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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Lots of really great things about this book, although overall it wasn’t my entirely to my taste. I liked the incorporation of the playscript-style narration to record group conversations and the stage. Hammad’s translations of the Arabic version of Hamlet are delightful to read and parse through as someone familiar with the original English text.
I think you’ll enjoy this book a lot more if you know Hamlet (and particularly the character of Gertrude) well, but it is not essential to enjoy the story or catch the more obvious parallel meanings.Mariam performing the Hecuba soliloquy in front of the soldiers gave me chills, as did Sonia claiming Wael as her son at the checkpoint.
The narration has a distant feel to it, even in emotionally tense moments, and Hammad leaves lots of conversations unspoken throughout the story. Her style is not really for me, but there were moments that got to me nonetheless. I enjoyed the subtle questions about motherhood, grief, and the ways that artists (and academics, and politicians, etc.) sometimes extract from suffering that’s proximal to them in ways that aren’t kind, but are human and possibly even necessary.
I think you’ll enjoy this book a lot more if you know Hamlet (and particularly the character of Gertrude) well, but it is not essential to enjoy the story or catch the more obvious parallel meanings.
The narration has a distant feel to it, even in emotionally tense moments, and Hammad leaves lots of conversations unspoken throughout the story. Her style is not really for me, but there were moments that got to me nonetheless. I enjoyed the subtle questions about motherhood, grief, and the ways that artists (and academics, and politicians, etc.) sometimes extract from suffering that’s proximal to them in ways that aren’t kind, but are human and possibly even necessary.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Colonisation
Minor: Miscarriage, Islamophobia, Abortion
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
inspiring
reflective
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
emotional
informative
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
I enjoyed this, I appreciated the new perspective of the inside vs outside, inside what they call "the '48" and what artists go through under siege, under occupation.
What a horrible occupier Israel is.
What a horrible occupier Israel is.
emotional
informative
reflective
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
Stunning!
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was an intensely compelling read. I picked it up on a whim, having seen it on multiple recommendation lists for books which follow the conflict. Although it is set before October 7th, It gave a lot of history and setting I didn't have before.
I deeply appreciated the conversations on relationships (romantic and familial), miscarriage and, of course, Palestine. The discussions of belonging and family history were complex and well rounded. It felt almost memior-esk at times, which I actually really loved.
My only qualm with this book was Hamlet itself. Shakespeare isn't particularly my thing, which led to a little disconnect with that part of the story. I'm sure many symbolic parallels can probably be drawn between Hamlet and the climate of conflict, but I am not familiar enough to draw them. I found myself glazing over a little when discussions of the plays plot were taking place.
Despite that, I really loved this and I would highly recommend.
I deeply appreciated the conversations on relationships (romantic and familial), miscarriage and, of course, Palestine. The discussions of belonging and family history were complex and well rounded. It felt almost memior-esk at times, which I actually really loved.
My only qualm with this book was Hamlet itself. Shakespeare isn't particularly my thing, which led to a little disconnect with that part of the story. I'm sure many symbolic parallels can probably be drawn between Hamlet and the climate of conflict, but I am not familiar enough to draw them. I found myself glazing over a little when discussions of the plays plot were taking place.
Despite that, I really loved this and I would highly recommend.
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated