Michael
The Book of Disappearance is speculative fiction that revolves around the sudden disappearance of all Palestinians in Israel and Israeli occupied territory and the response of Jewish Israelis to this disappearance. It is told through three characters: Alaa, a Palestinian; Ariel, a journalist, Alaa’s friend, and a “liberal Zionist; and Alaa’s dead grandmother, who appears mainly through Alaa’s memory and a diary he wrote in which he addressed her. One could also say that Jaffa where most of the action takes place is a character as well.
The disappearance of the Palestinians is mysterious and is never explained. It is interesting that many Israeli Jews in the novel are quietly worried that the IDF is responsible and are quietly relieved when it appears that they aren’t. If this is a true reflection of current Israeli society what does that say about their society if they could believe something like that. (in the book there are also many Israeli Jews are jubilant that the Palestinians are gone, something that I am sure represents the thinking of the current Israeli government).
Anyway, what did I think of the novel? I liked the speculative fiction aspect, and I liked the mysterious ending. I thought either the writing or the translation was sort of clunky and parts were stilted. I had to reread certain sections just to figure out what was being said. Some editions apparently have an afterward. Unfortunately, mine did not.
But most of all this made me extraordinarily uncomfortable. Azem shows the Israeli Jews as colonizers. There are certain aspects of Nazism that Israelis take on, though that is probably true of all colonizers. As a completely secular American Jew who has never been to a synagogue service and who has no special feeling for Israel, what does that make me? I know that there are some who don’t care that I am secular and who has contempt and anger toward the Israeli government, and who doesn’t identify as religious. They see me as a Jew. Is this the attitude of most Palestinians?
I am afraid that this book presents the conflict only as a winner takes all. Israel wins; Palestinians must leave. Palestine wins, all Jews must leave. The abyss between the two groups is too deep to bridge. I am beginning to believe this now. Israel/Palestine, Ukraine/Russia, US-MAGA/Venezuela, Cuba, Greenland, Iran, Democrats, etc. Is it hopeless?
I will be thinking about this for a long, long time.
I will probably regret posting this somewhat incoherent review.
The Book of Disappearance is speculative fiction that revolves around the sudden disappearance of all Palestinians in Israel and Israeli occupied territory and the response of Jewish Israelis to this disappearance. It is told through three characters: Alaa, a Palestinian; Ariel, a journalist, Alaa’s friend, and a “liberal Zionist; and Alaa’s dead grandmother, who appears mainly through Alaa’s memory and a diary he wrote in which he addressed her. One could also say that Jaffa where most of the action takes place is a character as well.
The disappearance of the Palestinians is mysterious and is never explained. It is interesting that many Israeli Jews in the novel are quietly worried that the IDF is responsible and are quietly relieved when it appears that they aren’t. If this is a true reflection of current Israeli society what does that say about their society if they could believe something like that. (in the book there are also many Israeli Jews are jubilant that the Palestinians are gone, something that I am sure represents the thinking of the current Israeli government).
Anyway, what did I think of the novel? I liked the speculative fiction aspect, and I liked the mysterious ending. I thought either the writing or the translation was sort of clunky and parts were stilted. I had to reread certain sections just to figure out what was being said. Some editions apparently have an afterward. Unfortunately, mine did not.
But most of all this made me extraordinarily uncomfortable. Azem shows the Israeli Jews as colonizers. There are certain aspects of Nazism that Israelis take on, though that is probably true of all colonizers. As a completely secular American Jew who has never been to a synagogue service and who has no special feeling for Israel, what does that make me? I know that there are some who don’t care that I am secular and who has contempt and anger toward the Israeli government, and who doesn’t identify as religious. They see me as a Jew. Is this the attitude of most Palestinians?
I am afraid that this book presents the conflict only as a winner takes all. Israel wins; Palestinians must leave. Palestine wins, all Jews must leave. The abyss between the two groups is too deep to bridge. I am beginning to believe this now. Israel/Palestine, Ukraine/Russia, US-MAGA/Venezuela, Cuba, Greenland, Iran, Democrats, etc. Is it hopeless?
I will be thinking about this for a long, long time.
I will probably regret posting this somewhat incoherent review.