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Christine's Reviews > Mornings in Jenin
Mornings in Jenin
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Christine's review
bookshelves: netgalley-and-arcs, diversity-on-cover, literature-american, diverse-hero-or-heroine, diverse-and-women-authors
Jan 23, 2010
bookshelves: netgalley-and-arcs, diversity-on-cover, literature-american, diverse-hero-or-heroine, diverse-and-women-authors
Disclosure: Won in Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ giveaway.
I suppose this is a type of book that will get some people's panties in a twist, so let me say a couple things.
1. Never, ever, listen to just one side of the story. There needs to be fiction told from the Palestinian point of view just as there needs to be fiction told from the Israeli point of view.
2. Who wants just to read books that don't challenge them?
3. It really isn't biased.
Okay, had to say that.
Mornings in Jenin is actually a surprising good novel. It also is amazingly compelling. I don't say this because of the subject matter, but because of the style. I don't usually like it when writers tell and do not show. Abulhawa does this for large sections of the novel, and this is part of the reason why I gave the book four stars and not five. The style does not, however, fully get in the way of the story. I read the book in a day, and literally could not put it down for the last 150 pages. Abulhawa switches points of view, so it isn't always telling. Additionally, she could be drawing on a Palestinian (or Arab or Middle Eastern) tradition that I'm not familiar with. The other two, almost minor, flaws in the novel are that some of plot "twists" aren't really twists, and to be fair, Abulhawa doesn't seem to expect them to be. I also felt that the style in about 50 pages of the book felt more like a lecture (but I can understand why). The other flaw is that the love between the main character, Amal, and her husband does not seem as real or even as believable as the love Amal's brother has with his wife. Those passages are some of the most beautiful in the novel.
Those three "flaws" aside, the book is very, very good. What is most impressive is the even handed tone that Abulhawa takes. It's true, the Israelis are the villains here. But, Hello, it's written from a Palestinian viewpoint. What Abulhawa should get full credit for is the case for peace and understanding this book makes. The book ends, in part, with a marvelous and poignant image. Large sections of the book are about loss, not just the loss of life and place, but the loss of friendship and of family. Amal's father, for instance, had a friendship with a Jewish settler, and we see the effect of the conflict on this friendship. Abulhawa also makes nice use of the theme of Moses. Abulhawa doesn't usually judge for the reader; she lets the reader judge. She trusts her storytelling, and she respects the reader. She doesn’t worry about what the reader’s viewpoint prior to reading the novel might be. Instead, Abulhawa stays focuses on the story, and her themes, one of which is how violence begets violence; another is understanding.
I'm glad Bloomsbury published this book, and I'm sorry that I missed this book when it was published by a small press.
I suppose this is a type of book that will get some people's panties in a twist, so let me say a couple things.
1. Never, ever, listen to just one side of the story. There needs to be fiction told from the Palestinian point of view just as there needs to be fiction told from the Israeli point of view.
2. Who wants just to read books that don't challenge them?
3. It really isn't biased.
Okay, had to say that.
Mornings in Jenin is actually a surprising good novel. It also is amazingly compelling. I don't say this because of the subject matter, but because of the style. I don't usually like it when writers tell and do not show. Abulhawa does this for large sections of the novel, and this is part of the reason why I gave the book four stars and not five. The style does not, however, fully get in the way of the story. I read the book in a day, and literally could not put it down for the last 150 pages. Abulhawa switches points of view, so it isn't always telling. Additionally, she could be drawing on a Palestinian (or Arab or Middle Eastern) tradition that I'm not familiar with. The other two, almost minor, flaws in the novel are that some of plot "twists" aren't really twists, and to be fair, Abulhawa doesn't seem to expect them to be. I also felt that the style in about 50 pages of the book felt more like a lecture (but I can understand why). The other flaw is that the love between the main character, Amal, and her husband does not seem as real or even as believable as the love Amal's brother has with his wife. Those passages are some of the most beautiful in the novel.
Those three "flaws" aside, the book is very, very good. What is most impressive is the even handed tone that Abulhawa takes. It's true, the Israelis are the villains here. But, Hello, it's written from a Palestinian viewpoint. What Abulhawa should get full credit for is the case for peace and understanding this book makes. The book ends, in part, with a marvelous and poignant image. Large sections of the book are about loss, not just the loss of life and place, but the loss of friendship and of family. Amal's father, for instance, had a friendship with a Jewish settler, and we see the effect of the conflict on this friendship. Abulhawa also makes nice use of the theme of Moses. Abulhawa doesn't usually judge for the reader; she lets the reader judge. She trusts her storytelling, and she respects the reader. She doesn’t worry about what the reader’s viewpoint prior to reading the novel might be. Instead, Abulhawa stays focuses on the story, and her themes, one of which is how violence begets violence; another is understanding.
I'm glad Bloomsbury published this book, and I'm sorry that I missed this book when it was published by a small press.
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Reading Progress
January 23, 2010
–
Started Reading
January 23, 2010
– Shelved
Finished Reading
November 25, 2016
– Shelved as:
netgalley-and-arcs
November 25, 2016
– Shelved as:
diversity-on-cover
November 25, 2016
– Shelved as:
literature-american
February 3, 2018
– Shelved as:
diverse-hero-or-heroine
May 24, 2019
– Shelved as:
diverse-and-women-authors
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Christine
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rated it 4 stars
Dec 13, 2010 12:41PM
So if anyone sees this comment, go enter the giveaway for this book.
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Today's (1/12/2013) Kindle Daily Deal.
we in the west almost NEVER hear a palestinian view. It is ALWAYS and PERPETUALLY 'poor Israel, poor Israel, the victim of all those heartless 'terrorists!' BULLSHIT is what I have to say! If I was in the 'death camp' that is Jenin, I would become a terrorist too. So, no trains full of people, no gas chambers, no jewish ghettos, but all the makings in other forms. The Israeli government policies are in no better in any way than the nazis. They make me sick and it is a p.o.v. I have had for decades, long, long, long before I read this powerful and compelling book.
Before the local Philly paper went downhill, whenever it covered the Israeli/Palestinen issue, it got hate mail from both supporters of Israel and Palestine, so I figured it had to be doing something right.
I'm sorry Chris for that but I think you should know many things about both of their issues before you decide that you might oppress one of the parties ..In my opinion ..
Jews & Palestinians are oppressed , jews are oppressed by nazi and then took the freedom after hard times ..
what about palestinians , they have been losing their home , lives and thier humanitarian by zionist violence ..
Don't blame them , they have a volcano of anger will blow up soon ..
If nobody gives them thier rights ..
Every day l ask myself " Where is the justice in this dark world [ past & present ] ? "
I don't agree with you
Tasnem wrote: "I'm sorry Chris for that but I think you should know many things about both of their issues before you decide that you might oppress one of the parties ..In my opinion ..
Jews & Palestinians are o..."
I'm not sure what you disagree with or how much you think I don't know simply from a comment about my local paper or a phrase about not being a villian - that comment was for readers in general anyway.
