The Weight of Our Sky

Mel recounts how she is perpetually tormented by visions of her mother’s death, attributing those visions to her Djinn. Using evidence in the text, speculate on why Mel’s obsessive thoughts focus on her mother dying. As the novel progresses, why does Mel start envisioning other characters’ deaths?

Saf is only present for the first few chapters of the novel, but she is quickly established as Mel’s best friend. What evidence in text shows their close relationship, and why is Mel still uncomfortable telling Saf about her OCD? What is the significance of Mel and Saf’s separation, and how does the ending of the novel inform an understanding of Saf’s importance in the novel?

Mel refers to her OCD as a Djinn, a spirit in Islamic tradition, who forces her to watch visions of death and tap or count to ward off those visions. Why is Mel’s mental health portrayed through this religious or spiritual lens? How does the novel show stigma against both possession and psychological needs?