Brothers of the Gun is essential reading for those who wish to gain an understanding of what life was like in Syria before and during the current war. Told in clear prose, this memoir elucidates the horror the war is bringing to the Syrian people.

What choices does one have as a young person: the subjects we study in school, the friends we hang out with, the morals we adopt or the religions we practice, and the wars we fight. Some are choices, and some we have thrust upon us. Marwan Hisham and Molly Crabapple’s Brothers of the Gun is a remarkably self-aware memoir chronicling Hisham’s youth in Syria. From being stuck running an internet cafe frequented by ISIS soldiers to taking illegal photographs to send to the Western press, Hisham frequently takes a step back and evaluates the choices he has made or was forced to make, and the consequences of those actions. It makes for an brutally honest and authentic account of the Syrian war. There is no black and white in this book. There is only grey. The grey of every decision Marwan makes and the hope and sometime regrets he feels. The power of this narrative is in his open and introspective conscious.

‘Children are fearless in finding their joy’

Growing up in Raqqa, Marwan and his friends share the universal experiences of youth: they steal cigarettes, they complain about their parents, they share their dreams for careers, their dreams for their country, and ultimately they try to define and create their own identities. They create petty rivalries that they soon regret, and lurking in the background is not a stable future, but a war for a people and a country. When one regime falls, another one jumps to take control in that vacuum.

‘Whatever was desired was banned.’

Marwan continues his tutoring of English, a language that he has developed a great love for at university. But he needs to create some income after the infighting of between factions who have taken over the country has created too much instability for him to continue. He operates an internet cafe supplying broadband to the occupying regime, all while using Twitter to send and receive intelligence about the war. He is stuck in some pretty hairy situations and uses his wits and a lot of luck to get out safely.

‘Ladies and Gentlemen, it was forbidden to chase a stray beam of light.’

I was struck by the value that social media played in the war. It was a conduit for hope and a lifeline to people all over the world, many whom would not fully understand his plight. Also of note are the arresting drawings done by Crabapple of the many memories Marwan has of this time. They enhance the narrative significantly and make for a much more vivd telling.

Brothers of the Gun is a book about the pull of one’s native land, Mosul and Aleppo, but most importantly, Raqqa, where Marwan studies, works, grows up, and reports to the world. This is the pull that we all feel, irregardless of the forces that conflict with our goals. Many of us want the places we grow up in to be the places our children can grow up in, and we fight for that.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, Marwan Hisham, and Molly Crabapple for the advanced copy for review.

Well here is Syria, reminiscent of how it was a few years ago. It may not make you decide whether America should be there or not but it will let you know what the people on the ground are dealing with and will force you to grapple with the issue of "When violence is the answer".

Brothers of the Gun by Marwan Hisham is a memoir of life in Syria during the ongoing war, from the start of the revolution in 2011 until now. Marwan Hisham tells us his story, of being a young man in the city of Raqqa, with his two closest friends, brothers Naël and Tareq. All three men come from working class families, and were the first of their families to get university degrees. The book starts off during the first days of the revolution when the three men actively participate in the protests, defying the government they know to be oppressive, sure that their voices will be stronger than the oppression. It continues on to show us what the people of Syria are faced with today. Marwan Hisham takes us through what his home was and has become. Through protests and bombs, street fights where the same checkpoint is won and lost over and over again within a day, to death, and the pain of making choices that you never wanted to make in the first place.

We don’t know enough about Syria in the western world, about the history of the country, the geography, the reason for the revolution in 2011, or the development of the war as it stands now. Reading these types of memoirs is so important, as it provides a proper background to the country and the conflict, showing us how there never is a proper representation by the press. I really appreciated the areas of background information that fit perfectly within the narrative, clear, to the point, and a little tongue in cheek. Marwan Hisham has no issues providing the full picture for us.

In Brothers of the Gun young adults with ideals are faced with a collapse of their country in a way that no one expected. A civil war that started as a revolution and then descended into a hell where a government continues to bomb its people, and foreigners wage a war against each other on Syrian soil. Marwan Hisham eloquently explains a lot of the issues in Syrian society and how so many wars are being fought on their soil. Sadly we, the people on the outside, never really look further than what we see in a hastily scrolled newsfeed moment. Everyone is either an Islamist or a refugee, maybe both, and we don’t really care. Reading these types of stories is SO important because as often as we say “never again” we know we are the biggest hypocrites as soon as the words fall from our mouths. We failed the Syrian people way before there was even a murmur of revolution in the air.

Brothers of the Gun is a story of coming of age in a world where war has become the norm. A story of surviving, of trying to continue life when everything around you is falling apart, and your friends are running off to fight for ideals that you may not believe in. It’s also a story of searching for a meaning and a place for oneself. I think this book is a must read for everyone, for the true narrative on the reality of Syria and the war, and also for Marwan’s important insights.

The book is beautifully illustrated with stunning illustrations. Pictures of people, places, and moments add such an original and special touch to the story. The origins of the partnership between illustrator Molly Crabapple and Marwan Hisham is pretty incredible - and Molly Crabapple’s ability to take Marwan Hisham’s photos (it’s illegal to take photos in ISIS held areas) and recreate the settings and stories into images is amazing. They are extremely poignant and powerful.

Brothers of the Gun will be published by Random House on May 15, 2018. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy!