God 20 minutes to act". And another one "Assyrians still exist?" (he-he-he, yeah, not many, but still there! Cute naivete, though). There are other quotes, as I liked this author's style of prose.
Alas, I was a little disappointed of the lack of good historical knowledge about her own native hometown - the only thing in Icheri Sheher that dates back to 15th century is the Shirvanshah's Palace. Everything else, including the defensive walls and Giz Galasy, dates back to the 12th century, and Giz Galasy was built over earlier structures dating from the 7th to 6th centuries BC. And Icheri Sheher is translated into English as The Inner City, not The Old Town... It is important to represent your culture and history the most accurate way possible, especially now, as publication becomes a record for generations to come. In 6 yrs of writing this book and google being available, I am surprised not much research went into this...
A few notes: a common, but inexcusable, error, especially for a well-read author educated in the US - the rug is "Persian", the language is Farsi. And I doubt that while in conversation, Maryam's mother would have called it a kielbasa. Only Polish call it such. For all Russian speakers, it is a kolbasA. And as a reader, I find it more authentic and endearing when the sentence structure is preserved in conversations and dialogs, eventhough retelling is done in a different language. That is, conversations between a mother and a daughter took place in Russian (and/or Azerbaijani, or a mix of the two as is common for Baku natives). So, when translated into English, I would stay away from proper English, and preserve the Russian and dialectual sentence structure, even if it is incorrect. It adds authenticity. I also did not care much for just "Caspian" all over the book as opposed to the actual and correct "Caspian Sea".
But, I had a hard time putting the book down, craving to know more and more. So, I would definitely recommend this book, and more importantly, will read more by the same author.
For someone who wrote an Amazon review saying "I don't know why this book was written..." - welcome to the concept of a literary prose. You want lessons - read a textbook!
Oh, and another thing: author eludes in her book that her background is Middle Eastern, completely ignoring the fact that Azerbaijan is georgaphically located in Europe and culturally is a mixture of the two, as it is where East ends and West begins... This creates and perpetuates an incorrect perception that Azerbaijan is in Asia...
February 2, 2024
I read this book on a beach. It’s not really a beach read at all. Rather, “I Sat Alone at the Gate” is a thoughtful and contemplative read meant to be read curled up somewhere secluded. Somewhere from which you can be transported.
The book tells of a teenage girl, Mary, who comes to the United States from Azerbaijan with her family in the early 2000s. It is a jarring and unwanted life change for Mary. To my delight, the family settles in Chicago. But, while I have spent years living in Chicago, this is a city with which I am unfamiliar. It is a vibrant side of immigrant Chicago that comes alive on the page as Mary describes it. The streets, the businesses, the people are viewed through her terrified, but wide-eyed lens.
To see my beloved city and fellow Americans from this angle, that of a newly immigrated young woman, was eye opening and thoroughly engrossing. To understand what it might be like to leave your homeland, to go somewhere totally foreign, was educational and, often-times, heart breaking. Mary and her family spend months trying to figure out how to support themselves and navigate the system to integrate into this country. There is sadness and stress around every turn, but there is also perseverance and, always, an undercurrent of hope. The cast of characters that they meet in their new country give meaning to the words community – even within a large city.
If you are looking for action or high drama, this is not your book. Instead, it’s a quiet, deeply personal story from an author who has lived it herself. To take the journey with her (as I sat on a beach) was an honor and a pleasure.
The book tells of a teenage girl, Mary, who comes to the United States from Azerbaijan with her family in the early 2000s. It is a jarring and unwanted life change for Mary. To my delight, the family settles in Chicago. But, while I have spent years living in Chicago, this is a city with which I am unfamiliar. It is a vibrant side of immigrant Chicago that comes alive on the page as Mary describes it. The streets, the businesses, the people are viewed through her terrified, but wide-eyed lens.
To see my beloved city and fellow Americans from this angle, that of a newly immigrated young woman, was eye opening and thoroughly engrossing. To understand what it might be like to leave your homeland, to go somewhere totally foreign, was educational and, often-times, heart breaking. Mary and her family spend months trying to figure out how to support themselves and navigate the system to integrate into this country. There is sadness and stress around every turn, but there is also perseverance and, always, an undercurrent of hope. The cast of characters that they meet in their new country give meaning to the words community – even within a large city.
If you are looking for action or high drama, this is not your book. Instead, it’s a quiet, deeply personal story from an author who has lived it herself. To take the journey with her (as I sat on a beach) was an honor and a pleasure.
January 12, 2024
In terms of the craft, the book is well written; the prose flows seamlessly and leaves you anxious to know what will happen next.
Yet as an Azerbaijani who has lived most of her life in Baku, I was rather disappointed. Baku described in the book is nothing like the Baku I know.
Unarguably, the turmoil Maryam feels when she is uprooted from everything she has known is the lifeblood of the book. Although Maryam’s longing for home is there; seeping through every word, whether we Bakuvites agree with the descriptions is the question. To me, personally, certain passages seemed too remote to evoke a response.
