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A review by annreadsabook
Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I decided to revisit Susan Abulhawa's writing after reading her latest novel, Against the Loveless World, and once again was so blown away by the passion and strength in her words, particularly in conveying such an overwhelmingly tragic and distressing narrative. This is one of the first English-language fiction books about the experiences and struggles of Palestinians following the Nakba, and I could feel the author's desire to communicate the urgency of the Palestinian struggle.
While the novel primarily focuses on the life and lived experiences of Amal Abulheja, a girl born to Palestinian refugees who were ousted from their ancestral home during the Nakba, it also follows her entire family's trajectory, contemplating the ramifications of displacement and dispossession for her friends and loved ones.
I honestly am not sure that I have anything meaningful to add here because this book conveys everything so powerfully. However, I was particularly struck by Abulhawa's ability to convey the unending trauma experienced by Palestinian adults and children alike amidst the more universally relatable experiences such as childhood crushes and lasting friendships; the isolating sense of not only being an immigrant, but living abroad while one's family is suffering and struggling back home; and being brown in the United States (particularly, Philadelphia, where life is often viewed as being bifurcated between Black and white experiences). Finally, I found myself thinking about the immense privilege I and other people have of being able to wait until we are in a good headspace to delve into this book, while those living through such traumatic, heartbreaking circumstances don't have the ability to easily distance themselves from such pain and turmoil.
Anyway, all of this is to say that Mornings in Jenin is an absolutely stunning, but challenging, novel, and I think that everyone should place it on their reading lists if they haven't done so already.
While the novel primarily focuses on the life and lived experiences of Amal Abulheja, a girl born to Palestinian refugees who were ousted from their ancestral home during the Nakba, it also follows her entire family's trajectory, contemplating the ramifications of displacement and dispossession for her friends and loved ones.
I honestly am not sure that I have anything meaningful to add here because this book conveys everything so powerfully. However, I was particularly struck by Abulhawa's ability to convey the unending trauma experienced by Palestinian adults and children alike amidst the more universally relatable experiences such as childhood crushes and lasting friendships; the isolating sense of not only being an immigrant, but living abroad while one's family is suffering and struggling back home; and being brown in the United States (particularly, Philadelphia, where life is often viewed as being bifurcated between Black and white experiences). Finally, I found myself thinking about the immense privilege I and other people have of being able to wait until we are in a good headspace to delve into this book, while those living through such traumatic, heartbreaking circumstances don't have the ability to easily distance themselves from such pain and turmoil.
Anyway, all of this is to say that Mornings in Jenin is an absolutely stunning, but challenging, novel, and I think that everyone should place it on their reading lists if they haven't done so already.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Death of parent, Grief, War, Genocide, Death, Gun violence, Murder, Violence, and Child abuse