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A review by misspalah
The Baghdad Eucharist by Sinan Antoon
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I felt remorseful because I liked needling her for no reason. I wasn’t pious or devout the way she was, but I had faith in my own way. I just didn’t put much store by obligations and teachings. I considered them signposts on the path to God for those who needed them—a code of conduct that they felt was necessary, but I felt no such need. I knew that God existed, that the universe and all it encompassed weren’t just random occurrences that had no rhyme or reason—even though I still had many questions to which I hadn’t found any clear answers. Questions about the universe, about mankind and nature. The question that bothered me in particular was how God could allow all the evil “ there was without punishing its perpetrators, despite being omnipresent—not just in holy books, prayers, and houses of worship, but in nature, in beauty. It didn’t matter to me which of the many paths to God people followed. The path itself was no guarantee of the seeker’s purity, in any case. People, both good and bad, trod the path to God, and some thought theirs was the only true way.”
- The Baghdad Eucharist by Sinan Antoon
.
In this book, despite a slow start, I am captivated by the exploration of family dynamics and the tragic history of Iraq. It serves as a reminder to many of us that not all Iraqis are Muslim and how the author highlights the difficult choices people face during times of violence. The book also sheds light on the plight of the Iraqi Christian community, one of the oldest in the world, which has suffered greatly after the US invasion of Iraq and the rise of ISIS. The story follows a Christian family in modern-day Baghdad, with an elderly uncle living in the past and his niece and her husband who have only known war and turmoil. The book reaches a climax when they are held hostage at their church, resulting in the loss of many lives and a profound transformation for the niece. Despite being an easy read, the book manages to evoke strong emotions and complexity, providing a nuanced perspective on Christians in Iraq and the overall situation in the country.
- The Baghdad Eucharist by Sinan Antoon
.
In this book, despite a slow start, I am captivated by the exploration of family dynamics and the tragic history of Iraq. It serves as a reminder to many of us that not all Iraqis are Muslim and how the author highlights the difficult choices people face during times of violence. The book also sheds light on the plight of the Iraqi Christian community, one of the oldest in the world, which has suffered greatly after the US invasion of Iraq and the rise of ISIS. The story follows a Christian family in modern-day Baghdad, with an elderly uncle living in the past and his niece and her husband who have only known war and turmoil. The book reaches a climax when they are held hostage at their church, resulting in the loss of many lives and a profound transformation for the niece. Despite being an easy read, the book manages to evoke strong emotions and complexity, providing a nuanced perspective on Christians in Iraq and the overall situation in the country.