A review by eralbesu
Forest of Noise: Poems by Mosab Abu Toha

emotional reflective fast-paced

5.0

This book of poetry was deeply moving. I’m still trying to fully gather my thoughts about this collection, but one thing rings true: the poetry coming from Palestinian poets continues to get at the heart of the lived Palestinian experience. You can spout facts and history all day (and they are important) but poetry cuts right to the heart of what it means to experience life as a Palestinian. And by no means am I under the impression that Toha is speaking for every Palestinian in or out of Palestine, but these works are so very important to read when trying to understand what a people (or a person) is up against. 

(I will likely edit this review after I’ve had some time to sit with the work and organize my thoughts).  

The standouts for me were: 
We Are Looking for Palestine. 
Palestinian Village. 
A Blank Postcard. 
Under the Rubble. 
On Your Knees. 
True or False: A Test by a Gaza Child. 
After Allen Ginsberg. 
Rescue Plane. 
Before I Sleep. 

Beautiful, important work. 

Thank you to aaknopf for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for and honest review.