My Dreadful Body
NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR TRANSLATED LITERATURE LONGLIST CERCADOR PRIZE FINALIST—FOREWORD REVIEWS BEST 10 BOOKS OF 2026 "Gripping, vivid . . . plainspoken and elegiac. I've never read anything like it."—Claire Oshetsky, author of Poor Deer and Evil Genius A dazzling debut novel about a young woman's vexed coming of age in a traditional Azerbaijani community in Russia, grappling under the weight of Muslim patriarchal norms and a debilitating neurological condition. The mysterious affliction leaves her unable to control her muscles, plagued by pain and speech disorders, defying diagnosis. Addressing each body part with the scrupulousness of a medical researcher, the narrator explores memories, traditions, and taboos related to her physical self. In the process, a woman once destined for the role of a beautiful marriageable daughter comes to be perceived as damaged goods. With verbal elegance and poetic power, Egana Djabbarova unveils a hidden world in which illness unexpectedly facilitates her liberation. Reading group guide to My Dreadful Body is available for download free of charge at newvesselpress.com.
English edition · First published 2026 by New Vessel Press · ISBN 9781954404427
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Editions
2 editions
English
- My Dreadful Body · New Vessel Press · 2026 · ISBN 9781954404427 This page
- My Dreadful Body · Linden Editions · 2026 · ISBN 9781919196022
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