“In Klepper’s debut novel, a stay-at-home mom longing for greater purpose returns to work as a pro bono lawyer and finds herself representing a Syrian refugee seeking asylum… A poignant exploration of a timely political topic.” Kirkus Reviews “A terrific debut, and so very timely. With smart writing and compassion, Klepper offers us a look into the hearts of two women: a Syrian immigrant … immigrant hoping to find a home in the USA, and the volunteer lawyer whose work brings a second chance at life not only to her client, but to herself as well.” Julie Lawson Timmer, author of “Mrs. Saint and the Defectives”
Jessica Donnelly’s life is beginning to unravel. When the attorney turned stay-at-home mom tentatively volunteers to represent Amina Hamid, a woman seeking asylum, Jessica must learn an unfamiliar area of the law. Soon, rising opposition to Muslim immigration and unexpected prejudices put her relationships on shaky ground.
Amina fled Syria with little more than memories that now fight against the images splashed on the news. Seeking a secure future and freedom from guilt and grief, she must learn to trust others amidst the reality of fear and hate.
To find stability, Jessica and Amina will both need to harness their own strengths, which may lie in connections that transcend generations, cultures, and continents.
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This is a lovely, thoughtful book about the intersection between two women’s lives. The protagonist is a former securities lawyer who’s been a stay-at-home-mother, Jessica. She’s trying to re-enter the work force by doing pro bono work with an organization that helps refugees with the complex and often arcane procedures in solved in seeking political asylum in the United States. Her first case involves Amina, a Syrian woman who wears the hijab, The characters grow as the novel progresses. For example, Jessica, the lawyer, realizes that she is more prejudiced than she believed she was while her clearly more-bigoted husband also grows. Both women overcome biases toward each other as their friendship grows. Though on the surface, Unbroken Threads, is about refugee and prejudice, it is also the story of two women finding themselves through the friendship and their individual and joint travails. Klepper, the author also guides readers in understanding the Syrian—and other—refugee crises and the challenges of being a refugee in the States. In this age of #OwnVoices, Klepper found the wherewithal to write from the point of view of a Syrian immigrant and the author does a superlative job weaving the lives of the two women together.
Interesting story about the biases that people carry and overcoming them. One of my favorite books this year!
This book is very much from the current feelings of this country. I really liked how feelings can change as people get to know each other.
This book had me hooked from the beginning. This echoes today’s current events. I enjoyed it so much, I recommended it for our book club’s next book to read.
The turquoise eye-catching cover of “Unbroken Threads” immediately got my attention, and the premise sounded intriguing. Jessica, lawyer turned stay-at-home mom, decides to dip her toes back into the legal world by volunteering to represent an immigrant seeking asylum. She expects to be assigned a Spanish speaking client from Central America but is instead matched with Amina, a Syrian woman who has fled war-torn Aleppo and the hideous atrocities of the civil war still raging there. Jessica is initially relieved when Amina walks out of their first meeting, but when she thinks more about the encounter, she decides to pursue her client despite her reservations. As the relationship develops, the two women form a tenuous bond that slowly strengthens. Both women must come to terms with their preconceived notions and assumptions before they can honestly communicate and learn to trust each other.
I enjoyed watching this relationship change and develop, and I looked forward to seeing where both of their stories would go. While Jessica is representing Amina, she is also unpacking trunks full of her deceased grandmother’s belongings—china and knick-knacks and old photographs. I found the juxtaposition of these scenes with the divulgement of Amina’s family history in Syria particularly effective and heart wrenching. Amina was forced to come to America alone and with nothing, leaving her parents and missing husband behind. Jessica is fortunate to have strong family connections and intact cultural history. I also enjoyed reading about an attorney main character, something more often seen in mysteries and thrillers than in women’s fiction. Klepper, an attorney herself, utilizes her knowledge of the law to create a wonderfully detailed and engaging story. I always love when an author allows the reader a peek behind the curtain of their profession
I loved the personal look it gave to the asylum situation. Well written and believable characters. I found it hard to put down.
