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1.85k reviews for:

Enter Ghost

Isabella Hammad

4.26 AVERAGE

informative tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Loveable characters: No

A fascinating look at the gaza conflict through the eyes of theater.
challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Topical story about what it means to be a Palestinian, when you live abroad, when you have an Israeli passport, when you want to make art, a play in this case and how everything you do is seen as a threat by the Israeli authorities. Very painful in view of what is happening in Gaza. It is not an optimistic book, I thought the play, Hamlet, itself played too big a role, I did not like the scripted bits, but I did like the awakening of the main character to what her role (!) is in life.

At its best in the ensemble sections with the actors trying to find their way in Hamlet, and struggling with Israeli oppression in various forms. The main character Sonia was unfortunately the weakest part for me.

I think I may be too unfamiliar with Hamlet and with Palestinian experience to really understand whatever comparisons the author was trying to draw out.
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: Complicated

There is no exaggeration in the praise this novel has received. Hammad truly brings Haifa and the West Bank  to life between the pages, recasting Hamlet in the Palestinian context in a way which seamlessly travels between the present past and fiction. Enter ghost was a masterful act of storytelling. It will haunt me.

This book is very good and makes me wish I read Shakespeare 
challenging hopeful inspiring medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

This was an excellent novel. There was a significant amount of detail and background info that could be confusing at times, but the story built to a terrific ending, and I became more and more engrossed as it went on. I am not that familiar with Hamlet, but I enjoyed the way the author wrote the sisters' relationship, and how she described Palestinian life and creating art under occupation was very well done.
challenging emotional funny reflective tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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