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stories_from_bookland's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
"Un amore che puoi conoscere solo dopo che la vita ti ha salvato da una pioggia di bombe o dai proiettili che volevano attraversarti il corpo."
Non è facile descrivere a parole quello che questo libro mi ha fatto provare.
Ho trovato tanta rabbia, tanta impotenza, tanto dolore, ma anche la forza di andare avanti quando non riesci a vedere nessun “avanti”, nessun futuro; il tentativo di continuare a vivere anche quando tutto intorno a te sta cadendo a pezzi, la voglia di continuare ad amare anche quando quello che vedi è soltanto odio.
Ma quanto può durare tutto questo? Anche se c’è questa forza straordinaria che ti spinge a voler vivere, a voler amare, a voler trovare la felicità, quanto a lungo riuscirà a sopravvivere in mezzo alla rovina e alla tragedia? Quando il dolore, o la morte, stanno dietro l’angolo?
Non è facile descrivere a parole quello che questo libro mi ha fatto provare.
Ho trovato tanta rabbia, tanta impotenza, tanto dolore, ma anche la forza di andare avanti quando non riesci a vedere nessun “avanti”, nessun futuro; il tentativo di continuare a vivere anche quando tutto intorno a te sta cadendo a pezzi, la voglia di continuare ad amare anche quando quello che vedi è soltanto odio.
Ma quanto può durare tutto questo? Anche se c’è questa forza straordinaria che ti spinge a voler vivere, a voler amare, a voler trovare la felicità, quanto a lungo riuscirà a sopravvivere in mezzo alla rovina e alla tragedia? Quando il dolore, o la morte, stanno dietro l’angolo?
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Violence
internationalreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Murder, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Islamophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Death of parent, Child death, Animal death, Colonisation, Blood, War, Violence, Racism, Medical content, Hate crime, Grief, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Death, Antisemitism, and Alcoholism
laravo21's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, and Violence
writingcaia's review
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
You will never be the same after this book.
It’s hard to transmit all I’ve felt during it, even now after a few hours.
This book is not only informative and deeply meshed into the history of Palestine, the culture, the family ties, the smell and love of that country, it is also a very open window into the invasion/occupation and conflict with Israel, the camps, the ethnic cleansing, and all the atrocities of the apartheid since.
Although this is the fictional story of a Palestinian family going back three generations when they’re first taken from their ancestral home in 1967 and forced into the Jenin refugee camp travelling time and countries to end in 2003, this is still based on hundreds of real stories that happened during those 40 years.
A book that I now consider a must read to all that want to understand humanity at its most intense level of experience, from love to hatred, loss and despair to hope, from war to art.
The writing is poetic and deeply resonating, and the way it tells of the love of country and people even through such severe loss is humbling and takes you on a journey inside your own feelings as you follow those in this tale.
I cried, despaired, and raged, and still feel the aftershock of all the information, all this history, all these feelings, this is definitely not a book for the faint hearted still I cannot recommend it enough, and will be doing so forever more.
It’s hard to transmit all I’ve felt during it, even now after a few hours.
This book is not only informative and deeply meshed into the history of Palestine, the culture, the family ties, the smell and love of that country, it is also a very open window into the invasion/occupation and conflict with Israel, the camps, the ethnic cleansing, and all the atrocities of the apartheid since.
Although this is the fictional story of a Palestinian family going back three generations when they’re first taken from their ancestral home in 1967 and forced into the Jenin refugee camp travelling time and countries to end in 2003, this is still based on hundreds of real stories that happened during those 40 years.
A book that I now consider a must read to all that want to understand humanity at its most intense level of experience, from love to hatred, loss and despair to hope, from war to art.
The writing is poetic and deeply resonating, and the way it tells of the love of country and people even through such severe loss is humbling and takes you on a journey inside your own feelings as you follow those in this tale.