Every nation is a unique blend of influences, whether historical, political, or cultural. The book attempted to shed light on the mixed identity of Azerbaijanis. And in my opinion, it failed. The book did not convincingly connect all the disparate elements that make up our identity and make us complete. Azerbaijan is a young country that is constantly evolving and, bearing this in mind, the writing could have been better thought out.
But then again, this is an immigrant novel and not a novel I wish was written. The book is meant to resonate with all immigrants irrelevant of their place of birth. This is a journey of a young woman taking control of her destiny. And in that regard, the book succeeds in evincing the gradual agency that Maryam achieves as the book progresses.
Yet as an Azerbaijani who has lived most of her life in Baku, I was rather disappointed. Baku described in the book is nothing like the Baku I know.
Unarguably, the turmoil Maryam feels when she is uprooted from everything she has known is the lifeblood of the book. Although Maryam’s longing for home is there; seeping through every word, whether we Bakuvites agree with the descriptions is the question. To me, personally, certain passages seemed too remote to evoke a response.
Every nation is a unique blend of influences, whether historical, political, or cultural. The book attempted to shed light on the mixed identity of Azerbaijanis. And in my opinion, it failed. The book did not convincingly connect all the disparate elements that make up our identity and make us complete. Azerbaijan is a young country that is constantly evolving and, bearing this in mind, the writing could have been better thought out.
But then again, this is an immigrant novel and not a novel I wish was written. The book is meant to resonate with all immigrants irrelevant of their place of birth. This is a journey of a young woman taking control of her destiny. And in that regard, the book succeeds in evincing the gradual agency that Maryam achieves as the book progresses.
December 10, 2023
I really tried to give this book a solid go. I got about 2/3 of the way through, maybe a little more. I just could not stay very interested in it. I chose it because it was included in my Kindle Unlimited subscription at the time. I also chose it because I was doing a read around the world challenge and the last book I needed was to be set in the Middle East. Well, I spent so much time slogging through this thing that I'm not going to be able to complete that challenge in 2023. Better luck to me next year.
The author is herself someone who came to America (and has since returned to her country of origin). As a result, the English as a second language is stilted and difficult to follow. Hey, kudos to her -- I certainly don't have the skill set to write a book in a foreign language. It was more that the story just wasn't all that interesting to me. I kept waiting for it to get a little better, but it never really did pick up. It was one of those stories where you just don't feel very much either way about the main characters or what happens to them. You can see I plugged away at this from August to December before finally giving up. There are so many good books to read. This isn't one of them.
The author is herself someone who came to America (and has since returned to her country of origin). As a result, the English as a second language is stilted and difficult to follow. Hey, kudos to her -- I certainly don't have the skill set to write a book in a foreign language. It was more that the story just wasn't all that interesting to me. I kept waiting for it to get a little better, but it never really did pick up. It was one of those stories where you just don't feel very much either way about the main characters or what happens to them. You can see I plugged away at this from August to December before finally giving up. There are so many good books to read. This isn't one of them.
February 3, 2024
I coincidentally saw Mary Efendi doing an interview on a European channel during my travels in the summer and my curiosity was peaked for her novel. As an Azerbaijani-Canadian, it’s rare to see representation in English literature. Personally, I have never read a text by an Azeri author written originally in English for a North American audience. The text does well to represent the immigration experience many people go through specifically coming to North America, Efendi captures the constant pull one feels to home and the need to move on with daily life and adapt to expectations of your new life. I felt a genuine connection and representation through her novel. Although, admittedly there was not necessarily as much detail about the life in Baku as some other reviews mentioned but I don’t think that was the goal of her text. She wanted to share her experiences and the internal turmoil or emotions one has go through during this life altering time, and the divide in their identity that they feel, and I believe she captures this so well. If you wish to understand this emotion or feel representation in literature as an Azerbaijani individual or even as an immigrant, this is a great read!
June 4, 2023
In “I Sat Alone by the Gate”, Mary Efendi takes readers on a multifaceted experiences of individuals who embark on the path of immigration.
What’s great about this book is that it shows how people from the same family who experience the exact same act - immigration, feel so different about it. For some it is an escape from past and there is no turning back. Anything is better than returning back home. Others have been forced to immigrate against their will leaving behind everything that seemed so dear to them. Immigration is a torture and an anxiety. Lastly, a younger individual seems to be enjoying his new life while acknowledging the positive aspects of this transformative path. Through vivid description author creates a deep bond with each of the characters.
I think what truly sets this book apart is the empathetic approach of storytelling. This book takes you through emotional turmoil and cultural clashes that immigrants often encounter.
What’s great about this book is that it shows how people from the same family who experience the exact same act - immigration, feel so different about it. For some it is an escape from past and there is no turning back. Anything is better than returning back home. Others have been forced to immigrate against their will leaving behind everything that seemed so dear to them. Immigration is a torture and an anxiety. Lastly, a younger individual seems to be enjoying his new life while acknowledging the positive aspects of this transformative path. Through vivid description author creates a deep bond with each of the characters.
I think what truly sets this book apart is the empathetic approach of storytelling. This book takes you through emotional turmoil and cultural clashes that immigrants often encounter.
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