This is a powerful book. Sitting in an Israeli prison labeled as a terrorist, Nahr recounts her life and her family's story of displacement and abuse. Nahr is full of rage, and her rage is well earned by the narrative where we see the circumstances that have hemmed in her family and left them few options to support themselves. Instead, they have had to move multiple times to places where they are unwanted, their movement is restricted, resources are limited, and they are treated as inferiors. Nahr is a traumatized and resilient character, and her radicalization makes sense within this story. Telling the story of Israeli occupation through the eyes of a displaced Palestinian makes for a compelling read.

This book was heartbreaking and lovely at the same time. Abulhawa's writing is so beautiful and I've since put her other works on my wishlist.

If you'd like to read about a different view during the Gulf War and displacement of Palestinians around that time, this is the book to read. Read this with an open mind and with caution as there are some triggers for war, sexual abuse, and death.

This book is such a gift. The writing was exceptional, the character development magical, and educated me on Palestine which I think all of us really need right now. More understanding of a place that has suffered for way too long.
Nahr is a spitfire. Sometimes I couldn’t get behind her motivations, but loved that she’d do anything for her loved ones. And I appreciated the afterword in which the author talked about interviewing several women who’d lived through this time period.

If this book was split into two separate novellas, I would have given the first half 4 stars and the second half 2 stars so I split the difference and settled on 3. When I began reading the novel, I was immediately taken in by Nahr, and loved getting to know more and more about her life. I wish I had more/better knowledge of Palestinian and Kuwaiti history, but I loved how Abulhawa subtly educates the reader at the same time she's entertaining them by having Nahr tell her story. There are so many historical events detailed in the novel but the first half never felt bogged down in history, it was simply part of the overall narrative of Nahr's life and incorporated into her personal story in a seamless way.

The second half of the book didn't work as well for me. Basically, Nahr becomes a revolutionary, someone fighting for Palestine's independence. In the United States, we have a very limited idea of the Israel/Palestine conflict and I would venture to say most Americans know very little about it and understand the true complexities even less. While Against the Loveless World shone a big light on what life and circumstances are like for these Palestinians who want independence and out of Israeli control, it was difficult to read at times. There are so many details that it got a little overwhelming at times, and the structure and pacing of Nahr's life during this time was tedious and, frankly, boring to read. My feelings about this are complicated because I really do appreciate what Abdulhawa was doing with this section but it was just not very enjoyable to read. I have never read a book from the point of view of someone we would consider a terrorist, and it was incredible to see these events from the eyes of the people on the so-called "other side", but the interesting/illuminating parts were not enough to save what felt overwhelmingly dull to me. What I did appreciate was seeing how the people who made and still make the decisions to resist, to cause revolutions, genuinely did not see any other options for their lives. They truly saw that this was the only way. Reading from this perspective was an education for me, that is for sure.

There is a lot of greatness in these pages. I did not love it, and it was difficult to read at many points throughout the book, but I am truly impressed by this novel. Susan Abulhawa has written about a series of events that few Westerners get to read, and from a perspective that very few understand, and for that I really appreciate the novel.

I love reading a book that allows me to learn more about the world. Against the Loveless World does an extraordinary job telling a beautiful, heart-wrenching story while also showing a window into truths about the world, which are relevant today.

This book is absolutely phenomenal. I learned so much about the conflict between Palestine & Israel through this book. It was a heartbreaking read but told with so much heart and even humor at times. Though a work of fiction, it felt like reading a memoir, which brought you right into Nahr's life. I've already recommended this book to friends!

A huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for a honest review.

Recommended for those who loved An Inheritance of Loss, A Woman is No Man, Things Fall Apart.

Nahr is desperate for belonging. She is the daughter of Palestinian emigrants and has no true compass. She is displaced, but does not allow herself to grieve for her loss. Instead, she endlessly seeks validation and justification through her relationships with the opposite sex. She expands and reduces her identity to fit the narratives of these relationships.

Despite her struggle for identity and belonging, the heroine is determined to carve a place for herself in a world that seems determined to ignore her story. Her story is that of a female Palestinian refugee, and the hardship and suffering she has endured as a result. This novel is an aching glimpse into a world of heartbreak, injustice and female empowerment.

I was provided with a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

“Against the Loveless World” is a book I wish I could read again for the first time and at the same time a book I cannot wait to reread.

The writing is nothing short of extraordinary- weaving a story of loss and finding ones place, but appreciating that you may not be whole where you find your place. A story of struggle and fighting for ones home.

I felt so many emotions while reading this. Choices made by the protagonist have a raw truth to them that is impossible not to be swept away in.

The pacing of the novel was good and crescendoed to a wonderful ending.

Not only is this an absolutely stunning cover, but Against The Loveless World is also a remarkable story. The writing was so lyrical and full of hope as we see a young Palestinian woman named Nahr join the Palestinian resistance.

The backdrop of the Palestinian-Israeli Middle East was painted so vividly and full of detail, and there was so much heart written in this beautiful story.

*many thanks to Atria and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review. All opinions are my own

This book ripped my heart to pieces and that is something I absolutely love in a book! I love when a book can tell a story about something real and when I can learn about experiences women in other cultures face.

The story was beautifully written and Nahr is a character I will never forget.

