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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
This is a very strong debut novel from Moriel Rothman-Zecher. It addresses the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a touching and humanizing way, with a young protagonist questioning his personal beliefs, family history, and role in the ongoing violence. My only critique of the book is that it takes a while to hit its stride, but has the reader firmly in its grip by the end. Overall, a powerful narrative and definitely worth a read.
Thanks to the published and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to the published and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
An emotional roller coaster ride. The work of fiction was most difficult for me to bear. A description of the attrocities committed by clearly unbalanced IDF soldiers in 1956 filled me with dread and despair. The author's portrayal of first love countered this anger and sadness. I will never abide by the violence committed in the name of Israel's security. However, I am loathe to express my abhorence, since anti-Semites lie in wait to pounce. Constructive criticism of Israel is productive; comparing the IDF to Nazis does nothing but incite more violence. If there is one message here, it is violence begets violence.
The author chose teenagers as the protagonists. Teenagers, in the later teen years before their 20's, impulsively act and react. Testosterone fuels young men to flash and crash at critical touchpoints; they throw jagged rocks and pull the trigger on IDF provided weapons. Beautiful, strong bodies clash in a struggle that results in death on both sides. No one acts reasonably.
There is a greater likelihood that middle aged and older adults will talk to one another. Mellowed and nuanced, they view themselves as victims and perpetrators simultaneously, but not so the recent high school graduates who are drafted.
I connect events in history. Therefore, the unwarranted murder of Palestinian villagers on pp. 132-33 was abhorrent to me. My mind wandered to the Nazi instigated murders in the forests of eastern Europe.
There is much to say about this gorgeously written novel--the poetry, imagery, and setting. The story was a poignant one, with no resolution, symbolic of the continued conflict in Israel and Palestine.
The author chose teenagers as the protagonists. Teenagers, in the later teen years before their 20's, impulsively act and react. Testosterone fuels young men to flash and crash at critical touchpoints; they throw jagged rocks and pull the trigger on IDF provided weapons. Beautiful, strong bodies clash in a struggle that results in death on both sides. No one acts reasonably.
There is a greater likelihood that middle aged and older adults will talk to one another. Mellowed and nuanced, they view themselves as victims and perpetrators simultaneously, but not so the recent high school graduates who are drafted.
I connect events in history. Therefore, the unwarranted murder of Palestinian villagers on pp. 132-33 was abhorrent to me. My mind wandered to the Nazi instigated murders in the forests of eastern Europe.
There is much to say about this gorgeously written novel--the poetry, imagery, and setting. The story was a poignant one, with no resolution, symbolic of the continued conflict in Israel and Palestine.
(Note: There is profanity and adult content in this book.)
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
EXCELLENT book about mixed identity and love and life in the IDF.
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Gorgeous prose recounting harrowing events and every nuance of emotion. A wonderful resource for those trying to understand Israeli/Palestinian conflict.
I really enjoyed the narration of this book. I loved how the whole book was Jonathan/Yonatan telling all these stories to Laith. I think it made it feel more powerful when everything coalesced in the end. Because a lot of this Laith was there to experience, but may not have understood the significance or emotions Jonathan was feeling in these moments.
I will say that the ending was very sad, but only because it was so ambiguous. I am not sure I totally understand what the author wanted me to "get" with the closing lines.
I will say that the ending was very sad, but only because it was so ambiguous. I am not sure I totally understand what the author wanted me to "get" with the closing lines.
Spoiler
If it is that Jonathan died, then I guess that is a kind of closure. But that isn't totally clear or explicit. And if he doesn't die - does he get out? Is he discharged from the military? Does he talk to Laith and Nimreen? So many questions!
Wow. Wow. Wow.
Beautiful language, beautiful story line, beautiful, complex characters. It's a political book, of course it is, but not in the way that you're hit over the head with the politics of it all. It's beautifully written to capture the messiness and confusion of living as part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
There's a fair number of reviews here complaining about the amount of Hebrew and Arabic in the text, and I want to point out that those lines (in addition to the Ladino/Judeo-Spanish) are always translated into English, so it's not like you need to know those languages to understand the book. Don't let that scare you off if you don't know those languages- you don't need to.
Beautiful language, beautiful story line, beautiful, complex characters. It's a political book, of course it is, but not in the way that you're hit over the head with the politics of it all. It's beautifully written to capture the messiness and confusion of living as part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
There's a fair number of reviews here complaining about the amount of Hebrew and Arabic in the text, and I want to point out that those lines (in addition to the Ladino/Judeo-Spanish) are always translated into English, so it's not like you need to know those languages to understand the book. Don't let that scare you off if you don't know those languages- you don't need to.