My boundless gratitude to my editor, Jill Bialosky, her assistant editor, Drew Elizabeth Weitman, and the rest of the meticulous and diligent team at W. W. Norton, who rigorously steered my book to its fullest potential.
Thanks also to the individuals and communities who contributed to this book and my writing in ways that are known or unexpected to them: Rebecca Makkai and Story Studio of Chicago, who provided me with a space for an exploratory draft and a lasting mentorship; my dearest friend, Nina Dellaria, still my first conscientious reader; my amazing writing and self-care sisters, Vimi Bajaj, Gulnaz Saiyed, and Marya Spont-Lemus; Leila Ben-Nasr for her faithful correspondence and uplifting friendship; Radius of Arab American Writers, who perpetually elevate our community; my Homewood-Flossmoor High School family, whose support for this second life of mine never wanes; Patricia McNair, still raising my stories; many brilliant authors whose books inspire and rattle me, and those who personally took time and care to read mine; and my online community, who boost my work and graciously remind me that we’re on the same rewarding and challenging journey of creating art to combat this climate of hatred, fear, and despair. Our words, though sometimes slow and painful, are hope.
Finally, I want to thank all of my beautiful family, including my husband, Khalid, and daughters, Sabah and Sabrine; my mother, my sisters and brothers, my in-laws, and other lovely relatives and friends who are perpetually eager to read my work and show up for me. All my love, always.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2020 by Sahar Mustafah
All rights reserved
First Edition
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Book design by Dana Sloan
Production manager: Beth Steidle
The Library of Congress has cataloged the printed edition as follows:
Names: Mustafah, Sahar, author.
Title: The beauty of your face : a novel / Sahar Mustafah.
Description: First edition. | New York, NY : W. W. Norton & Company, [2020]
Identifiers: LCCN 2019027179 | ISBN 9781324003380 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781324003397 (epub)
Classification: LCC PS3613.U846 B43 2020 | DDC 813/.6—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019027179
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