Reviews

Shatila Stories by Fatima Omar Ghazawi, Rayan Mohamad Sukkar, Samih Mahmoud, Safiya Badran, Nashwa Gowanlock, Hiba Mareb, Nibal Alalo, Safa Khaled Algharbawi, Omar Abdellatif Alndaf, Omar Khaled Ahmad

Only show reviews with written explanations

barnfieldkatherine033's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

papelgren's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

An incredible snapshot into a world rarely seen, especially in the United States. The stories from the Lebanese refugee camp are simple and searing. As various characters' stories interweave, a larger picture of despair and hope living side by side comes into focus. The book was made unconventionally, and works as a first hand account of the perils of refugee life.

bannedfrombookclub's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

This is a collaborative work of fiction, a story cycle I guess, set in Shatila refugee camp. The camp is home to generations of Palestinian refugees whose displacement has thrown their lives into precarious statis.

Content Warnings

carricatures's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Real, not too dramatised. Multiple perspectives, snapshots of many lives, enough to understand and empathise without being overburdened when it gets sad.

r_reads2winnie's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

After participating in a writing workshop, nine Palestinian and Syrian refugees in the Shatila camp in Beirut, Lebanon wrote their individual stories. From these stories, a cohesive novella, Shatila Stories, was born through the hard work of the publisher, the editor, the translator, and the nine co-authors. It is a work of fiction but an eye-opening insight into the daily life of the refugees in the Shatila camp. Readers learn about their dangerous and chaotic living situations such as violence, crowded spaces, unemployment, power outages, prejudice, drugs, and child brides. Still, we also learn that these refugees dance, sing, make friends, fall in love, and dream of a better future. It is a sad but hopeful book.

I highly recommend listening to the book via the Audrey app because readers get more than the stories. Nashwa, our guide shared her experience working on the project as the translator as well as other helpful resources, which made the stories come to life and enhanced my reading experience.

iridescentjemz's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A remarkable undertaking. Rather than a collection of individual short stories this weaves the tales of a number of Syrian and Palestinian refugees into one interlinked story of life on Shatila camp. Stories of love, survival, death, hope, family and adversity, told from different cultures and different dialects.

Shatila camp was founded in Beirut, Lebanon in 1949 following the Nakba and the surrounding conflict that resulted in the state of Israel being founded, sometimes known as the Israeli war of independence. It now houses Palestinian and Syrian refugees, following the civil war in Syria. The editors of this book published by Peirene, went to Shatila to create this book first by teaching a writing workshop and then follow up workshops to help interlink the stories. The story of how this was created is just as interesting as the result.

I thoroughly recommend the Audrey version which includes more information including guide notes by the translator of the book and beautiful artwork by Lebanese artist Joseph Kai.

Everyone involved in the making of this book should be incredibly proud.