A review by ivanainthecity
Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa

5.0

I’m on a historical fiction kick and this has easily become my favorite book so far this year. 
 
AGAINST THE LOVELESS WORLD follows Nahr, a badass Palest*nian refugee, from an Israeli solitary confinement cell as she narrates her life story, which takes place in Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, and Pale$tine. 
 
I highly recommend this book to people who keep saying that ~i fEeL LiKe I dOn’T kNoW eNoUgH tO cOmMeNt oN pALeSt*Ne~... especially my fellow colonized boricuas who for whatever reason are reluctant to educate themselves. Solidarity always. 
 
I also recommend this book if you’re looking for a story: 
 
💛 about resistance in the face of settler-colonial oppression in Pal3stine. Abulhawa doesn’t shy away from exposing the horrific repercussions of Israel’s occupation of Palest*ne, and she humanizes Pale$tinians like Nahr who actively fight back against colonialism and ethnic cleansing. 
 
💛 that is fast-paced, plot-heavy, and character-driven. ATLW is told by an unapologetic woman protagonist with strong convictions and a sharp tongue. Nahr’s voice is unforgettable. 
 
💛 about women friendships, agency in sex work, fighting patriarchy and subjugation, the beauty of P4lestine, the sacredness of nature.