The Coin

A Novel

By: Yasmin Zaher

Narrated by: Sarah Agha

Winner of the 2025 Swansea Dylan Thomas Prize

Finalist for the Gotham Book Prize

A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice

A bold and unabashed novel about a young Palestinian woman's unraveling as she teaches at a New York City middle school, gets caught up in a scheme reselling Birkin bags, and strives to gain control over her body and mind

The Coin’s narrator is a wealthy Palestinian woman with impeccable style and meticulous hygiene. And yet the ideal self, the ideal life, remains just out of reach: her inheritance is inaccessible, her homeland exists only in her memory, and her attempt to thrive in America seems doomed from the start.

In New York, she strives to put down roots. She teaches at a school for underprivileged boys, where her eccentric methods cross boundaries. She befriends a homeless swindler, and the two participate in an intercontinental scheme reselling Birkin bags.

But America is stifling her—her willfulness, her sexuality, her principles. In an attempt to regain control, she becomes preoccupied with purity, cleanliness, and self-image, all while drawing her students into her obsessions. In an unforgettable denouement, her childhood memories converge with her material and existential statelessness, and the narrator unravels spectacularly.

In enthralling, sensory prose, The Coin explores nature and civilization, beauty and justice, class and belonging—all while resisting easy moralizing. Provocative, wry, and inviting, The Coin marks the arrival of a major literary voice.

©2024 Yasmin Zaher. (P)2024 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Sarah Agha's narration maximizes this exploration of a woman who is grappling with identity, memory, and belonging in New York City. Agha balances these themes while playing up the undercurrent of humor.… With clarity and depth, Agha conveys the woman's interactions through her unconventional teaching methods at a school for underprivileged children.… Agha's performance immerses listeners in a story that balances tension and reflection—and offers a compelling portrayal of one woman's quest to reconcile her ideals with an imperfect reality.”—AudioFile Magazine

"[A] sharp and disarming debut novel . . . Zaher is expert at crisp turns of phrase that reveal how brittle her narrator is . . . A sturdy novel about an unsteady person is no small feat, and Zaher’s prose is remarkably controlled."—Mark Athitakis, The Washington Post

"Birkin-bag economics meets colorism and racism and feminism and more—it’s beyond intersectionality—in Zaher’s stunning and surreal debut novel of a young Palestinian woman who lives and teaches in New York City."—Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times

Bizarre

Interesting idea, but executed poorly. Disjointed and bizarre. Story is told through very brief chapters as anecdotes.

Bizarre and incorrect pronunciations distracting

There is no way that this well-educated, savvy character would not know how to pronounce NY city landmarks such as HOUSTON STREET correctly.

Excellent narration

Overall disappointing, Seemed to have so much potential for a compelling story, so many pearls that could have been more developed, only to have it fizzle out each time. Protagonist was unappealing and made even more so by pointless vulgarity. Would definitely not use an Audible credit for this, wish I could get my credit back!

Mispronunciation of words

While the narration falls short, with the reader's frequent mispronunciation of street names and brand references creating an unfortunate distraction from the story itself, the book maintains a decent narrative flow. However, the persistent pronunciation errors chip away at the listening experience, pulling one out of the story at regular intervals.

Interview of author on podcast piqued interest

After a stimulating intro by author on a podcast, I found the book excruciatingly boring. After less than an hour I was really done. Stylistically bad, character development bad .

Over-written

This should have been a short story. Some interesting points but pounded and elongated beyond reason. The main character is obnoxious and not worth listening to for an entire novel.