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jack_the_sipper's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Zionist Propaganda pt. 2
starfish5's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
fast-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
christar_123's review against another edition
2.0
I'm still thinking about this one. Not really sure how to rate it fairly...or how to review...still thinking.
heidi_beatrice's review against another edition
4.0
I’m not a huge fan of Uris’ writing style (at times it’s clunky and hard to follow), but as a work of historical fiction this is great. It illustrates to the letter the chaotic political landscape of Palestine and the Arab world surrounding the creation of the Israeli state and it is a brilliant condemnation of how the ordinary Arabs living in Palestine were betrayed by their own leaders. The refugee crisis was largely self-created, and the Arab leaders – especially Saudi and Egypt, the most significant of the lot in terms of wealth and power, simply refused to grant refugees citizenship while ensuring that any who chose to return to Israel were ostracised by their Arab brothers. No return and no resettlement was the order of the day.
Uris really grasps the contemporary Arab mind-set; the utter refusal to negotiate with the Jews, the self-seeking motives of Abdullah, Husain, Nasser and the various other Arab leaders disguised as concern for the refugees; the mistrust, lies and inflammatory rhetoric. Sadly it is a mind-set that has not entirely gone away, so almost sixty years later we have the same problems; Palestinian Arabs exploited by their own people for global and regional influence and personal power struggles.
If I had to take on quote from this book to sum it up, it would be from Effendi Kabir speaking to the Prince of Saudi Arabia during the Zurich Conference: ‘the only thing that unifies us is our hatred of the Jews.’
While some have said the conclusion was disappointing, I thought it was both poignant and pertinent; the Haj struggled for most of the book for more enlightened thinking, compromise and peace. He saw what Arab nations could become, and what they were – at times he was even visionary; yet in the end he was, like all the other refugees, a victim of his society, his prejudices and his leaders.
I did have a couple of issues, however. Uris, whilst not explicitly approving the Irgun and Stern Gang, painted them far whiter than they should have been – they were in actuality horrific terrorist groups. Nothing can justify their existence. Deir Yassin and Plan D weren’t dealt with especially well either; he didn’t touch the idea of ethnic cleansing (which was what Plan Dalet - if it existed - was arguably about) or the idea that the Deir Yassin massacre could have been deliberate. There is no sympathy for the British either, who were in a very difficult position and short of a miracle could not have kept a lid on the Arab-Jewish rivalries and inter-tribal feuds.
But these are just minor quibbles. It is a sad tale of ‘what ifs’ – what if Ibrahim and Maan had won? What if the Arabs had accepted UNRES181? What if Farouk hadn’t been ousted by Nasser? What if Jordan hadn’t been created? What if the wealthy Palestinians hadn’t fled?
A searing portrayal of a culture that refused to change in a changing world.
Uris really grasps the contemporary Arab mind-set; the utter refusal to negotiate with the Jews, the self-seeking motives of Abdullah, Husain, Nasser and the various other Arab leaders disguised as concern for the refugees; the mistrust, lies and inflammatory rhetoric. Sadly it is a mind-set that has not entirely gone away, so almost sixty years later we have the same problems; Palestinian Arabs exploited by their own people for global and regional influence and personal power struggles.
If I had to take on quote from this book to sum it up, it would be from Effendi Kabir speaking to the Prince of Saudi Arabia during the Zurich Conference: ‘the only thing that unifies us is our hatred of the Jews.’
While some have said the conclusion was disappointing, I thought it was both poignant and pertinent; the Haj struggled for most of the book for more enlightened thinking, compromise and peace. He saw what Arab nations could become, and what they were – at times he was even visionary; yet in the end he was, like all the other refugees, a victim of his society, his prejudices and his leaders.
I did have a couple of issues, however. Uris, whilst not explicitly approving the Irgun and Stern Gang, painted them far whiter than they should have been – they were in actuality horrific terrorist groups. Nothing can justify their existence. Deir Yassin and Plan D weren’t dealt with especially well either; he didn’t touch the idea of ethnic cleansing (which was what Plan Dalet - if it existed - was arguably about) or the idea that the Deir Yassin massacre could have been deliberate. There is no sympathy for the British either, who were in a very difficult position and short of a miracle could not have kept a lid on the Arab-Jewish rivalries and inter-tribal feuds.
But these are just minor quibbles. It is a sad tale of ‘what ifs’ – what if Ibrahim and Maan had won? What if the Arabs had accepted UNRES181? What if Farouk hadn’t been ousted by Nasser? What if Jordan hadn’t been created? What if the wealthy Palestinians hadn’t fled?
A searing portrayal of a culture that refused to change in a changing world.
ecari's review against another edition
2.0
No one should pick up this book expecting anything other than a pro-Israeli treatise told through the eyes of a young Palestinian boy - which feels just like the ploy it is from almost the first chapter. Once that fact is understood, the book can be taken for what it's worth - a novel full of sometimes interesting, though often one-dimensional characters in a complex, at-time rambling story with what seems to be a quite detailed accounting of true historical events. There were rather long "asides" in which I found myself reading almost textbook prose on the political backstabbing of the British, Saudis, Jordanians (barely a nation at this point), Syrians, etc. However, in reviews I read when I was finished, readers blasted Uris for portraying history selectively - not really lying about what happened, but omitting and emphasizing in ways that would further support his ardent beliefs. I also was turned off by the extremely negative representation of Arab culture. Uris did months of research and countless interviews in the region (where he lived for a time as well, I think), and there is no doubt that there is truth in much of his portrayal of customs, beliefs, etc. However, it was telling that the few "good" Arab characters in the book meet with defiant resistance from their own people when proposing ideas of peace and end up miserable, defeated and dead (sorry for the spoiler). I definitely found the "textbook sections" the most interesting parts of the book. I finished wanting to read some nonfiction accounts about this period in history when the powers of the world played political roulette with the fates of two peoples in a near uninhabitable desert with the disastrous results we see today.
jercox's review against another edition
4.0
A solid story of the background behind the creation of Israel in a region full of turmoil. Told largely as the story of an Arab young man and his family.
The author is clearly pro-Israel, and it shows through in a few places. But he also gets a lot of things right about the mess that the whole region was, the dysfunction of certain aspects of arab culture, and how that all worked together to drive a slow motion catastrophe. And then big pieces of why the aftermath has continued to fester to this day.
The author is clearly pro-Israel, and it shows through in a few places. But he also gets a lot of things right about the mess that the whole region was, the dysfunction of certain aspects of arab culture, and how that all worked together to drive a slow motion catastrophe. And then big pieces of why the aftermath has continued to fester to this day.
jbojkov's review against another edition
3.0
We put this book on our book group list after 9/11 as a way to explore in some way the culture that produced Alqueda and the terrorists. I don't think this was the best choice, but had been recommended by a friend so we tried it. I don't remember much about it, so I guess that's not a ringing endorsement, but I do remember it being easy to read and engaging.
booksandchicks's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. And props to me for finishing it! I found the book fascinating then it got a little laborious as it explained the history then fascinating again, I think part of the problem for me was I know so little of the Arab conflicts in general. This book covered 1946-1956 in Palestine/Jerusalem between he Jews and Palestinians. I'm well aware of the culture, but the history amazes me at the dangers that pride allows. I do recommend to those stalwart historical fiction readers. I'm so glad a I read it, but I'm also glad I'm done reading it.