A review by perenian
Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Mornings in Jenin is many things. It is a personal history of Palestinian strife, a commentary on the effects of war, a book that chronicles Palestinian life from the 1940s to the 2000s, an eye-opener.

As I read the novel, I felt like I held decades of Palestine’s pain in my hands. I was given a Palestinian heart in words—an imperfect, messy heart that bled stories and reflection and frustration and fear. And it was this that led me to understanding (or sympathy, at the very least). It all begs the question: is Palestine really a Jewish homeland if it must be colonized?

For me, the most impactful part was the inclusion of multiple generations. Yehya represented the deepest root of Palestine: he was uprooted from his land but refused to wither away and die without a piece of it in his hands. Hasan was younger; he watched as all he knew was taken away from him and went to fight for it without hesitation. Then it came to Yousef and Amal, who watched everything and everyone they loved be destroyed. It was their blood that watered Palestinian soil. I was angry for them, and I mourned their losses with them. I cried for Amal when she became Amy—no more long vowel of hope, no hope left in her but to continue.


Mornings in Jenin served as a reminder to me of love at its most human. We see love blossom and break people down all in the same breath. We see the characters’ love for Palestine and each other. We see how they love fiercely to the very end. 

In terms of criticism, however:
Amal’s connections to her home, to her family, to her emotions, could’ve been a way to explore her character further. In fact, because family seemed to be such a significant theme, I expected a deep dive into the relationships between the characters. I felt that they were a bit shallow, though. I suppose that “connection” can be a sort of overarching theme that ties it all together (albeit loosely).
The multiple narratives made the entire novel a tad convoluted, and the ending felt too abrupt, too detached. Many loose ends were left untied, and it left me feeling like the novel was unfinished.
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