Reviews with content warning for Trafficking - Against the Loveless World

Titled with the words of James Baldwin, Against the Loveless World is a novel of love and rebellion amidst the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Its heroine, Nahr, is a daring, sarcastic displaced Palestinian who writes the story of her life from solitary confinement, the timeline leaping between her present imprisonment and the years that led up to it. In Kuwait, Jordan, Palestine, she survives as a sex worker, beautician, daughter, sister, wife, divorcee. But every step she takes leads her to the man with whom she shares a powerful love, and that makes it all worth it. This book offers readers a glimpse of human experience beneath an ongoing political crisis. I especially appreciated the discussion of sexual trauma within the context of such a conservative culture.

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busyblackbookworm's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

[edit on 10/27/23: I’m removing the stars from this review since I’ve been made aware of some of the issues this book has when it comes to Abulhawa’s depiction of dictators…these concerns make me uncomfortable with fully recommending this book. I am sorry to say I missed this during my read but I’d like to honor the Syrian bookstagrammers in particular who have pointed these issues out.]

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Against the Loveless World is one of the most difficult books I’ve read this year—specifically, in terms of content. The book follows its protagonist, Nahr, as she reflects on the trials of her life while in solitary confinement. She takes the reader through her experience as a displaced Palestinian refugee in Kuwait and Jordan, and follows her as she returns to her roots in Palestine. We see Nahr grow into a self-assured young woman as she experiences immense suffering and makes sense of her people’s oppression.

While the book’s pacing is sometimes slow and contemplative, I was a captive audience the entire time. Enveloped within Abulhawa’s discussion of Palestinian displacement and dispossession is the mistreatment and subjugation of women—however, while Nahr’s life is often punctuated by suffering at the hands of men, Nahr remains deeply concerned about the well-being of her family and community, and works her hardest to ensure their protection despite the personal costs she may incur. I’m new to Susan Abulhawa’s writing, and this book makes me so excited to read her other works about the Palestinian experience (namely, Mornings in Jenin and The Blue Between Sky and Water).

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Abulhawa’s shout-out to James Baldwin:

“Here you were: to be loved. To be loved, baby, hard, at once, and forever, to strengthen you against the loveless world.”

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womanwill's review

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challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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emilymreads's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was an intense book, but such a worthwhile read. Nahr is a Palestinian woman being detained in Israel in solitary confinement, accused of being a terrorist. She uses her time in the Cube to tell the story of her life and how she became a political activist. I loved Nahr’s resilience throughout the book and her refusal to be anyone’s victim. Everything she did was her own decision to save herself and her family. Abulhawa has written such a beautiful portrait of love and sacrifice.

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