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A review by aprilyvonne
Minor Detail by Adania Shibli
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
*possible spoilers, which were also mentioned in the book summary.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Minor Detail” by Adania Shibli was an incredible novella highlighting the past and present history of life under occupation in
Palestine. Even though the story is short, it packs a lot within the context of violence, fear, and the mundane of daily life no matter the year or setting.
The novella is first set a year after the Nakba in 1949, while the Israeli soldiers capture, rape, and eventually kill a young girl burying her in the sand. The minor details written about the main commander’s adjustment to the climate, the heat and dealing with a festering spider bite is both simplistic and repetitive. Yet, this style was also captivating in a strange sense. The vicious cycle of sexual violence almost the soldiers seemed to increase with the intensity of the infected soldier, and was disturbing. Maybe this was a political commentary upon the occupation itself by Shibli.
The second part takes place many years later, and follows a young Palestinian woman from Ramallah. She becomes obsessed with finding out more information about this tragic story - a minor detail- from the past, which eerily fell on her birthday 25 years earlier. But, what unfolds next is the attempt to gain said information while living under a different set of rules. A small glimpse of life under the occupation is shared. Yet, the curiosity to discover new truths despite the ongoing erasure is still very dangerous.
Both parts of the novella overlap with unique minor details and motifs such as the barking dog, sand, and an individual’s focus with minute concerns. Overall, the narrative highlights the importance of telling stories no matter their seemingly trivial nature when the greater picture pulls it altogether. This book did just. Considering the painful reality today, remember that existence is resistance. Keep reading and lifting up Palestinian voices. 🍉
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Minor Detail” by Adania Shibli was an incredible novella highlighting the past and present history of life under occupation in
Palestine. Even though the story is short, it packs a lot within the context of violence, fear, and the mundane of daily life no matter the year or setting.
The novella is first set a year after the Nakba in 1949, while the Israeli soldiers capture, rape, and eventually kill a young girl burying her in the sand. The minor details written about the main commander’s adjustment to the climate, the heat and dealing with a festering spider bite is both simplistic and repetitive. Yet, this style was also captivating in a strange sense. The vicious cycle of sexual violence almost the soldiers seemed to increase with the intensity of the infected soldier, and was disturbing. Maybe this was a political commentary upon the occupation itself by Shibli.
The second part takes place many years later, and follows a young Palestinian woman from Ramallah. She becomes obsessed with finding out more information about this tragic story - a minor detail- from the past, which eerily fell on her birthday 25 years earlier. But, what unfolds next is the attempt to gain said information while living under a different set of rules. A small glimpse of life under the occupation is shared. Yet, the curiosity to discover new truths despite the ongoing erasure is still very dangerous.
Both parts of the novella overlap with unique minor details and motifs such as the barking dog, sand, and an individual’s focus with minute concerns. Overall, the narrative highlights the importance of telling stories no matter their seemingly trivial nature when the greater picture pulls it altogether. This book did just. Considering the painful reality today, remember that existence is resistance. Keep reading and lifting up Palestinian voices. 🍉
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, and Colonisation