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y separately published work icon Bitter and Sweet single work   novel  
Issue Details: First known date: 2023... 2023 Bitter and Sweet
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'Funny, touching uplit set in the Sydney restaurant scene. Bitter & Sweet will be Amal Awad's breakout book

'The lake in the middle of her father's kitchen is only the first in a series of disasters in Zeina's life. Nassar's recent health crisis has seen his well-established community restaurant, Casablanca, losing ground and customers to trendier competition.

'Casablanca's deterioration is not the only chaos in Zeina's world but, unlike her husband who won't speak to her, her best friend who is sliding towards self-destruction, and her cousin who is stealing Zeina's life story for content, the restaurant is something she can fix. And Zeina, lonely and adrift, needs something she can fix.

'Taking leave from her prestigious chef position, Zeina throws herself into caring for her ailing father, immersing herself in the familiar foods and flavours of her childhood, trying to save both him and his restaurant. But working in the kitchen and her childhood home brings memories, secrets, and unexpected ambitions simmering to the surface. When it comes time to make hard decisions, Zeina will have to accept that growing up is an ongoing process one that never gets any easier.' (Publication summary)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

    • Neutral Bay, North Sydney - Lane Cove area, Sydney Northern Suburbs, Sydney, New South Wales,: Pantera Press , 2023 .
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      Extent: 320p.
      Note/s:
      • Published: 1st August 2023
      ISBN: 9780645240085
Form: audiobook
    • Tullamarine, Keilor - Sunshine area, Melbourne - West, Melbourne, Victoria,: Bolinda Audio Books , 2023 .
      image of person or book cover 2340824015628285552.jpg
      This image has been sourced from Audible
      Extent: 7 CDs; 8 hours 24 minsp.
      Note/s:
      • Published 28 December 2023.
      ISBN: 9781038659743, 9781038660008 (MP3 CD)

Other Formats

Works about this Work

Eman Elhelw Reviews Bitter & Sweet by Amal Awad Eman Elhelw , 2023 single work review
— Appears in: Mascara Literary Review , no. 29 2023;

— Review of Bitter and Sweet Amal Awad , 2023 single work novel

'Kicking off in a flooding kitchen, Amal Awad’s Bitter & Sweet, as the title suggests, is a story of the highs-and-lows of life. The life of ZeinaPalestinian-Australian chef, unfolds in Sydney’s inner-city restaurant scene with its fusion of cuisines, fine dining, and familiar casual eats. Through Zeina’s eyes, we experience the fresh wounds of a marriage breakdown, the struggles of keeping her father’s restaurant dreams alive in the decaying restaurant Casablancaand the relationship dynamics of one’s forties. Bitter & Sweet sits amongst the many acclaimed restaurant-based novels of recent years, yet stands apart as a story where food is a main character. Casablanca is not only the setting through which Bitter & Sweet’s story takes place but operates as a metaphor for Zeina’s journey to happiness.' (Introduction)

Eman Elhelw Reviews Bitter & Sweet by Amal Awad Eman Elhelw , 2023 single work review
— Appears in: Mascara Literary Review , no. 29 2023;

— Review of Bitter and Sweet Amal Awad , 2023 single work novel

'Kicking off in a flooding kitchen, Amal Awad’s Bitter & Sweet, as the title suggests, is a story of the highs-and-lows of life. The life of ZeinaPalestinian-Australian chef, unfolds in Sydney’s inner-city restaurant scene with its fusion of cuisines, fine dining, and familiar casual eats. Through Zeina’s eyes, we experience the fresh wounds of a marriage breakdown, the struggles of keeping her father’s restaurant dreams alive in the decaying restaurant Casablancaand the relationship dynamics of one’s forties. Bitter & Sweet sits amongst the many acclaimed restaurant-based novels of recent years, yet stands apart as a story where food is a main character. Casablanca is not only the setting through which Bitter & Sweet’s story takes place but operates as a metaphor for Zeina’s journey to happiness.' (Introduction)

Last amended 14 Nov 2024 11:07:21
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