Timely plot. The characters were well drawn and could have been taken from my client files. The story read smoothly and I became engaged with women and their lives.
I always enjoy learning about other cultures and seeing all sides of an issue.
This book opened my eyes to the problems Middle Eastern people have in trying to find a safe place to live. Our current system takes entirely too long and allows too many undesirable people to disappear into our country and cause harm to everyone around them. It is a complicated problem with no easy answer that I can see. I do believe the wall that President Trump is building is a good short term solution until a better world wide solution can be found.
Considering our current political climate, this is a great read. The characters are realistic and this book shows a depth of feeling that many people are not willing to admit while balancing the struggles of emotions on all sides.
Really enjoyed this book. Kept me going back.
Klepper’s Unbroken Threads gave me deeper insight into how an altruistic legal volunteer, Jessica, could become consumed with an immigrant from Syria. The main character slowly gets mired in the case until no emotional exit is possible. Amina, the Syrian refugee’s situation is complicated. Page by page, Klepper brings the reader cleverly into the plot. As the story unfolds, Jessica and Amina give the other something unexpected. The macro backstory details larger prejudices, legal convolutions, and emotional fears facing Jessica and her family caught in an immigrant’s asylum quagmire. As the author states in the epilogue, she had thought the Syrian crisis might be solved by publication, but the interminable conflict has extended the book release and is indeed timely and relevant. In fact, it is even more relevant than ever. I’d advise every American, regardless of political views, to read this eye-opening novel.
A very different book. I loved it!
I identified with the mom of teens and tweens, as well as leaving the corporate world for a career as a Professional volunteer and mom. I loved how the author showed the plight of the refugee, and the compassion we should have for displaced people. I also thought the relationship between husband and wife was real, and I could also appreciate that. I really enjoyed the book.
I gave this book a 5 star rating as I found it very interesting. It does provide some different aspects of America’s immigration problems. Rules, laws etc. It seems like this plot could be happening in other countries as well. It was an interesting plot with various family members and how they were coping with life. I would definetly recommend this book.
OMG,this book is eye opening and haunting. Characters are so realistic. Love it
This book is a beautifully written depiction of a very adamant issue of the times. It brings to light uncomfortable topics, causing the reader to open her eyes to a perspective she may not truly understand. The immigration conflict is real and true, and the author’s mastery at her craft, brings the reality of it to the pages of her story, creating a finished product that keeps you reading way too late into the night. Both Jessica and Amina are compelling characters with struggles and strengths that we can all identify with. I found myself deeply invested as I rode along on the emotional roller coaster set before me. Unbroken thread is a new and bold novel that is necessary in our world today and should be read by everyone!
It takes guts to write in the point of view of a Syrian refugee when that’s not your own background, instead of just sticking to the mother of three returning to the law with a pro bono case she’s not sure she’s ready for. Amina’s story is especially compelling and Jennifer Klepper does a great job of interweaving the lives of the two women as they learn, with plenty of discomfort, to trust each other and themselves. This is a warmhearted, satisfying, and hopeful read about a very timely issue.
Jessica Donnelly has been a stay at home mom and is now craving more purpose in her life since her children have reached their teens. She puts her legal background to use as a volunteer at the International Asylum Project. She is quickly assigned to Amina Hamid, a Syrian refugee trying to get her green card. Their first meeting is unsuccessful with Amina unwilling to trust her and Jessica feeling out of practice.
Amina’s reluctance is due to her previous experience with a lawyer who mishandled her application. However, after a few more meetings, Amina agrees to let Jessica work on her case. Jessica eventually learns about Amina’s life and how she ended up in Baltimore. As she becomes more engaged in Amina’s case she is forced to confront the prejudices and divergent opinions surrounding immigration.
This debut novel by Jennifer Klepper will leave you thinking for days after you read it. Unbroken Threads is a timely novel that uses different characters to illustrate opposing positions on a tough social issue. I will be interested to see what she has in store for her next novel.
One of the best books of the year. I must have cried a thousand tears. Extraordinary research, realistic characters, relevant story line. I cannot say enough, but that this book touched me in ways no other has. Forever a fan.