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diaratewi's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, and Murder
vodareads's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Murder, and War
anneklein's review
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-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? N/A
4.0
This was so good. Both parts were enraging, in a good way, but the first one in particular made me feel a disdain that contained so many facets. There's the way the commander refuses to admit he has been bitten by the animal (possibly a snake?), which portrays so well the toxic masculinity of military environments. Then the politics of hygiene, with his efforts to keep himself clean even as he refuses to see his rotten insides; the book emphasises this imagery by repeating the scenes of routine washing and shaving. Later on, he even insists in his head that there is no way that the putrid smell coming from his hut is caused by his own wound. Another facet was obviously the imperialist discourse of the soldiers, the way they speak of their settling. The sterilisation using petrol, the cutting of hair, the humiliation with the water hose...
Yet throughout the violence, a few images appear of life pushing forward regardless. At one point, the commander finds a spider in his hut and spends the next hours looking for insects and crushing them under his feet. The metaphor here is so clear, even more so when considering the military boot as the specific foot that tramples them. And "meanwhile, a little insect advanced towards the edge of the room and slipped through a crack between the floor and the wall, escaping into the gap" (p. 23). After cutting the girl's hair and burning it in a pile alongside her clothes: "Far from the flames that consumed her clothes, a few tiny black ringlets of hair remained scattered across the sand" (34). Finally, on one of the commander's escapades into the hills, "a small black bird charted a line through the sky, which turned a deeper shade of blue [...]" (48).
Each of these minor details, woven so subtly they pass as atmosphere, insist that life prevails, no matter how intense the violence or how unmatched an oppressor may seem. The bird imagery also comes to mind during the second part of the book, as a point of comparison with our narrator's life experience which is in its essence defined by borders (so much so that they are in her head, too).
The second part of the book is so cleverly interwoven with the first, in catastrophic ways that are only apparent once it is too late to turn back. From the beginning we have a parallel in the image of the dog howling, but little by little, as our narrator gets closer to the origin of the story she investigates, details resurface from the first part of the book. Often, these minor details even appear with their wording nearly unchanged from the way they initially appeared. Compare, for example, "carrying a hose wrapped around his arm in equal-sized rings" (30) and "on the sand lies a hose, neatly running from one tree to the next and coiled in equal-sized rings around each trunk" (96). Or "thick clouds of sand sprung from underneath the vehicle's tyres, rose up and followed after them, completely obscuring the view behind" (10), compared to this passage from part 2: "Despite how cautiously I'm driving, thick clouds of dust rise up and swiftly form a halo that obscures the scene behind me" (105).
Through the minor details of our narrator's journey, we realise, in a moment of dramatic irony, that the story she is chasing is one she is already recreating. Her search turns her into a living participant of the story, includes her in ways that go beyond mere research. The truth lies not necessarily in the specific answers of what had happened, but in the shared lived experience between her and the girl from part 1. By the time we follow this logic to its inevitable conclusion, it is much too late.
Yet throughout the violence, a few images appear of life pushing forward regardless. At one point, the commander finds a spider in his hut and spends the next hours looking for insects and crushing them under his feet. The metaphor here is so clear, even more so when considering the military boot as the specific foot that tramples them. And "meanwhile, a little insect advanced towards the edge of the room and slipped through a crack between the floor and the wall, escaping into the gap" (p. 23). After cutting the girl's hair and burning it in a pile alongside her clothes: "Far from the flames that consumed her clothes, a few tiny black ringlets of hair remained scattered across the sand" (34). Finally, on one of the commander's escapades into the hills, "a small black bird charted a line through the sky, which turned a deeper shade of blue [...]" (48).
Each of these minor details, woven so subtly they pass as atmosphere, insist that life prevails, no matter how intense the violence or how unmatched an oppressor may seem. The bird imagery also comes to mind during the second part of the book, as a point of comparison with our narrator's life experience which is in its essence defined by borders (so much so that they are in her head, too).
