The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue
Failed to add items
Sorry, we are unable to add the item because your shopping basket is already at capacity.
Add to cart failed.
Please try again later
Add to wishlist failed.
Please try again later
Remove from wishlist failed.
Please try again later
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
New to Audible Prime Member exclusive: 2 credits with free trial
1 credit a month to use on any title to download and keep
Listen to anything from the Plus Catalogue—thousands of Audible Originals, podcasts and audiobooks
Download titles to your library and listen offline
₹199.00 per month after 30-day trial. Cancel anytime.
The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue
Narrated by:
Victoria Nassif
Buy Now for ₹531.00
-
Narrated by:
-
Victoria Nassif
-
Written by:
-
Zoulfa Katouh
What if you felt like you'd cried all the colours away? The heart-wrenching new story of friendship, loss and identity from the author of international bestseller As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow.
''Devastating and luminous' Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
'A powerful exploration of injustice, identity, and the radical act of making oneself feel seen' Publishers Weekly (starred review)
'A modern classic about what it means to live, to hope, to despair, and to keep living despite everything.' Ann Liang, author of I Hope This Doesn't Find You
'An incredibly tense, unpredictable read' Booklist (starred review)
Joining an exclusive high school should be a fresh start for Jihad after her mother’s sudden death. But she's the only Muslim student there; her hijab and even her name make her new classmates suspicious.
Only one person treats her with kindness but Jihad can’t help questioning his motives. It’s hard to trust anyone when she meets indifference or hostility all around her. As tension mounts, she finds refuge in an old sketchbook and in the stories her mama used to tell her. She is determined to focus on making it to art school and a brighter future, but as she starts illustrating her mother’s memories, her canvas becomes bigger than she could ever have imagined.
Can Jihad become as resilient as the true meaning of her name, and let the colour back into her life?
'A gorgeous magical story about the power and strength we find in our grief' Huda Fahmy, author of Huda F Are You?
'A powerful, unflinching exploration of Islamophobia, identity, and grief' School Library Journal
An unputdownable story about family, friendship, grief and trust from a masterful writer of the genre.©2026 Zoulfa Katouh (P)2026 Hachette Audio USA
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_c
Critic Reviews
A searing portrait of a Syrian American teen navigating grief, identity, and systemic injustice in contemporary America ... Magical realism, rooted in a maternal lineage of gifted women, adds lyrical depth without overwhelming the contemporary narrative. Katouh’s prose captures the weight of systemic oppression and the fierce resilience it takes to survive. A powerful, unflinching exploration of Islamophobia, identity, and grief. An essential purchase for all collections.
I loved this story. I saw myself so clearly in Jihad. Her grief, her loss, her joy, her love. It felt so familiar, so close to home. It's so beautifully written. Zoulfa paints with words, and I expect nothing less from. Because when you give Zoulfa Katouh a pen, magic happens. This is a story about loss, but at its core it is a gorgeous, magical, and heart wrenching story about the power and strength we find in our grief. (Huda Fahmy, author of Huda F Are You?)
A modern classic about what it means to live, to hope, to despair, and to keep living despite everything. With her signature lyrical prose, Zoulfa Katouh paints an achingly beautiful portrait of a young girl in grief and in love. Brace yourself—there will be tears, and they will be worth it. (Ann Liang, author of I Hope This Doesn't Find You)
Jihad’s self-erasure and gradual reclamation of her confidence resonate deeply, and Katouh renders the bullying she endures with honesty. The portrayals of Syrian American identity, Muslim faith, and diaspora experiences are authentic and lyrical, and Jihad and Jamie’s relationship, rooted in shared longing and cultural questioning, is tender and well-paced.
Devastating and luminous.
Devastating and luminous.
A powerful exploration of injustice, identity, and the radical act of making oneself feel seen.
No reviews yet