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saucemallow's review
After I got further into this book and it did not get any better I wanted to finish this book to review it and give it the lowest star review possible. This book was so bad, and I feel like it sympathizes with Israeli genocide of Palestinians by referring to people as Jewish and Arab even though those two things are not related to countries, but to people’s identities. I really hoped the author was going to share a good experience and turn the book around, but it did not turn around fast enough. If it is good, it does not get good until it at least passes 110 pages.
inkylabyrinth's review
Completely not interested in reading from the perspective of Israeli soldiers. Fucking gross.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia and Racism
rmarcin's review
2.0
This was a slog for me. I was really excited to read this book as I wanted to understand more of what it was like to live in Israel and to navigate the conflict between Jews and Palestinians. However, after the first part where there was intersection between characters, it went downhill for me. Much too much info on the sex lives that had no bearing on the story.
It took forever to get through this, although it wasn't really long. I wanted to put it down multiple times, but I thought that after a promising beginning, it was going to get better. Sadly, it didn't for me.
It just wasn't the book for me.
It took forever to get through this, although it wasn't really long. I wanted to put it down multiple times, but I thought that after a promising beginning, it was going to get better. Sadly, it didn't for me.
It just wasn't the book for me.
kitkates213's review
2.0
Interesting book and enjoyable in places, but overall it felt very stereotypical and imo the author goes off in too many tangents and adds too many characters who are all in conflict with one another unless they, begrudgingly, have to work together. I liked the concept - following multiple characters through their somewhat intersecting lives in and around Israel and Palestine. Assuming the author's geographical information and descriptions are correct and realistic, she offers insight into how Israelis and Palestinians co-exist in such close quarters while fighting, or fearing attacks, daily. While I enjoyed most of the relationships the author explores - their conflicting views, refusal to consider the others' perspectives and the conflicts that arise as a result of their interactions - I wish at least one or two characters had a different, less-vitriolic opinion of the other group.
The characters sound very black and white, a few of which inexplicably receive deeper examination and description such that they could practically have had their own books. Vera, the German journalist, I thought did not need so much detail. She feels like an outlier character who is there, presumably, to be the objective POV in the book. (I hoped her purpose was not simply to be a cliche white German living amongJews...but I couldn't be sure.). Her sexual fetishes and conquests and the descriptions of her past were unnecessarily graphic, lengthy and mostly distracting. Maybe the author had a motive but I found myself wondering what was the purpose for making the single, outsider, white female journalist sound so desperate, superficial and detached from anyone else? Emily's lengthy description of anal sex with her husband also felt curiously out of place. (I listened to the audiobook so I don't know how long it was on paper but I imagine it's multiple pages.). Young betrothed Rachel was another character who was shallow and offered nothing of real value to the story other than to be Vera's problem-child project.
I liked how spouses and siblings interacted through the book, and the conflict event toward the end had potential to change some characters' minds, but really nothing changed and everyone went back to their corners. This book ultimately reminded me of the movie "Crash" and how it explored prejudices, most notably how some people are uncapable of seeing beyond the stereotypes they were raised to believe.
The characters sound very black and white, a few of which inexplicably receive deeper examination and description such that they could practically have had their own books. Vera, the German journalist, I thought did not need so much detail. She feels like an outlier character who is there, presumably, to be the objective POV in the book. (I hoped her purpose was not simply to be a cliche white German living amongJews...but I couldn't be sure.). Her sexual fetishes and conquests and the descriptions of her past were unnecessarily graphic, lengthy and mostly distracting. Maybe the author had a motive but I found myself wondering what was the purpose for making the single, outsider, white female journalist sound so desperate, superficial and detached from anyone else? Emily's lengthy description of anal sex with her husband also felt curiously out of place. (I listened to the audiobook so I don't know how long it was on paper but I imagine it's multiple pages.). Young betrothed Rachel was another character who was shallow and offered nothing of real value to the story other than to be Vera's problem-child project.
I liked how spouses and siblings interacted through the book, and the conflict event toward the end had potential to change some characters' minds, but really nothing changed and everyone went back to their corners. This book ultimately reminded me of the movie "Crash" and how it explored prejudices, most notably how some people are uncapable of seeing beyond the stereotypes they were raised to believe.
emelynreads's review
challenging
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I picked this book up with the intention of reading more about the palestinian genocide through the fictional lens of these characters. The sheer volume of different character voices diluted the meaning for me and felt unfocused. I'm glad there was a cast of characters page to refer to because I got several characters confused with one another. I liked the first third the most. The author did a great job world building from the checkpoints to the olive groves to the frustration getting from point a to point b. At times, the writing felt cinematic.
egould1's review
3.0
I found the prose beautiful and lyrical, but the plot was lacking. I think half the characters and 100 less pages would have delivered the author’s message more effectively. I was most drawn to the female characters and their varied and interconnected experiences. I wish the story would have focused on them.
khoben0802's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-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? No
5.0
ginath13's review
3.0
Very ambitious debut novel about the Israel Palestine conflict. I thought the writing was good, i could feel tension just reading and often had to put it down. It was difficult and terrifying. My only complaint is that, like another reviewer wrote, there are quite a few extraneous characters and side stories that I don’t feel contribute to the story in any meaningful way. I had to keep going back to the cast of characters list to remember who some of them were again.