Unholy Land by Lavie Tidhar is a masterfully crafted alternative history novel that takes readers on a mind-bending journey. The story follows Lior Tirosh, a writer who travels to his homeland, Palestine, to uncover the mystery of his father's death. What he discovers is a world that could have been, a world where history took a different turn, and the State of Israel never came into existence.

Tidhar's writing is exceptional, and he weaves a complex narrative that is both immersive and captivating. The characters are well-developed and engaging, and the story's pacing is perfect, keeping the reader hooked from start to finish. The alternative history concept is brilliantly executed, and the author seamlessly blends real-world events with fictional elements, creating a vivid and believable world.

Overall, Unholy Land is a must-read for anyone who loves alternative history or just a great story. Tidhar's writing is outstanding, and his ability to create a world that feels so real is a testament to his skill as a writer. This book will leave you thinking long after you've turned the last page, and it is not to be missed.

A fantastic novel. Imaginative, extremely well written, and quite original. If you're looking for some science fiction with a difference, then I'd highly recommend Unholy Land (and Central Station).

DNF @ ~40%

While I adored Lavie Tidhar's Central Station, which was a brilliant mash of strange sci-fi and human, I found this one to be a little too disorienting of a narrative to really get into. I do love Tidhar for his originality and willingness to tackle subjects that are beyond the mainstream, and will continue to read more of his work in the future.

This was a really thoughtful and enjoyable alternate history, one which reminded me a bit of "Judenstaat" and "Everfair." I found myself spending a fair amount of time on Wikipedia and other websites familiarizing myself with recorded history and geography, which is actually one of my favorite bookish experiences. This is one that I may need to revisit in future in order to fully comprehend and "take in," so to speak--but again, that's no bad thing.

This book was quite a wild ride. I loved how it went from a mystery, to an alternative universe, to a science fiction book. It's a deep examination of identity, the Jewish condition, belonging and home. It's interesting because it examines a world where Isreal never happened. It's an interesting "What if?" It examines, a one time historical idea, of creating another country next to Uganda for Jews. It's an interesting bit of history that most never know or have heard of. It's face-paced and unique, but I really wish that the alternative histories were examined a little more.

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<p>Review copy provided by the publisher.</p>
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<p><em>Human history repeats itself</em>.</p>
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<p>This is a central thesis of <em>Unholy Land</em>, but what shapes the book is what <em>ways</em> Tidhar wants to show human history repeating itself. There is no good solution in this book. There is no timeline in which people treat each other generally decently. This is a very meta book, a book full of layers of alternate worlds, histories that might have been--but they all come back to guns and oppression and prejudice and fear.</p>
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<p>Tidhar is Israeli-born and has lived in lots of places. He's speaking from a position of knowledge, personal knowledge, when he writes about the permutations of Jewish homeland and disapora Judaism. There are all sorts of things that he does quite well in this. But the overall thesis is not an upbeat one about the nature of people in general, and you should be prepared for that going in.<br></p>
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Amazing experience, tailored approach of the Israeli problem, a fantastic adventure through space and time, an intimate and poetic vision of this Middel-East and African landscapes.

This book treats genre boundaries with the same disregard it has for the borders of nation-states and our notions of space-time. A great premise that is fully realized in this compelling and thought-provoking novel.

A strange foray into alternate history mashed up with trans-dimensional slipstream weirdness... where the swirling particles of story, character, and theme never quite crystallize. On the upside, upon finishing you're left with a vague impression of pleasant writing and slippery ideas. I read this a while back and basically sat on my hands, unable to resolve a clear picture of what I had just consumed, so I've delayed in reviewing this for a few months. Now, with some time to reflect, my feelings are clear: the prose was rather good, but the characters were a hair's breadth better than flat and the plot, if not quite non-existent, was at least non-engaging. Emotional involvement? Not so much. I appreciate the willingness to be weird and the deliberately provocative historical choices, which kept this afloat and let me finish with a shred or two of dignity. I really shouldn't be so harsh; at the time, I thought this was reasonably decent. If the premise sounds fun to you, by all means go for it. Tidhar can certainly assemble words into interesting sentences, but the sum total of those sentences in a pile is more shifting-pile-of-rubble than glorious mountain of literature, if that makes any sense. At the end of the day, not really my cup of tea.

