Betrayal, self-discovery, and letting go are the themes that literature often explores. Often, the stories delve little into the character’s inner self and are more focused on the romantic aspect. The actual introspection and inner transformation are given meagre space.
However, Her Seven Days in Bali by Dr. Abeer Fahim has a different take on betrayal and healing. To begin with, it is set in the exotic location of Bali. Now, imagine being alone and broken in Bali! But that’s exactly what happens.
The protagonist, Lara, finds herself betrayed by her husband. He admits that he is no longer in love with her and leaves her for someone else. What was supposed to be a 7th anniversary getaway, turns into a solo trip for Lara.
Recently divorced, Lara explores Bali on her own for seven days. She soon finds herself in a conflicting situation while trying to heal. Primarily, the book teaches the readers to let go without ‘closures.’ The themes of letting go of perfection, overthinking, closures, are seen frequently in Dr. Fahim’s works.
Dr. Abeer Fahim had been on a trip to Bali herself. The beauty of the exotic island might have inspired her to set it as a backdrop for her novel. Due to its intense personal narrative, readers always ask Dr. Fahim if the story is based on her life. She denies this. But states that she and the protagonist have one thing in common – they both dared to do something that they are afraid to do in everyday life.
Interestingly, Dr. Fahim wrote her debut novel as she shared the finished chapters with her followers. Her fans on Facebook and subscribers read the chapters and snippets and provided feedback. Because of this, many people had already read the book even before it hit Amazon. Several others had used quotes from the book as their Facebook and Instagram bios. The forums were full of discussions of the book’s themes.
Dr. Abeer Fahim shares a close bond with her fans. Her Facebook page ‘Juliet Turns The Page’ has over 156,000 fans. Her Instagram handle too, has over 31k followers. The dominant themes in her poems, quotes, and books are letting go and turning the page.
Dr. Fahim has always stressed the link between literature and emotions. In 2017, she delivered a TED Talk on the close association between literature and empathy. She helped the audience explore how some stories like Kate Chopin’s The Story of An Hour has the capacity to draw the readers into it.
In addition to this, Dr. Fahim has been exploring the connection between medicine and literature. Particularly the intersection of literature and medicine.
As of now, Dr. Abeer Fahim is working on her next novels. Her next books are titled “Stars in the Wrong Sky,” and the other is “The Glass will Always be Half Empty.” She is also planning a virtual Q and A session with her readers.
We hope to catch some special snippets of the book on her Facebook and Instagram!
