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nqcliteracy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Stark, broody, important. I love fiction that reminds me at once how human we are, and how observant a writer needs to be to capture love and life in these direct yet nuanced ways. Loved.
kendra_kendra's review against another edition
challenging
informative
tense
medium-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
4.5
hanelisil's review
5.0
It took me a third of the book to feel connected to the characters but then it really stuck the landing! Really interesting framing for a take on Palestinian struggles.
eunicek82's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
A powerful and provocative book about the importance of art and its innately political nature.
suesue527's review against another edition
4.0
Beautifully written, it was like you were watching everything happen right in front of you and feeling every single feeling. Love that the cover girl, (who I think is Mariam, my favorite character, could be Sonia though), looks like me and is from Haifa too!
stitching_ghost's review against another edition
3.0
In theory this one was right up my proverbial alley, in reality I didn't really vibe with it. The story was interesting enough but the style and tone made it kind of hard for me to connect with the characters.
esteemichael's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
shay43geek's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Blood
nastg's review against another edition
3.0
I've had this book on my TBR list since the summer but finally picked it up in November. Some aspects of the book went a bit over my head (mostly those to do with Shakespeare, which just reflects gaps in my own reading and not the author's fault) but overall I enjoyed reading it. I feel like I need to re-read Hamlet to better appreciate this book. But I thought that the way Hammad writes emotional tension and probes the liminal space of what it's like to be an Arab living in Israel felt very compelling and real. You don't have to be an expert historian or a foreign policy buff to cultivate compassion. Overall, a great read, but definitely isn't an exhaustive portrait of the region's complexity (which the book isn't claiming to do in the first place anyway).