Reviews with content warning for Racism - Minor Detail

Minor Detail was a tense and masterfully written book. Split in two halves, the story follows an Israeli soldier during 1949 in the first half and a Palestinian women trying to uncover the events of the first half decades later. Both sections lay bare the harsh atrocities carried out by Israel, from 1949 to the occupation today.

In the first half, the writing is in the third person and takes on a cold factual tone that distances the reader from the story and the soldier from his actions. The soldier is never named, and neither is the girl which he captures, a choice that continues into the second half. Shibli, as the title suggests, pays great attention to minor details in this book, factually laying out every step of certain actions, like the soldier's washing up routine. These details, the washing routine, the barking of the dog, the wound on the soldier's thigh, are repeated throughout the story, yet never feels unnecessary. Rather, you understand that there is something to be said with this decision.

The second half of the book switches to first person and takes on life, with the narrator constantly retreating into and out of feelings of fear and anxiety. Here, the minor details of the first half, crop up again and a connection is drawn between the two halves, emphasizing how the atrocities from 1949 never truly ended, merely took on new forms. There's a sense of rising tension as the narrator gets closer and closer to the events that happened, which culminates with the narrator's arrival at the same spring from the first half where she meets the same fate as those that were there in 1949.

Carefully detailed and masterfully written, Minor Detail is very intentional and purposeful in terms of writing and plot, and is worth reading, even if it may be difficult.

Content Warnings

rachelfayreads's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

ainshaf's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

alyssamakesart's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

The biggest threat to Israel's story in this book is not the two horrific moments of violence in this novel. Those can lazily be denied as unrealistic and moments unsure to the fog of war. However, the trek to each moment is a series of acts of violence of themselves. Racism and physical occupation being the main two.

Content Warnings

serendipity421's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

Content Warnings

nativeladybookwarrior's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Amazing read to show how settler occupation and colonialism effects people's trauma and power on both sides of apartheid. You see the ending coming but you are still shocked and devastated by its conclusion because it's a reality. One thing about this story that had me doing is a double take was the subtle full circle of events coming unfolding on the pages. Stories like this are essential!

Content Warnings

bekyaaa's review

Go to review page

dark sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated

review to follow. need time to process this one.

Content Warnings

hellichipmunk's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

More...