MEET THE CREATIVE
Rehab R. Adil.
AUTHOR . ARCHITECT . ARTIST
My work moves between architecture, painting and writing, three practices bound by the same question: what holds a life together, and what happens in the quiet moments when it doesn't. When Silence Becomes Strength is where I've asked that question in words for the first time..
MEET THE CREATIVE
Rehab R. Adil.
AUTHOR . ARCHITECT . ARTIST
My work moves between architecture, painting and writing, three practices bound by the same question: what holds a life together, and what happens in the quiet moments when it doesn't. When Silence Becomes Strength is where I've asked that question in words for the first time.
- Award-Winning Artist: Winner of the Cambridge Highest Achiever Award in Art & Design (2018) placing first in the UAE.
- Written From Experience: Having moved from Dubai to London at eighteen to study architecture, she writes with a real understanding of what it means to start over far from home.
- For Anyone Who Has Left Home: Especially those who moved abroad young and carried more than they ever said out loud.
DEBUT NOVEL NOW AVAILABLE
When Silence Becomes Strength
Zara Hassan is eighteen when she leaves Dubai for London. No one warned her how lonely it would be, or how much she'd have to carry on her own. A story about silence, faith and finding your strength far from home.
BEHIND THE PAGES
On writing this book
There are parts of life no one talks about, but many of us carry anyway: feeling lost in a place that does not know you, carrying more than you thought you could, learning to find your way alone. Running through all of it is faith, the kind that holds you together when everything else gives way. This book began as my way of putting words to that.
This story is for anyone who has ever survived something quietly, for anyone who has ever wondered whether silence is weakness or strength. It is both. And it is neither. It is what you make of it.
More than anything, I wanted this book to be a voice for those who have gone through so much after moving young, international students in particular: to those who never found the words for what they were going through, and to those who carried it all quietly, on their own.
"It was such a bingeable book … I wasn't expecting it to be such a powerful read, and the levels of emotion it evoked were something else."
"I cannot remember reading such a gripping novel. Adil's novel is honestly beautiful … I think no matter our faith or situation we can see parts of our own experience in Zara's struggles and hurdles."
"There's something quite lovely about a book that reminds you strength doesn't always have to be loud. Sometimes it's simply carrying on when things are difficult."
QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions
young people go through abroad, but rarely talk about.
I never planned for it to become a novel, until family and friends encouraged me to share it.
went through a lot in silence. Zara's story gives a voice to all of them.
watercolour, before it became the face of the novel.
lost their way and needs something to keep them going. And anyone who has stayed silent for too
long.
it most. How it shapes her story is something you'll discover in the book
abroad for university at seventeen or eighteen. Readers of all ages have connected with it too,
because each chapter holds something different for everyone. It's suitable for readers aged 13 and
above.
CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR
Send a Message to Rehab
Have a thought to share about When Silence Becomes Strength? Whether you are a reader, part of a book club, or looking to collaborate, we welcome your messages. Complete the form below, and our team will ensure your words reach the author.