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A review by dinoparker
Once in a Promised Land by Laila Halaby
3.0
3.75 stars.
For white people and non-Arabs, it’s a must read because it shows the discrimination Arabs and Muslims face in America (though not the full extent because the main characters are secular upper-middle class). For Muslims and Arabs, it’s triggering as hell. Yes it captures some of the struggles regarding home and anxiety really well, and a lot of the struggles faced by the characters are very realistic, but to have to relive these experiences (one could even call it trauma) and have them articulated and put on display like too much, especially considering our current political climate.
For white people and non-Arabs, it’s a must read because it shows the discrimination Arabs and Muslims face in America (though not the full extent because the main characters are secular upper-middle class). For Muslims and Arabs, it’s triggering as hell. Yes it captures some of the struggles regarding home and anxiety really well, and a lot of the struggles faced by the characters are very realistic, but to have to relive these experiences (one could even call it trauma) and have them articulated and put on display like too much, especially considering our current political climate.