Legend Press, June 1, 2016.
Four Stars
I was drawn into this novel in spite of myself – for some
reason, I thought the subject matter might be a little dry, but actually I couldn’t
put it down. Its depiction of life in Israel, while at war with Palestine,
certainly makes you consider current world events in new ways, and it is done
by showing us dramatic scenes and quiet moments – the author never tells us how
to think or feel. It is not an easy read, but it is a necessary one.
The novel follows two young men as their lives
eventually intersect in surprising ways. Udi is a 26-year-old veteran of the
Israeli army. He was injured during battle and he still carries the shrapnel in
his pocket, as a reminder of what he has been through and his aspirations for
the future. Udi desperately wants to leave Israel, and he lines up a job with
his cousins in London – but he does so without consulting his long-time
girlfriend, jeopardizing their relationship.
At the same time in England, Daniel is a 29-year-old
investment banker with a successful career, and great friends and family. In
spite of his seemingly perfect life, he feels an emptiness inside. Most importantly,
he is struggling with his Jewish faith – he thinks he should be doing more to
express it. His friendship with female Muslim Safia is the perfect format for
the two to discuss their conflicting religions, and while Daniel believes Safia’s
faith is preventing them from moving into a romantic relationship, it is in
fact Daniel’s own devoutness that stops him from loving her.
As protests break out in London against Israel’s
invasion of Gaza, Daniel becomes alarmed by the increasing Anti-Semitism in his
own country. Meanwhile, he is equally shocked by his Jewish friends expressing
racism against Muslims: “Hatred for a whole religion, culture, people? Isn’t
that what we’re fighting against?” (Loc. 4086) Daniel’s grandmother, a survivor
of a World War II concentration camp, tells him that the only good thing to
come from the Holocaust was the creation of Israel, and so it must be protected
at all costs. With her blessing, Daniel decides to move to Israel, in spite of
the very real chance that he will be forced to join the army and fight.
There is a third storyline set in Jerusalem, in which
a star-crossed love affair occurs between a young Jewish girl and an Arabic man
– it is hard to follow because the novel moves between continents as well as
time periods. It’s best to stop worrying about how it will all come together
and just trust the author to guide is there – but I do wish the three stories
had connected sooner.
This novel shows empathy in action, as people of
opposing political and religious views are forced to see things from another
angle. Udi’s sister writes in a letter that “We are losing our ability to see
another side, to just recognize the suffering there, let alone take
responsibility for it.” (Loc. 3446) In our current political climate, I think
this is a lesson we can all learn.
I received this novel from Legend Press and NetGalley
in exchange for an honest review.
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