The second part of the book is so cleverly interwoven with the first, in catastrophic ways that are only apparent once it is too late to turn back. From the beginning we have a parallel in the image of the dog howling, but little by little, as our narrator gets closer to the origin of the story she investigates, details resurface from the first part of the book. Often, these minor details even appear with their wording nearly unchanged from the way they initially appeared. Compare, for example, "carrying a hose wrapped around his arm in equal-sized rings" (30) and "on the sand lies a hose, neatly running from one tree to the next and coiled in equal-sized rings around each trunk" (96). Or "thick clouds of sand sprung from underneath the vehicle's tyres, rose up and followed after them, completely obscuring the view behind" (10), compared to this passage from part 2: "Despite how cautiously I'm driving, thick clouds of dust rise up and swiftly form a halo that obscures the scene behind me" (105).
Through the minor details of our narrator's journey, we realise, in a moment of dramatic irony, that the story she is chasing is one she is already recreating. Her search turns her into a living participant of the story, includes her in ways that go beyond mere research. The truth lies not necessarily in the specific answers of what had happened, but in the shared lived experience between her and the girl from part 1. By the time we follow this logic to its inevitable conclusion, it is much too late.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
martinaib's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
Gorgeous writing, changing in the two parts of the book to match the psychology of the main character and convey rightly the atmosphere and landscape they are facing.
I have truly loved the perspective on war and the attempt to transmit a message for peace and humanity which shall prevail.
That said, this was not at all an easy read. The humiliation and rape felt too real and I hardly got through the first part. Here is also one of the things which I just couldn’t grasp which is why the commander felt somehow justified in raping the girl and because she was unconscious, she continued to recognise him as a potential saviour when being raped by others.
Additionally, some of the bridges made between the two parts of the book felt way to obvious and easy and for my personal taste it was a bit too much. But this is a me thing, because I really don’t like being held by the hand as a reader.
I have truly loved the perspective on war and the attempt to transmit a message for peace and humanity which shall prevail.
That said, this was not at all an easy read. The humiliation and rape felt too real and I hardly got through the first part. Here is also one of the things which I just couldn’t grasp
Additionally, some of the bridges made between the two parts of the book felt way to obvious and easy and for my personal taste it was a bit too much. But this is a me thing, because I really don’t like being held by the hand as a reader.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Murder, Sexual harassment, and War
opheliasviolence's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
“Besides, sometimes it’s inevitable for the past to be forgotten, especially if the present is no less horrific”
*Note: This review is a mess. The subject matter hurts to even think about.
This book is split into two chapters. The first describes what happened on August 12 1949. The second chapter follows a woman who becomes interested in the “minor detail” of the incident that happened 25 years before her birthday. She decides to try to find more information about the girl in the article.
I’d suggest reading the book before reading any reviews.
This was a difficult read. It’s a very short but it has a great impact. The description
tells the reader exactly what’s going to happen. The reader is “prepared.” It’s no less devastating when we read about the real life incident that happened on August 12 1949. The first chapter is cold and almost clinical as it describes what happened without going into gratuitous detail. The subject matter is still disturbing without having to be extremely graphic. That said, there is SA in the first part that is disturbing to read even if it’s not descriptive.
The second part is just as difficult to read as we follow a woman trying to investigate what happened to the unnamed Palestinian woman in the first part. I won’t go into detail about this part because this is so short. I’ll just say that seeing the narrator navigate with the two maps, going to places she used to know was very sad. “...the present is no less horrific.”
*After reading this, I realized that the article and the horrific events it described were real. The article is available online but I don’t know if I’d recommend reading it. It contains a report made by the officer/captain. His words chilled me. What happened made me angry and incredibly sad. Real life horrors are always worse than fictional ones. I know this will stay with me.
*Note: This review is a mess. The subject matter hurts to even think about.
This book is split into two chapters. The first describes what happened on August 12 1949. The second chapter follows a woman who becomes interested in the “minor detail” of the incident that happened 25 years before her birthday. She decides to try to find more information about the girl in the article.
I’d suggest reading the book before reading any reviews.
