A New Year
About the Book
Suad misses her husband. He died unexpectedly during an argument at work, and she never got to say goodbye. But Suad knows she is lucky. Her three children have promised to look after her. After several false starts, she receives a warm welcome from her oldest son and settles down with his family in the countryside.
Everything goes smoothly – at first. Her grandchildren love her freshly baked falafel and watching TV together. But as the months pass, the relationship between Suad and her daughter-in-law grow tense. Her daughter-in-law accuses Suad of interfering with her grandchildren, stops talking to her, then finally asks Suad to leave the house altogether.
Suad must brave living alone. She sets out on a new life for herself, determined to make the best of it. How can she budget for just one person? How can she fill the long hours of the day? And will the neighbours warm to her?
About the Author
Leila Aboulela is an award-winning novelist celebrated for her distinctive exploration of identity, migration and Islamic spirituality. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, Aboulela was awarded the inaugural Caine Prize for African Writing and the PEN Pinter Prize in 2025. Her novels – including Bird Summons, Minaret, The Translator and The Kindness of Enemies – have been translated into fifteen languages. Aboulela’s most recent works include the novella A New Year, selected as a World Book Night title in 2025, and River Spirit, shortlisted for the HWA Gold Crown Award and named a Best Book of the Year at The Herald and The New York Times. She is also the author of the short story collection, Elsewhere, Home, which won the Saltire Fiction Book Award. Born and raised in Sudan, Aboulela moved to Scotland in her mid-twenties, where she continues to live and write.
Reviews
'Leila Aboulela holds a unique place in Scottish literature … Her narratives glow with a rare beauty, a shining sensual awareness of the joy of life.' The Scotsman
'Leila Aboulela is a writer of flair and compassion.' New Internationalist
'Aboulela is the kind of writer from whom British people need to hear.' The Telegraph
