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A review by mjmbecky
Dinner at the Center of the Earth by Nathan Englander
4.0
Dinner at the Center of the Earth focuses on five main character stories, and all center around the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Told in splintered stories, each one highlights an issue or problem the region's conflicts have caused. Immediately, the book made me realize that we often think about how people in history or different places around the globe could have just lived their lives and stayed out of whatever conflict was surrounding them. These characters' stories remind us how swayed by politics, wars, and corruption we all are on a global scale. What is even more startling is realizing how a choice made in the West can really change the lives of people around the world. An embargo placed in one location, then leads to disruption and disunity in another.
While we consider the conflict(s) in the Middle East, we follow these five characters and their role or place in the conflict. Some of these stories are people directly connected, such as a General of the military. Another is a spy who is working for the state. Another is a man in prison, but mistakenly placed there. All of their stories are political in nature and are driven by the conflict around them.
I really did like this novel and found it pretty fascinating. It also made me sad to again realize how political corruption can have such horrifying repercussions. We really do take for granted that the choices our leaders make and the way they create a ripple effect around the globe. We all feel the results.
While we consider the conflict(s) in the Middle East, we follow these five characters and their role or place in the conflict. Some of these stories are people directly connected, such as a General of the military. Another is a spy who is working for the state. Another is a man in prison, but mistakenly placed there. All of their stories are political in nature and are driven by the conflict around them.
I really did like this novel and found it pretty fascinating. It also made me sad to again realize how political corruption can have such horrifying repercussions. We really do take for granted that the choices our leaders make and the way they create a ripple effect around the globe. We all feel the results.