In her first story collection, Jarrar employs a particular, rather than rhetorical approach to race and gender. Thus we have «How Can I Be of Use to You,» with its complicated relationship between a distinguished Egyptian feminist and her young intern, demonstrating that gender politics are never straightforward, and both generations—old and new—take advantage of each other. There's also a healthy dose of magic surrealism, as in the wild and witty story «Zelda the Halfie» which follows a br...