Review by Abbi North

The short:

A deeply emotive novel that follows a young Palestinian woman through struggle, resistance, confinement, and love across the war-torn landscape of the Middle East, post-Iraq invasion of Kuwait.  

The long:

Through a blend of fact and fiction, Susan Abulhawa embarks on the urgent task of mobilizing appeal to the Palestinian cause through the story of Nahr. Reflecting on her past from the solidary confinement of an Israeli prison cell, Nahr navigates her memory of Kuwait, Jordan, and Palestine through marriage, work, prostitution, and radicalization. With epic storytelling and poetic narrative, Abulhawa offers an unapologetic and thought-provoking perspective on gender, settler-colonialism, and resilience.

The read or not to read:

Read! This novel is a hauntingly beautiful divergence from mainstream accounts of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and a must read for addressing ‘taboo’ and censored Palestinian life experiences. 

Content Warning: Rape, death, trauma, death of a parent, abuse, miscarriage, abortion, domestic violence, violence and torture, graphic violence