I, the Divine

Sarah Nour El-Din attempts to write her memoir by starting the first chapter over and over, producing multiple "Chapter Ones" that span different periods of her life in Lebanon and America. Each new beginning reveals a different facet of her experiences as a half-Lebanese, half-American woman navigating cultural identity, family relationships, and personal trauma. The structure mirrors Sarah's struggle to find the right entry point into her own story, with some chapters written in first person, others in third person, and still others taking the form of letters or fragmentary scenes. Through these varied attempts, Sarah recounts her childhood in Lebanon during the civil war, her moves between Beirut and the United States, her marriages, and her career as a visual artist. The non-linear format produces a mosaic-like portrait that encompasses Sarah's relationships with her Lebanese father, American mother, two sisters, and extended family members. The recurring attempts to begin allow examination of events from multiple angles and perspectives. This experimental approach to memoir raises questions about how stories are told and reshaped through memory, and how identity forms at the intersection of different cultures and histories. The tension between art and life, fiction and truth, emerges as Sarah tries to capture her experiences on the page.

Readers connect with the fragmentary, non-linear structure that mirrors the protagonist Sarah's scattered thoughts and memories. Many note how the format of "false starts" and chapter ones creates an intimate portrait through accumulated details rather than traditional narrative. Readers appreciate the examination of cultural identity, particularly the Lebanese-American perspective and complex family dynamics. Several reviews highlight the dark humor and raw honesty in depicting relationships. Common criticisms focus on the disjointed format being difficult to follow. Some readers report struggling to connect with Sarah or find resolution in the fragmented storytelling. A few reviews mention repetition between chapters becoming tedious. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (90+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.8/5 (300+ ratings) One reader noted: "Like assembling a mosaic - each piece reveals something new about Sarah's life." Another wrote: "The experimental structure felt more frustrating than meaningful."

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🔖 The entire novel is written as "failed" first chapters, as protagonist Sarah Nour El-Din attempts to write her memoir multiple times, each revealing different aspects of her life 📚 The book's title comes from Sarah's namesake, the legendary French actress Sarah Bernhardt, who was known as "The Divine Sarah" 🌍 The narrative weaves between Beirut and San Francisco, reflecting both the author's own experience as a Lebanese-American and the protagonist's split cultural identity ✍️ Each "first chapter" is written in different styles and points of view—some in first person, others in third person—creating a fragmented portrait that mirrors the complexity of memory and identity 🎨 Author Rabih Alameddine is also a painter, and this visual artistry influences his writing style, particularly in how he frames and reframes scenes from multiple perspectives throughout the novel