Reviews with content warning for Rape - Det blå mellan himmel och hav

It’s hard to imagine a more timely and relevant book right now than The Blue Between Sky and Water. It’s the story of one Palestinian family forced to leave their village of Beit Daras in 1948 due to Zionist attacks. They first fled to refugee camps in Gaza and from there some members dispersed internationally. This book looks at the lasting impact of continuing Israeli attacks and forced dispersal over several generations.

While there is definitely trauma in this book - death, permanent injury, imprisonment, cancer with no access to proper treatment, and sexual assault - the story is about more than trauma. It’s a story of resilience and determination, one full of strong memorable women and bonds that transcend time and place, and of family members finding their way back to each other despite the odds. There’s joy and a zest for life, dances, parties and bawdy jokes - but always set against the background of what has been lost, stolen, unfairly taken away.

If you are looking for a fictional book that will give you some understanding of what Palestinian people have lived through and continue to live through then this book - or any other by Susan Abulhawa - would be an excellent choice. It’s an example of beautifully written powerful storytelling.

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charleyroxy's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

4.5

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futuresabove's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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jamesflint's review against another edition

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4.0

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