I
never quite settled into this highly praised novel. I really wanted to like it, but found myself reaching for something else to read. The review in Publisher’s Weekly said, “Fantasy Award winner Tidhar (Central Station) will leave readers’ heads spinning with this disorienting and gripping alternate history,” and I think that’s an accurate description of my experience. I could never tell which of many connected alternate worlds I was in, or sometimes which character’s point of view I was in.

On the positive side, I loved the premise: in another world, the Jewish people find a homeland in the early part of the 20th Century, not following the horror of the Holocaust. And not in the Middle East but in Africa, in Kenya. As in modern Israel, where Palestinians are exiled from the lands they have lived in for millennia, Africans are relegated to the other side of the (literal) wall and systematically disenfranchised. I appreciated the evocative parallels between this African Palestina and the modern American immigration debate or Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Our guide to this world is pulp fiction writer Lior Tirosh, returning home (to Kenyan Palestina) from Germany. At first the story reads like a murder mystery, alternating Lior’s discovery of a body (and so forth) with the first-person narrative of a police officer. However, the initial mystery is quickly superseded by others, eventually centering on the breakdown of the barriers between alternate worlds. That’s a pretty tall order for one book, and I found the switching of worlds and viewpoints (third, first, and even second, which just knocked me out of the story every time) to be confusing rather than intriguing.

Others may find Unholy Land to be a brilliant tour de force, but for me it was frustrating to be repeatedly baffled and to be thrown out of the story line just when things were beginning to make sense.

The usual disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book, but no one bribed me to say anything about it. Although chocolates might be nice.

The idea and historical detail were really interesting. The execution however was lacking. The characters were hard to connect with and the changing first-person point of view and use of second person was hard to follow. The random worlds were an unneeded reference to well-known fantasy worlds in what otherwise was more of political commentary. It seemed disjoined.

This is the first book I've read from this author, and I was attracted to it by the description. Overall, it was a thrill to read. The subtext of conflicts over land and race is very relevant to current events, and the narrative structure and author's background really put things into perspective. I found the parallel timelines to be a bit confusing at points, but found this aspect to be generally a plus.

Addictive and exciting. In line with Central Station, Lavie Tidhar elevates his bet with a great detective/historical/thriller story.

I wanted to like this story, but I just couldn't get interested. It's kind of strange, bizarre and confusing. I'm not a fan of this type of mash up story.

Lou Jacobs's Reviews > Unholy Land

Unholy Land by Lavie Tidhar
Unholy Land
by Lavie Tidhar
M 50x66
Lou Jacobs's review Dec 28, 2018 · edit
really liked it

Once again Tidhar provides us with a complex tale of alternative possibilities utilizing lush prose and a twisted narrative. Hack writer, Lior Tirosh returns "home" to Palestina to visit his ailing father - long ago general and war hero. He travels from his home in Berlin to the Jewish homeland he grew up in so long ago. Even from the window of the airplane old memories and tribulations are dredged up into his consciousness. Almost incidentally he notices the ongoing construction of a wall encompassing his homeland. Upon his arrival he finds a long ago friend in his hotel room ... helping himself to the liquid refreshments from the mini-bar. Apparently a niece of his has gone missing ... one that he can barely remember. She has been connected to the demonstrations against the building of the wall. His old friend has been poisoned ... most likely which was meant for him.
Although certainly not a detective, he starts an investigation , in the vein of his pulp writing detective novels. Suddenly realities slip and slide between alternative time lines. Tirosh finds himself in competing timelines ... at times being involved and at other times investigating suspected terrorist activity and being pursued by government forces, all the while being considered an "outsider" in his own homeland.
The premise of the story has roots in historical reality. In 1904 the Zionist Congress was petitioning the British government for a parcel of land to establish a Jewish homeland. Some were adamant on seeking land encompassing Jerusalem ... the Holy Land ... others would consider any parcel of land to avert the gathering storm of anti-semitism in Europe. They were offered a such a territory in British East Africa ... area between Uganda and Kenya. An expedition explored the area and came back with a negative report and the offer was refused.
Which raises the possibility of an alternate reality. What if the proposal was accepted and the Jewish homeland took place in Africa ... would the Holocaust never have occurred?
Tidhar utilizes this premise not only to explore the possiblities of various alternative time lines, but also the consequences of borders, ethnocentrism and feeling of being an "outsider"
Thanks to Netgalley and Tachyon Publications for providing this thought provoking and complex narrative Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review. Although this is my first encounter with the writing of Lavie Tidhar and can certainly understand the multiple accolades he has received.

