A review by ramreadsagain
Minor Detail by Adania Shibli, عدنية شبلي

challenging dark informative sad tense medium-paced

4.5

What can I say about this that hasn't already been said? Not only is this an emotional and harrowing tale of two Palestinian women separated by half a century in time, but it's also educational and serves as a first step into reading about the Nakba, the Israeli occupation in Palestine, and what life looks like over there. 

A main theme in this book is about who controls history (reminding me of the famous quote, "History is always written by the winners") and information, as in the second part our narrator tries to find out more about the historical 'minor detail' we see in the first part. 

Then I ask him if, as a Palestinian, I can enter these museums and archives? And he responds, before putting down the receiver, that he doesn’t see what would prevent me. And I don’t see what would prevent me either, except for my identity card. 

Remember that the genocide in Palestine has been happening for longer than any of us have been alive, and that the idea that "Israel are allowed to defend themselves" is a completely false narrative that ignores decades of history.  But particularly in this context of history being witheld, both from our main character in Minor Detail but also from us in the Western world as Israel attempts to obscure facts and rewrite our knowledge, framing what is a simple act of displacement and genocide into this "complicated, nuanced conflict that we have no hope of understanding". 

Besides, sometimes it’s inevitable for the past to be forgotten, especially if the present is no less horrific. 
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