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A review by samahcanread__
The Parisian by Isabella Hammad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
When Palestine is mentioned in fiction, it is usually around the time of Nakba or post-Nakba, telling the stories of Palestinians having their identity and lands stolen by an apartheid state. The reason The Parisian stands out is because it is a reminder of the rich culture of Palestine, a reminder that Palestine was never an empty land ready to be seized, as western media and zionism preaches.
The story follows Midhat Kamal, a young Palestinian man from Nablus, on his way to Montpelier to study medicine. We follow his life as a student, as a young man trying to find his place in the world. We see how his identity clashes with his surroundings, and the struggle of fitting in. This is also a story about love, about missed opportunities, all of it taking place during WWI, where everywhere is brimming with political changes and tensions are high.
From out vantage point looking back while reading this book, we know the annexation of Palestine happened, we know that Palestinians had their lands and culture and identity stripped away during the Nakba, we know about the never-ending violence that is happening right now on Palestinians lands by the occupation (literally, I'm writing this review while I'm reading about settlers marching into Palestinians villages and towns, lead by Israeli politicians, to cause chaos and violence). But reading this book is showing us what would've happened if Palestine was never occupied. It was a postcolonial nation trying to get it together and struggling to form a united nation after Ottoman and British colonization. It is sad reading about the hope of Palestinians and their small victories, knowing the outcomes and how things ends.
It is refreshing to read a book that doesn't link Palestine to occupation, but instead, about the culture and the people and the mundane day-to-day struggle of normal citizens who are trying to make a place in this world, alongside our main protagonist, who is navigating the political changes in his nation with the turmoil of his soul
The story follows Midhat Kamal, a young Palestinian man from Nablus, on his way to Montpelier to study medicine. We follow his life as a student, as a young man trying to find his place in the world. We see how his identity clashes with his surroundings, and the struggle of fitting in. This is also a story about love, about missed opportunities, all of it taking place during WWI, where everywhere is brimming with political changes and tensions are high.
From out vantage point looking back while reading this book, we know the annexation of Palestine happened, we know that Palestinians had their lands and culture and identity stripped away during the Nakba, we know about the never-ending violence that is happening right now on Palestinians lands by the occupation (literally, I'm writing this review while I'm reading about settlers marching into Palestinians villages and towns, lead by Israeli politicians, to cause chaos and violence). But reading this book is showing us what would've happened if Palestine was never occupied. It was a postcolonial nation trying to get it together and struggling to form a united nation after Ottoman and British colonization. It is sad reading about the hope of Palestinians and their small victories, knowing the outcomes and how things ends.
It is refreshing to read a book that doesn't link Palestine to occupation, but instead, about the culture and the people and the mundane day-to-day struggle of normal citizens who are trying to make a place in this world, alongside our main protagonist, who is navigating the political changes in his nation with the turmoil of his soul