My Lit Box Reveal: The Storm

“A thing is mighty big when time and distance cannot shrink it.” – Zora Neale Hurston

When selecting the titles to be included in My Lit Box, I try to perform the tricky balancing act of choosing titles that you may be looking forward to while also shining a light on books that may be flying under your radar. This month I went with the latter because I fell in love with Arif Anwar’s ability to seamlessly weave multiple stories across time without skipping a beat.

The Storm is the story of Shahryar, a young father doing everything in his power to stay in the United States with his daughter before his visa expires. We not only follow his efforts to stay, but we’re taken back in time, revisiting pivotal moments in history all the while being introduced to a cast of characters whose lives weave together to reveal pieces of Shahryar’s history

I wanted the items in this month’s box to reflect in some way, the things Shahryar struggles with the most. Of course, at the top of his mind is if he’ll be able to stay in the United States. Sometimes when we are faced with challenges, all we can do is our best and let fate run its course, hence the “To be, or not to be” pencils from Could You Please.

This story will take you from Washington D.C. to Japan to Pakistan, and India so I was drawn to this bookmark bearing an antique map design and the Confucius quote, “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”

If I were in Shahryar’s position, I think my biggest fear would be that if I left, my child would forget about me. This Forget Me Not notepad from Knock Knock wouldn’t exactly solve that problem, but I think it serves as a reminder to remind others what they mean to you in hopes of alleviating the fear of them forgetting about you.

So, there you have this month’s box and I hope you enjoy the added bonus of a signed bookplate from Arif Anwar himself! Our other two selections this month are Welcome to Lagos by Chibundu Onuzo and From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon, so if you’re looking for more to read, be sure to check those out!

Once you’re finished reading The Storm, don’t forget to come back and share your thoughts with us! Until next time.

Sanura is the laugh out loud, solo traveling, book-loving, owner and founder of My Lit Box. When she’s not reading, you’ll find her planning her next adventure. You can follow Sanura’s latest reads and travel on Twitter & Instagram.