Unholy Land by Lavie Tidhar combines several familiar Tidhar themes – detective stories and alternate worlds –- and tosses them smack in the middle of Africa, where the British established a Jewish state in this novel. Unholy Land reveals a compassion for characters who do horrible things to keep others safe, while illuminated the spider-webbing consequences that follow. It’s thought-provoking, weird, and everything we expect from Lavie Tidhar.

A dreamlike, beautifully written fantasy of an alternate reality where a Jewish state was established in Africa prior to World War II. The book is a little bit hard to follow at times because we have a bit of an unreliable narrator living in a world of shifting realities, but if you don't try too hard to figure out every detail of what's going on then the book is quite engaging. I've seen it compared to the work of China Mieville, and that is definitely a valid comparison.

It is actually really hard to review Unholy Land after reading its afterword by Warren Ellis.

"Unholy Land is one of those lovely books that starts out presenting itself as one thing, and mutates into another almost without you seeing it."

In a way, that’s spot on. This book starts with a “what if.” What if a Jewish state had been founded in Uganda? It was a scheme in the early 1900s, but one that was never acted on. And, if you’re familiar with Lavie Tidhar’s style of writing, this what if is a tasty morsel. Tidhar’s forte is in providing settings that you feel like you’re walking through, sweating in, having dinner and drinks at. It’s even better when the setting is a mash-up of cultures and technologies.

But I disagree that Unholy Land‘s transformation, from an alternate world noir to a more politically charged thriller, occurs without notice. Tidhar does things that are designed to put the reader off-kilter. Point of view changes happen not only between chapters but within scenes. Memories shift for characters. It’s obvious early on that something more is going on than originally meets the eye. This isn’t a comfortable book despite my wanting to spend time in the world. I enjoyed it, but I also feel like I’m going to need to reread it. And that’s not a bad thing.

Living in Palestine is dangerous, even getting on a bus could get you blown up. A wall is being built to keep the Ugandans out, but there is a lot of unrest and the Ugandans want their land back.
Lior Tirosh is an author of detective novels that you normally see for sale at airports. Having moved to Berlin to escape the troubles, he has to return to Palestine to visit his sick father, but whilst there he finds out that his niece is missing. As soon as he starts his journey, he soon becomes a person of interest. Can he put what he writes into practice?
This is one book I will probably read again, as I am sure that I have missed something, which made the review quite hard to do. This book switches between 1st and 3rd person POV which I got into quickly as it was seamless, enabling the reader to follow Lior as he steps on the plane and the danger he is going home to and also following the watchers. One of my favourite characters was Special Agent Bloom, not from this world but a man of morals and always wanted to do what's right.
This starts off as a mystery and whilst it was a slower pace, really held my interest as there was always something going on. The addition of the sci-fi element took the story in another direction and I did find myself re-reading parts so I could follow what was going on, although I was a bit confused at the end.
If you like alternative history than this is a good book to read as it does get you thinking what if with its mashup of genres it will attract a lot of readers.

The nitty-gritty: Tidhar's latest is a challenging but ultimately satisfying read that deals with histories, both real and imagined.

