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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I’m so sorry but this was honestly an insufferable read. Najla spends almost the entire book hating her Arab-ness and refusing to identify with her Palestinian side until like the last 3 pages. Her take on politics is honestly horrifying considering what she’s seen and the work of her father. She doesn’t come across as likeable at all and doesn’t recognise her privilege throughout the entire memoir. Also she literally comes across more pro-isr*el than pro-Palestine. I wouldn’t recommend this at all.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
ok I am not sure how describe what i exactly liked about this book. It's not an intense book in the literary sense, and sometimes the privileges sort of get to you, but not too much. The things I enjoyed or felt the most in this book is how personal it was, how she writes about very personal memories and I could always relate for the teenage and childhood phases. In addition to that, the way she lets in details here and there about an ex, a feeling, a relationship, is fascinating. The fact that this is the daughter of Edward Said was fascinating, because it did bring this human layer to a person who is a public figure, his reactions, words, reactions, humanity, are always welcome. Of course the most intense part was the part where she talks about her father passing away. It could be for subjective reasons since I have the same anxieties about loosing my dad, but I cried my eyeballs out... But then again, that is also quite common for me when reading books.
Another criticism however, is the choice of the title. It didn't feel like a book about looking for "Palestine" at all to be honest.
Another criticism however, is the choice of the title. It didn't feel like a book about looking for "Palestine" at all to be honest.
Idk just seemed like too privileged a perspective.
Author is seemingly blind to her privilege and thinks her experiences of feeling like a misfit as a teenage girl are unique. They’re not. Hate to say it but I’d rather read about her brother’s experiences. He seemed to have a better handle on what it meant to be Palestinian-Lebanese in America in the 80s.
this is not really about Palestine… disappointing read :(