Reviews

The Return: Fathers, Sons, and the Land in Between by Hisham Matar

bobbo49's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

 Matar's family story, centered around the arrest, imprisonment and disappearance of his father (a former diplomat who became a political dissident) and other close relatives during Qaddafi's cruel dictatorship in Libya. Matar's writing captures the despair and disorientation of the rest of the family as they try to live their lives outside of Libya under the shadow of the disappeared, seeking answers but without responses. When Qaddafi's regime is overthrown, Matar and his brother return to Libya to finish their father's story. A very hard book to read: the depth of personal and family loss and grief is perceptible on every page. 

batooli's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

erinentertained's review

challenging emotional informative sad slow-paced

4.0

louisabaldi's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

vanitar's review against another edition

4.0

I always appreciate books that shed light on a country I don't know much about. The Return helped me understand a bit more about the history of Libya and the turmoil of more recent political history.

This is an autobiography of a son's journey of wrestling with changes that have taken place in the country he calls home and in being caught between hope and grief in regard to his father. It is heart wrenching and honest and gives an important perspective from a Libyan family.

At times I was confused because of political aspects in the story and a variety of characters. I got lost at times when the story jumped to another time period, but overall it is a beautifully written story.

sabwashere's review against another edition

4.0

Interesting topic and read.

bekahk's review

challenging emotional informative mysterious medium-paced

3.75

_martapimi_'s review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

3.75

giovannigf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

jiyoung's review against another edition

4.0

Beautiful chronicle of war-torn Libya through three generations. Matar’s anti-colonial grandfather, Qaddafi dissident father, and exiled writer self each play a role in shaping modern Libyan politics. Matar’s writing shines in gutwrenching anecdotes of families, including his own, who cling to hope when nothing else is left. I’ll never forget the mother who, every few months, made a 12-hr trip to give supplies/food for guards pass to her imprisoned son, only to find that he’d died many years ago.