Reading a Lavie Tidhar book is like being in a fever dream. Events, characters, places and impressions swirl around you, creating a sense of unease, or confusion, or sadness. Tidhar pieces the parts of his stories together with magical thread, and connections which seem tenuous at first turn out to make sense later on. I’m in awe of his writing abilities, and although this book may be classified as speculative fiction, I can see this sitting comfortably on a shelf alongside more traditional literary works.

In all honesty, this was a tough book for me to get through, and that’s especially hard to admit when many reviewers are lauding Unholy Land as one of the best books of 2018. I was surprised, because I loved Central Station and I was hoping for more of the same. But that’s an easy trap to fall into, believing that all of an author’s books are similar to one another, or that you will love them in the same way you loved that first one you read. Central Station was a collection of stories set in the same world, with characters that crossed over from one story to the next. It wasn’t a traditionally plotted novel at all, but it really worked for me. To my surprise, and dismay, I could not figure out what was going on in Unholy Land for a long time, but I’m very happy that I pushed through, because the last quarter of the story made up for the confusing and scattered beginning.

Tidhar is known for tackling controversial subjects such as politics and religion in his works, and Unholy Land is no different in that respect. This time around, the author takes a historical event that could have happened—in the early years of the twentieth century, a Jewish settlement almost came to fruition in the heart of Africa—and posits what might happen had it actually existed. He takes it one step further, though, and gives us a world where alternate realities exist side by side. In one world, our protagonist Lior Tirosh arrives in Palestina to visit family, but in another world, one that occasionally bursts forth from his memory, Palestina never existed at all, and his life was completely different.

It’s hard to break down the plot for you, because the narrative and setting are constantly shifting, making it hard to piece everything together, but I’ll give you the basics. At its heart, Unholy Land is a mystery. The story opens as Lior Tirosh arrives in Palestina to visit his father, but soon becomes embroiled in several mysteries. His sister-in-law Deborah turns up missing, and a former classmate is found murdered in Tirosh’s hotel room. As he navigates the city of his childhood, surrounded by a wall to keep the rest of Africa out, and rife with suicide bombers, border patrols and unexpected dangers at every turn, the past keeps creeping up on him. But the past he’s remembering has nothing to do with Palestina, this present. He remembers having a wife and a young son named Isaac, but what’s become of them? He keeps seeing the mysterious woman who was on the plane with him, and unbeknownst to Tirosh, an inspector from the airport is following him. How these two fit into the story becomes clear later on, but Tidhar keeps the mystery going for quite a while.

Tidhar has infused his book with autobiographical touches: the main character’s name—Lior Tirosh—is a reflection of his own. Lior is also a novelist who writes detective novels. He’s even penned a book called Osama, which of course is one of Lavie Tidhar’s most well-known books. He’s also writing about his own homeland, as he grew up in both Africa and Israel, and Unholy Land seems to be his vision of fusing the two countries together, in the hopes of creating a better, happier life for thousands of Jews. Reality and fantasy have become intertwined, and it’s quite the heady reading experience when all these connections are made.

One of the more frustrating things about reading this book, however, was the constant change in point of view. I can honestly say I’ve never read a novel where all three POVs—first person, second person and third person—are all used together. Not only that, but the POV changes at a moment’s notice, with no visual breaks to guide the reader. The first time it happened, I had to go back and reread a certain page several times, before I came to the conclusion that perhaps the uncorrected proof I was reading was formatted wrong. But no, it happened again and again, and it finally dawned on me that this was Tidhar’s unique style, which gives the novel a slipstream-like reading quality. This style also made it hard to figure out which character was holding the reins at any particular time, but having finished the book I can understand, or at least I can appreciate, what Tidhar was trying to do.

Unholy Land is one of those stories that requires the reader to let go and trust the author. His stylistic choices didn’t necessarily make sense while I was reading, but at the end I finally saw the “big picture” and was reminded of why I wanted to read this so much. This is a story of ideas and concepts that seem to shift and change along the way, much the way Tirosh keeps falling into different realities. Readers who aren’t afraid of challenging material will surely love this book, although those unfamiliar with Tidhar probably shouldn’t start here.