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bladelikesbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
sophiesmallhands's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Police brutality
sam8834's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
[CW: violence, rape, murder, colonialism]
"The car cuts through the landscape at high speed. The road is nearly perfectly straight, but even so, I keep glancing at the Israeli map unfurled across the seat next to me, fearing that I may get lost in the folds of a scene which fills me with a great feeling of alienation, seeing all the changes that have befallen it. It's been a long time since I've passed through here, and wherever I look, all the changes constantly reassert the absence of anything Palestinian: the names of cities and villages on road signs, billboards written in Hebrew, new buildings, even vast fields abutting the horizon on my left and right. After a disappearance, that's when the fly returns to hover over the painting."
I can't remember the last time I read a novella that does as much as Minor Detail does. In a way, it's a collection of minor details, taking place over two halves, that coalesce around major themes, like war, colonialism, and violence. The first half is set in 1949, a year after the Nakba (which Israelis refer to as the War of Independence), in which ~700,000 Palestinians were displaced. This part details an Israeli troop's murdering of an entire encampment, capture, rape, and murder of a Palestinian teenager. The second half, set in the present day, follows a woman who discovers this story and becomes a bit obsessed with finding out more, partly because the event occurred exactly 25 years before she was born.
The small details in this symbolize or are layered over the larger war efforts. An Israeli commander has a spider bite that festers, much in the way the troop's hatred spurs them to go from having the teenager work in the kitchen to raping and killing her instead. Her hair is doused in gasoline to combat headlice, while in the present-day narrative, the narrator spills gasoline on herself when filling up her car. The Palestinian girl's life is erased as she is buried in the desert, and again, as the present-day narrator hits roadblock after roadblock when trying to uncover information about her. Hard, as well, not to think of the parallels to western media's erasure of the current genocide taking place in Gaza.
"The car cuts through the landscape at high speed. The road is nearly perfectly straight, but even so, I keep glancing at the Israeli map unfurled across the seat next to me, fearing that I may get lost in the folds of a scene which fills me with a great feeling of alienation, seeing all the changes that have befallen it. It's been a long time since I've passed through here, and wherever I look, all the changes constantly reassert the absence of anything Palestinian: the names of cities and villages on road signs, billboards written in Hebrew, new buildings, even vast fields abutting the horizon on my left and right. After a disappearance, that's when the fly returns to hover over the painting."
I can't remember the last time I read a novella that does as much as Minor Detail does. In a way, it's a collection of minor details, taking place over two halves, that coalesce around major themes, like war, colonialism, and violence. The first half is set in 1949, a year after the Nakba (which Israelis refer to as the War of Independence), in which ~700,000 Palestinians were displaced. This part details an Israeli troop's murdering of an entire encampment, capture, rape, and murder of a Palestinian teenager. The second half, set in the present day, follows a woman who discovers this story and becomes a bit obsessed with finding out more, partly because the event occurred exactly 25 years before she was born.
The small details in this symbolize or are layered over the larger war efforts. An Israeli commander has a spider bite that festers, much in the way the troop's hatred spurs them to go from having the teenager work in the kitchen to raping and killing her instead. Her hair is doused in gasoline to combat headlice, while in the present-day narrative, the narrator spills gasoline on herself when filling up her car. The Palestinian girl's life is erased as she is buried in the desert, and again, as the present-day narrator hits roadblock after roadblock when trying to uncover information about her. Hard, as well, not to think of the parallels to western media's erasure of the current genocide taking place in Gaza.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Rape and Murder
ftmemobrew89's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Violence
sashweana's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Adania Shibli’s Minor Detail is a strikingly original and thought-provoking novel that delves into themes of memory, trauma, and historical legacy. The book is structured around two interwoven narratives: one set in contemporary Jerusalem and the other in the aftermath of a historical conflict.
Shibli’s writing is marked by its precise and evocative prose, capturing both the internal struggles of her characters and the broader socio-political context they inhabit. The novel’s fragmented structure reflects the disorienting nature of memory and the long-lasting impact of historical events on individual lives.
Upon finishing Minor Detail, I found myself profoundly affected by its depth and intensity. The novel’s emotional and intellectual weight was so overwhelming that I needed to lie down and take a moment to process the experience. Shibli’s exploration of complex themes and her ability to render them with such visceral impact left a lasting impression.
This is not a book that lends itself easily to traditional ratings. It is a powerful story that is not an easy read, but it is undoubtedly an essential one. Its profound impact and the way it challenges readers make it a work that transcends numerical evaluation.
Overall, Minor Detail is a compelling and significant work that stands out for its innovative narrative approach and its deep engagement with themes of conflict and memory. It is a thought-provoking read that will resonate with those interested in the intersections of personal and historical narratives.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder
bellavictoria's review
dark
emotional
sad
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Child death, Rape, and Violence
racheldoesthing's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Rape, Violence, and War
Minor: Genocide and War
kshertz's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It’s actually really hard to review this book because it has such beautiful writing but such awful content. It’s uncomfortable to read at times but it’s also extremely important and well done. Sometimes I got lost in the narrative. But if you have any interest in Palestine and want to dive into a narrative that will absorb you into this situation through two stories.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Murder, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
blynn817's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Violence
adoto's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Haunting and disturbing. This is what written resistance looks like
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: War