Call It Anything But Love

 

'The writing is clever and engaging and the characters are very well drawn. Brava!' - Fazeela

 

‘These stories are more than just narratives—they are immersive experiences. You'll encounter engaging, flawed characters who challenge societal norms, all while offering a fresh perspective on Muslim culture in Trinidad. The sensory-rich storytelling will transport you directly into this vibrant nation. While examining generational conflict and navigating societal expectations, these layered narratives invite you to reflect on universal questions about identity, belonging, and freedom. This collection will pull you in quickly, as the author skillfully inspires you to confront your preconceptions.’ – D. Adiba

 

          Of Munir and Adam's story, Phillipe Alexander says, 'I really do love it. I am interested to see where the story may go. It is pretty reminiscent of queer relationships past and very much present, and I think folks will relate to it.'

 

'I warmed to these complex characters – and the setting which is a corner of the Caribbean I can’t wait to read more about…' - JW

 

'This book was a pleasant surprise that quickly became a cherished read. Amanda Corieshy reveals a cloistered segment of Trinidad’s cultural landscape, with Nadira and Judith taking center stage as two women who navigate faith, betrayal, and family pressures. As a Catholic girl who grew up in Trinidad, I was never exposed to the experience of Muslims. Also, I was woefully unaware of the inner discrimination that converts to Islam of African descent faced when integrating with the descendants of those who came from India. The two lives of the two women were fraught with equal parts love and heartbreak—I was transported into their world, tasting the food, hearing the local chatter, and feeling every ounce of betrayal they experienced. While the collection wraps up with two stories that felt a bit separate from the main narrative, it doesn’t detract from the sheer vibrancy of the earlier chapters. Call It Anything But Love is a must-read if you love deeply human stories that illuminate humans within relationships, cultures within cultures, and, when tasted, their insatiable desire for love. Five shining stars!' – Scarlet Ibis James, author of Scarlet’s Yearnings and Scarlet Birthright.

 

'As a white, non-Muslim, monogamous American, I expected to enter the book as a foreign observer and learn. It’s one thing to observe modern polyamorous relationships as an act of sexual liberation, but how do they function within the context of religious doctrine, especially in modern society when the subjects of sexual liberty and equality are more prominent?

This is where the book shines, because Coreishy’s response is a deeply nuanced, unexpectedly bittersweet version of “it’s complicated.”

I felt silly having approached the book as an outsider, because it quickly became clear that something being a “cultural fact” doesn’t make it any easier for people to accept or adjust to. Their concerns and reactions echoed my own, and each character’s portrait is so intimately drawn, I couldn’t help but sympathize with all of them.

The book is labeled as “short stories,” but I’d call it a novel. Something significant would be lost from skipping stories or reading them out of sequence.' - Zachary Dillon, author of 'I Hear You Watching'