I'd like to thank the publishers via NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

From the start of this book, I wasn't really sure what I was getting into. It took me a while to get involved in the story and keep track of the back and forth of the story of Nahr in prison and the story of her life leading up to that point. Once I got into this book, I was craving reading it just to find out what would happen next. I haven't read many stories that take place during the middle east conflict and I was intrigued. Nahr had such a strong spirit, and I loved her don't give a f*ck attitude. The horrors of what she went through as a young woman with Um Baraq were absolutely atrocious, but the fact that she survived and kept up her strong attitude, showed just how much guts she had. It's sad to think of how many people went through such awful things during the conflict, and the horrors that people still endure in that part of the world. This book really opened my eyes to all of it and I am happy that I got to read this wonderful story.

I really enjoyed the writing style of this author, and the story was intriguing. It's taken me a while to finish it only because this year has been a trial and I couldn't find much time to read, but I'm so happy that I was finally able to finish it.

Against the Loveless World is a powerful novel about a Palestinian woman and the winding path that leads to her being accused of terrorism. When we meet our main character, Nahr, she is wasting away in an Israeli prison and begins to tell her story. Her narrative encompasses the hardships of a people denied their ancestral land, a woman in a patriarchal society, and idealists fighting oppression.

Nahr’s character is so beautiful and flawed. It is easy to empathize with her situation when you see the journey that led to it. I did not realize how Palestinian refugees are treated as outsiders in the other countries in the region. They grow up with stories of a homeland to which they can never truly return, which doesn’t really even exist anymore.

The author does not pull any punches when it comes to Nahr’s experiences. It is at times painful to read, but ultimately shows Nahr’s tenacity and bravery; her willingness to support her family, no matter the cost. The family relationships in the book are poignant and realistically fraught and evolving.

Based on the premise, I expected the second half of the book to be a plunge into violence and extremism. What I found instead was more of a quiet contemplation of resistance, injustice and hope. The juxtaposition of how Nahr felt living in Palestine, to her descriptions of her prison cell, demonstrate a huge span of human experience and emotion.

The subject matter did make this slow and difficult to get through for me, as I just dreaded seeing what would become of the characters at certain points in the story. But overall, I found this book to be beautifully written and heart-wrenchingly honest. It is a character-driven look at the complexities of family, belonging, and womanhood in the Middle East.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free review copy!

When we first meet Yaqoot she is in a room she refers to as The Cube. It is located in an Israeli prison. How this Palestinian born woman, raised in a Kuwaiti ghetto for Palestinian refugees came to be in solitary confinement and shackled to a wall for a portion of her day came to be, is told to the reader through Yaqoot reading her memoir to a journalist.

For many years, she felt at home in Kuwait and where she enjoyed a somewhat middle class existence with her family.
Political upheaval completely changed her life and took her to places she'd prefer not to have been but as the eldest child in a fatherless family she assumed the burden of caring for her mother, grandmother and brother.

Her short, loveless marriage only steeled her resolve to continue to live life as a single woman and care for her family, now refugees in Amman

When she is at last free to return to her birthplace, she is pleased with Palestine's lush landscape and spaciousness. However, there is trouble afoot and her former husband's family is at the heart of it.

Yaqoot's story is a sad one, filled with contradictions and oppression. Yet, the reader wants her to find happiness and a permanent home. The author's writing technique encompasses all styles making it a very readable and thought provoking novel which will surely ignite conversation making it great for book clubs.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read this net galley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Eye-opening and thought-provoking, Abulhawa’s book is POWERFUL. I no doubt entered a different world from where I live in this book. I felt moved and informed all at the same time. The complexity of the world never ceases to amaze me. A read for everyone!

Wow wow wow. I loved this. Honestly, at first I was worried it would be a little too "trauma porn"-y. I have no personal problem reading difficult books or subjects, but I'm trying to be more aware of the ways trauma porn in books can be harmful to the communities they are meant to represent. However, I am glad I stuck with this one because it was a wonderful story and one I'm so glad I heard. I learned a lot from this book, and I'll admit it's probably the first time I've read a positive story about an occupation, which was a visceral reminder of how important perspective and personal experience matter when we (as outsiders) pass judgements on geopolitical issues. I am always interested in reading stories from the Palestinian diaspora, and this one definitely delivered, plus much of the book was set *in* Palestine, which was a bonus for me. I now plan to read Abulhawa's earlier novels as well!

Thanks to the publisher for the eARC.

This book was gorgeous. An incredible story.

I really enjoyed seeing Nahr’s life unfold. The ways she fought to survive and thrive despite her circumstances.

This is a fascinating story and I definitely recommend.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I'll be posting my review on Goodreads and Amazon

This novel took me completely by surprise. I felt so invested in the story and in finding out what had happened to the narrator. The main character, a Palestinian woman as refugee and prisoner in multiple countries, written by a Palestinian woman, is sympathetic and real. I loved it.

Against the Loveless World follows the dark and poignant story of Nahr who sits in an Israeli prison cell and recounts how she got there. She is born in Kuwait to Palestinian refugees and eventually makes her way back to Palestine. I haven’t read many story of refugees and I thought Abulhawa did a great job in capturing the voices of the women she had interviewed. Mixing fiction and facts, Nahr is based off multiple women in one so while I do think she was interesting, I felt her character was a bit too convoluted. The chapters are extremely long and that is just a personal annoyance of mine. In my opinion, these long chapters made me feel as thought the plot slowed down very much and I felt less invested, which deeply saddens me because I wanted to love this. I do absolutely love cover and the title as well, fits so perfectly. Nahr just wants to find love and world has none to give her.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Atria books for the copy of this book.