A review by steveab
Damascus Gate by Robert Stone
3.0
I found Damascus Gate a rich and rewarding read. It probes the inner life and turmoil of a disparate group of seekers who find themselves living in Jerusalem in the early 1990s. Mostly the characters come from the United States and Europe, and mostly they reflect Jewish, Christian or "other" sensibilities.
In Damascus Gate, you find highly permeable lines between different religious, cult, messianic identities, just as you find highly permeable lines between the Jewish and Palestinian sections of Jerusalem. I wondered how true either remains, twenty years later.
In the background of the book, presented more as secondary characters, you encounter native Israeli Jews and Palestinians. The settlers seem mostly like maniacs and the Gaza Palestinians mostly miserable.
Still through it all I learned a lot more than I knew before about the complexity of religious and cultural traditions, the ancient structures and buildings associated with them, as well as the geography and life of the area generally. Richness and complexity does not necessarily lead to unraveling what will truly bring peace and justice between Israel and Palestine. That's part of why I liked but didn't love the book.
The book gets billed as a thriller. It works OK for that. I wouldn't put it in the same league as Robert Ludlum or John Le Carre. Also part of why I liked and didn't love.
Mostly what you have, and what works, is philosophical and religious explorations of some interesting characters, smart and intriguing dialog, with lots of cultural references you can know, research or glide over as you go. I mostly loved the language. I liked at least the two main characters, Chris, Jewish Christian American journalist, and Sonia, Christian Jewish, white / African American singer, Sufi and seeker, and a softspot for Nuela, the idealistic Irish revolutionary. That leaves about a half dozen to a dozen other well described folks, who come into contact, collaborate and conflict with each other. If this sounds intriguing you will also like the book.
In Damascus Gate, you find highly permeable lines between different religious, cult, messianic identities, just as you find highly permeable lines between the Jewish and Palestinian sections of Jerusalem. I wondered how true either remains, twenty years later.
In the background of the book, presented more as secondary characters, you encounter native Israeli Jews and Palestinians. The settlers seem mostly like maniacs and the Gaza Palestinians mostly miserable.
Still through it all I learned a lot more than I knew before about the complexity of religious and cultural traditions, the ancient structures and buildings associated with them, as well as the geography and life of the area generally. Richness and complexity does not necessarily lead to unraveling what will truly bring peace and justice between Israel and Palestine. That's part of why I liked but didn't love the book.
The book gets billed as a thriller. It works OK for that. I wouldn't put it in the same league as Robert Ludlum or John Le Carre. Also part of why I liked and didn't love.
Mostly what you have, and what works, is philosophical and religious explorations of some interesting characters, smart and intriguing dialog, with lots of cultural references you can know, research or glide over as you go. I mostly loved the language. I liked at least the two main characters, Chris, Jewish Christian American journalist, and Sonia, Christian Jewish, white / African American singer, Sufi and seeker, and a softspot for Nuela, the idealistic Irish revolutionary. That leaves about a half dozen to a dozen other well described folks, who come into contact, collaborate and conflict with each other. If this sounds intriguing you will also like the book.