In the Book Notes series, authors create and discuss a music playlist that relates in some way to their recently published book.
Deena ElGenaidi’s novel Dust Settles North is a riveting debut about being torn between two cultures.
Electric Literature wrote of the book:
“ElGenaidi’s storytelling is honest and vulnerable, and she creates a vivid world full of characters who are as real as they are flawed. Throughout Dust Settles North, ElGenaidi tells the story of a family that is on the brink of breaking apart, but through honesty and courage, pulls itself back together. “
In her own words, here is Deena ElGenaidi’s Book Notes music playlist for her debut novel Dust Settles North:
Dust Settles North follows the story of Hannah and Zain, two adult siblings who have just lost their mother. They’re both dealing with that grief as they navigate their inner cultural and religious turmoil. After discovering their father’s betrayal, both of their lives begin to spiral. Hannah finds herself in a post-revolutionary Egypt in 2012, where political unrest pervades the streets of Cairo. Meanwhile, Zain’s life begins to unravel due to a series of self-destructive decisions. Their lives converge in Cairo, where they bond over the secrets they’ve both kept and the grief they’re both experiencing.
This playlist features both English- and Arabic-language songs to represent the dichotomy of the two cultures and what it’s like living in between. I tried to evoke some of the same feelings and themes of Dust Settles North, and I hope you enjoy listening.
“Nour El Ein” by Amr Diab
For a book that takes place in Egypt, of course this playlist had to include one of the most famous Egyptian singers. I actually reference this song in the book, as Zain, upon hearing the familiar tune coming from someone’s ringtone, thinks back to childhood car rides with his mom playing this song. We actually tried to get the rights to use the lyrics in my book, but unfortunately, Amr Diab’s team in Egypt never got back to my publisher or me. But growing up, my mom also used to listen to Amr Diab, and I still remember some of his songs well.
Fun fact: Before Amr Diab was famous, he performed at my parents’ wedding in the ‘80s!
“Cranes in the Sky” by Solange
Dust Settles North is about grief, as two siblings struggle to move on after the death of their mother. “Cranes in the Sky” also deals with pain, grief, and the things we do to distract ourselves. The lyrics feel very resonant with the themes of my book and the ways the characters try to cope with their own pain.
“Ya Aen Daly (Habibi Funk 015)” by Najib Alhoush
I partly chose this song because it’s a great bop. The track samples the song “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees, mixed in with a Libyan beat. Even though the music is upbeat and fun, the lyrics are about missing someone who is no longer in your life, and the sentiment of that feels true to Dust Settles North. I really like the dichotomy of those two states—fun and upbeat mixed with sadness and longing—because it so accurately depicts how we exist in times of grief. Even in the moments of fun and distraction, that sadness is still there.
“Denial Is a River” by Doechii
In “Denial Is a River,” Doechii explores the upward and downward spirals in her life, such as fame, drug abuse, relationship issues, burnout, depression, and more. This song reminds me a little bit of Zain’s character in my book, as his own life spirals out of control. He deals with alcohol abuse, destroys his relationship, sabotages his career, and hits rock bottom, refusing to unpack or process his experiences, much like Doechii in this song.
“Ganeni” by Elyanna
Elyanna is a Palestinian-Chilean singer who I only learned about in the past year. She has a very cool Arab-pop sound and sometimes merges Arab and Latin music. “Ganeni” is about a relationship that ended where her ex keeps coming back and is making her crazy. “Ganeni” literally translates to “He makes me crazy.” Aside from me just really liking the beat of this song, I can also imagine this being sung about Zain, as he drives his ex-girlfriend crazy after [SPOILER] cheating on her and blowing up his whole life.
“Manchild” by Sabrina Carpenter
Since we’re on the topic of Zain, Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” describes him perfectly. He acts without thinking and often hurts himself and others in the process—in essence, a manchild. But he’s not the only manchild in this story. Rami, who Hannah begins hooking up with in Egypt, also fits the description. He comes around when it’s convenient for him, and he makes careless, thoughtless comments towards Hannah. Carpenter’s song feels like just the right anthem for these two men, although Zain actually begins to improve himself.
“Deira” by Saint Levant, ft. MC Abdul
“Deira” is a song honoring Palestine, but it’s also a song about homeland and exile. Saint Levant pays tribute to his people, his culture, and his family history. My book delves into this idea of homeland and what homeland represents for different characters. Hannah returns to the homeland—to Cairo—to learn about her own family history and understand her roots.
Aside from that, Hannah is also involved in politics and protest. If this book took place today, she would also be out on the streets protesting for Palestine, and this is a song of protest.
“Unbelievers” by Vampire Weekend
I’ve always really liked this song, and when thinking about Hannah and Zain’s characters, they feel like the unbelievers Vampire Weekend is talking about. They were raised to follow certain rules and believe certain ideologies, and while they hold onto pieces of their upbringing, Zain and Hannah reject a lot of the ideas they were brought up with.
Ezra Koenig, who wrote the song, said, “the idea of being an unbeliever can mean almost anything because everybody is an unbeliever to somebody else,” and I think that rings true to the characters in Dust Settles North. They’re so preoccupied with this idea of what makes a “good Muslim,” but ultimately, there is no one definition, and you will always be an unbeliever to someone.
“Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)” by Kid Cudi
This song feels very true to both Hannah and Zain, though maybe a little more Zain. Both characters are coping with grief and trying to build a life for themselves. Hannah runs away in her pursuit of happiness, and Zain turns to alcohol and sex, not unlike the narrator of this song. Both of them dream of a better future, but they struggle to get through the present as grief overwhelms them.
“Wana” by nour
“Wana” by nour has a sort of dreamy, synthpop vibe that evokes the feel of my cover art. The wavy faces have that same dreamlike aura as this song. In terms of the lyrics, I think they’re pretty open to interpretation, and one way to look at it is a longing for someone who is no longer in her life. She’s reminiscing about the past, and I think that really speaks to many of the themes of Dust Settles North. The characters are always looking to the past, reminiscing about what was lost and what could have been.
“Float” by Janelle Monae
I think this song is a nice representation of Hannah and Zain’s development throughout the novel. Monae’s song is a celebration of growth, change, and self-love, and I like to think that by the end of Dust Settles North, Zain and Hannah are on their way to that same self-love. We see them grow and change as the novel progresses. They learn from their mistakes and begin to move past their grief, hopefully leaving the reader with the same sense of optimism that this song evokes.
“Tamally Maak” by Amr Diab
I started this playlist with Amr Diab, and now I’m ending it with him. In terms of Egyptian music, Amr Diab’s stands out in my memory the most, and this is another one of those songs that I remember my mom used to play when I was a kid. Even though the lyrics are most likely about a romantic interest, they could be about anyone you once loved who is no longer in your life. Hannah and Zain lose their mom at the beginning of the novel. She’s always on their mind, and they feel her all around them. This evokes that feeling of missing someone who is now gone.
Deena ElGenaidi writes about the arts, identity, and pop culture for a number of publications, including Nylon, MTV News, Oprah Magazine, Longreads, Catapult, Vulture, and more. She wrote, directed, and produced the award-winning comedy web series Codependent, she currently lives in Brooklyn with her cat, Sasha. Dust Settles North is her first novel.