This was a difficult read. It’s a very short but it has a great impact. The description
tells the reader exactly what’s going to happen. The reader is “prepared.” It’s no less devastating when we read about the real life incident that happened on August 12 1949. The first chapter is cold and almost clinical as it describes what happened without going into gratuitous detail. The subject matter is still disturbing without having to be extremely graphic. That said, there is SA in the first part that is disturbing to read even if it’s not descriptive.
The second part is just as difficult to read as we follow a woman trying to investigate what happened to the unnamed Palestinian woman in the first part. I won’t go into detail about this part because this is so short. I’ll just say that seeing the narrator navigate with the two maps, going to places she used to know was very sad. “...the present is no less horrific.”
*After reading this, I realized that the article and the horrific events it described were real. The article is available online but I don’t know if I’d recommend reading it. It contains a report made by the officer/captain. His words chilled me. What happened made me angry and incredibly sad. Real life horrors are always worse than fictional ones. I know this will stay with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault and Violence
jokf's review
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Really strong beginning and ending! But the midle of the book was i little hard to get through:/ I would still definetly recommend this book, if youre interested in learning about palestine. Its a great book, just little slow<3
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Murder, and War
nishath's review
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder
thesoonathebetter's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Rape, Xenophobia, and Murder
devipurwanti's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
Berangkat dari keinginan untuk memahami Palestina lebih dalam, terutama dari penulis lokalnya, dan seringnya buku ini diulas di lini masa saya. Akhirnya saya memutuskan untuk membawa pulang “Detail Kecil” dari toko buku.
Buku ini membagi dua sudut pandang kontras. Pertama, sudut pandang ketiga yang menyoroti seorang tentara Israel di tahun 1949, dari kehidupan di kamp militer sampai keterlibatannya dalam sebuah tragedi. Kedua, sudut pandang pertama dari perempuan Palestina yang menangkap detail-detail kecil yang sering diabaikan, lalu memutuskan untuk mengungkap tragedi bertahun-tahun silam.
Sambil menerka-nerka makna dari judul “Detail Kecil” yang ternyata mengungkap refleksi yang jauh lebih pilu daripada tragedi itu sendiri, saya belajar juga tentang meriset peristiwa sensitif, terutama bagaimana karakter dalam buku ini menggali pandangan dari narasumber yang punya sudut pandang berseberangan.
Penggambaran situasi dalam buku ini sangat detail, sesuai judulnya. Dari hal sederhana seperti rutinitas mandi—saya bahkan bisa mengendus aroma tentara di gurun—sampai deskripsi diorama di museum Israel. Meskipun terkadang membosankan, tetapi ini mendukung imajinasi saya yang terbatas untuk hadir di situasi yang penulis berusaha bangun. Buku ini mendesak saya untuk mengumpat “anjing” sebelum akhirnya ditutup dengan kehampaan.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Murder, and Colonisation
Moderate: Genocide
Minor: Animal cruelty and Injury/Injury detail
kestrel_of_the_pages's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Short but difficult read.
The first half follows the point of view from a commanding officer of the Israeli occupying army a year after the Nakba, 1949, and the second half takes place in what feels like early 2000's and follows a Palestinian reporter trying to solve a mystery caused by said CO.
The commanding officer is heinous. The deeds depicted are absolutely atrocious and true to what many Bedouin, Arab, Palestinian women of the time faced. I was physically ill through most of the two stories and the end had me in furious tears. It was so difficult to read knowing this is rooted in reality, the weight of the importance is tangible despite the size of this novella.
A relentlessly true story that is approachable enough to get people to read the daily reality Palestinians have been subjected to.
The first half follows the point of view from a commanding officer of the Israeli occupying army a year after the Nakba, 1949, and the second half takes place in what feels like early 2000's and follows a Palestinian reporter trying to solve a mystery caused by said CO.
The commanding officer is heinous. The deeds depicted are absolutely atrocious and true to what many Bedouin, Arab, Palestinian women of the time faced. I was physically ill through most of the two stories and the end had me in furious tears. It was so difficult to read knowing this is rooted in reality, the weight of the importance is tangible despite the size of this novella.
A relentlessly true story that is approachable enough to get people to read the daily reality Palestinians have been subjected to.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation