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Loading... Mother of Strangersby Suad Amiry
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powerfully portrays Palestinian life during the British Mandate — the period between 1918 and 1948 in which Palestine was under British colonial control...Despite the narrative being character-driven and poetic, the novel is a reflection of the socioeconomic stigma surrounding Palestine and its subsequent effects on the Palestinians....Amiry’s life-long connection to Palestine deepens the harrowing authenticity of “Mother of Strangers,” allowing for powerful moments of sincerity that strike the reader as unequivocally human. Suad Amiry’s novel, based on a true story, combines political history, fairytale romance, and a coming- of-age tale that becomes more compelling as the story develops, following a somewhat slow start. ..In a story that closely follows real people, Amiry offers a vivid account of a devastating time critical to the history of the Middle East, even as its conflicts continue. It reveals the destruction of a city and its inhabitants, the suffering of a culture, and the resilience of people who lived through it, which she shares in her epilogue. In the end, they are unforgettable. Mother of Strangers, Suad Amiry’s debut novel, attempts the ambitious challenge of fictionalizing events in Jaffa, Palestine, during the period of 1947 to 1951, during which the British Mandate ends and destruction, death, and displacement escalate. The author brings much relevant personal and professional experience to her subject matter.... Despite her rich background, however, Mother of Strangers is a flawed and disappointing work of fiction...certain of its elements are strong, chief among them the use of setting. Jaffa is rendered with an architect’s eye for detail and a cultural historian’s understanding of the economy and population of distinctive neighborhoods...Equally problematic is the book’s brevity and compression... a nuanced conclusion to previously oversimplified events, bringing the obscured narrative arc to an appropriately ambiguous, cautiously redemptive climax. DistinctionsNotable Lists
"Set in Jaffa in 1947-51, this fable-like novel is a heartbreaking tale of young love during the beginning of the destruction of Palestine and displacement of its people. At times darkly humorous and ironic but also profoundly moving, this novel based on a true story follows the lives of a 15 year old engineer, Subhi, and the 13 year old girl, Shams, he hopes one day to marry. It brings Jaffa vividly to life as a beautiful city by the sea where Jews, Palestinians and Christians lived peacefully just before it was destroyed by the November 29, 1947 UN General Assembly Resolution 181 that would partition Palestine into two states and the end of the British Mandate on May 14, 1948. The first part of the story conveys the prosperous life of this cosmopolitan city on the Mediterranean-with its old cinemas, lively cafes and brothels, open air markets, a bustling port and orange groves on the hills behind-through the lives of the families of Subhi and Shams, but particularly through Subhi, a gifted engineer. As the novel evolves, the bombing and displacements of families begin, and we get a fascinating though dark close-up of how those who were left survived which we see more through Shams and her sisters. This novel is a cinematic, though devastating account of an important moment in history of the Middle East and portrait of city irrevocably changed"-- No library descriptions found.
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)823.92Literature English English fiction Modern Period 2000-LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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