I cried, despaired, and raged, and still feel the aftershock of all the information, all this history, all these feelings, this is definitely not a book for the faint hearted still I cannot recommend it enough, and will be doing so forever more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Dementia, Excrement, Genocide, Hate crime, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Child death, Islamophobia, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Mental illness, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Miscarriage
theroyaltyreader's review
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
i cried a lot because of beautiful hurtful and sad
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, and War
literary_amazing's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Police brutality, and War
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Kidnapping
annreadsabook's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? No
5.0
I decided to revisit Susan Abulhawa's writing after reading her latest novel, Against the Loveless World, and once again was so blown away by the passion and strength in her words, particularly in conveying such an overwhelmingly tragic and distressing narrative. This is one of the first English-language fiction books about the experiences and struggles of Palestinians following the Nakba, and I could feel the author's desire to communicate the urgency of the Palestinian struggle.
While the novel primarily focuses on the life and lived experiences of Amal Abulheja, a girl born to Palestinian refugees who were ousted from their ancestral home during the Nakba, it also follows her entire family's trajectory, contemplating the ramifications of displacement and dispossession for her friends and loved ones.
I honestly am not sure that I have anything meaningful to add here because this book conveys everything so powerfully. However, I was particularly struck by Abulhawa's ability to convey the unending trauma experienced by Palestinian adults and children alike amidst the more universally relatable experiences such as childhood crushes and lasting friendships; the isolating sense of not only being an immigrant, but living abroad while one's family is suffering and struggling back home; and being brown in the United States (particularly, Philadelphia, where life is often viewed as being bifurcated between Black and white experiences). Finally, I found myself thinking about the immense privilege I and other people have of being able to wait until we are in a good headspace to delve into this book, while those living through such traumatic, heartbreaking circumstances don't have the ability to easily distance themselves from such pain and turmoil.
Anyway, all of this is to say that Mornings in Jenin is an absolutely stunning, but challenging, novel, and I think that everyone should place it on their reading lists if they haven't done so already.
While the novel primarily focuses on the life and lived experiences of Amal Abulheja, a girl born to Palestinian refugees who were ousted from their ancestral home during the Nakba, it also follows her entire family's trajectory, contemplating the ramifications of displacement and dispossession for her friends and loved ones.
I honestly am not sure that I have anything meaningful to add here because this book conveys everything so powerfully. However, I was particularly struck by Abulhawa's ability to convey the unending trauma experienced by Palestinian adults and children alike amidst the more universally relatable experiences such as childhood crushes and lasting friendships; the isolating sense of not only being an immigrant, but living abroad while one's family is suffering and struggling back home; and being brown in the United States (particularly, Philadelphia, where life is often viewed as being bifurcated between Black and white experiences). Finally, I found myself thinking about the immense privilege I and other people have of being able to wait until we are in a good headspace to delve into this book, while those living through such traumatic, heartbreaking circumstances don't have the ability to easily distance themselves from such pain and turmoil.
Anyway, all of this is to say that Mornings in Jenin is an absolutely stunning, but challenging, novel, and I think that everyone should place it on their reading lists if they haven't done so already.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Death of parent, Grief, War, Genocide, Death, Gun violence, Murder, Violence, and Child abuse
samiaba15's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
4.5
I don’t know how anyone could read this book and justify what the Israeli government has done and continues to do towards Palestinians today. It’s an incredible yet devastating read and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about the Israeli occupation.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, Police brutality, Racism, and Violence
megellebeereads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
kait_sixcrowsbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Rep:
- full Palestinian cast
- Muslim MCs and SCs
- Jewish MC and SCs
...I don't even know where to start.
If you're looking for a book that may put you through a bunch of emotional turmoil as the reader, this is your book. It follows four generations of a Palestinian family, from before Al Nakba to a couple years after 9/11, as they try to make a life after Israeli occupation and war uproots them from their ancestral home. It dealt with the horrors of war and genocide, which was contrasted by the beautiful purple prose. If you connect with the writing early on, you will probably be put through the wringer repeatedly as you read.
I will say this: I do not regret reading Mornings in Jenin. It's unbelievably sad and, at times, hard to get through. But I appreciate every minute I put in to reading it, and I hope you do, too, if you decide to pick it up.
However, please pay attention to the content warnings.
A full review will be on my blog next week.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Kidnapping and Sexual content
Minor: Ableism, Child abuse, and Sexual violence
The ableism also includes internalized ableism. Other warnings include: war (graphic); bombing (graphic); execution (graphic); effects of trauma (moderate to graphic)