How does society form a terrorist? Is it the neighborhood, religious beliefs, family, friends, lovers, circumstance, poverty, racism, war? Or a combination of all these things? Is a terrorist evil or sympathetic, born or made, guilty or blameless? Is Israel right or wrong? Is Palestine? Is there an answer? Or is there grey area in all these ideas? A book that makes me question and provokes conversation is always a winner for me, and this book does just that. We meet Nahr, the pivotal character, at the 'end,' as she lives in solitary confinement in an Israeli prison. As she recounts the journey of her life and what led her to this place, we experience the journey with her. Nahr is complex, rather hateful at times, selfish at others, sometimes devoted, sometimes kind. There are no black and white answers in this book, which is what I loved about it. This would be an amazing book club choice as there is so much to chew on.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this arc book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

As Nahr sits in solitary confinement in the Cube, she reflects on the events leading up to her arrest. She was born in Kuwait in 1970’s to Palestinian refugees. After a brief marriage to an abusive, philandering man she resorts to prostitution as a means of survival from poverty. Due to the US invasion of Iraq she is labeled a refugee and sent to Palestine.

She had hoped her marriage to Mohammad would ensure financial security for her family. Ultimately he resumes a relationship with his old girlfriend, Tamara in Palestine. Nahr attempts to support herself with her retail clerk job and eyebrow threading. After she is persuaded by Jumana to work for her, Nahr is able to pay for her younger brother Jehad to go to university.

Nahr, whose birth name is Yaqoot, assumes the name Almas while working with the Muslim men. She denounced her birth name as her father had given her that name which was the name of his mistress at the time. She soon relies on Um Buaq who becomes her protector and an influential person in her life. Nahr eventually finds comfort and refuge within his family.

This is a touching story filled with how life can present difficult decisions and the consequences of the decisions made. There is a glossary at the end of the book which is very helpful for explaining the many Arabic terms used through the book. This culture finds tremendous meaning in food as elaborate ceremonial meals are described as a way of life for families. It’s a bittersweet story of live, life, survival and friendship during a time of political unrest where people are fighting for justice with desperate determination.

This book was a tough read, but offered a glimpse into the reality of many Palestinian women. At times the narratives didn’t flow well for me, but overall I am glad to have read this novel. Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to review this novel!

Parts of the story were difficult to read only because Ms. Abulhawa wrote them so beautifully, I could imagine watching things unfold and could do nothing to help.
The heroine, Nahr, goes through a tremendous amount of hell but refuses to allow herself to give up and become victimized by circumstance. Seeing her small victories along the way only emphasized how important it was to keep trying, believing, and portraying courage in the darkest of times.
Powerfully done. Beautiful imagery.

*I received a copy of this book for an honest review.
Thank you Atria Books.

A fascinating read that I sped through;. I can't say enough to justify how much I enjoyed this one. Just an absolutely beautiful book.

A beautiful and moving tale, of one woman’s journey into adulthood amongst tumultuous war torn Palestine, Kuwait, and Jordan. Navigating her own world and adapting to what it takes to survive.

I steer aware from most political fiction - but when I started hearing so many great things around this one, I decided to take a chance. I’ve been changed and given new eyes. The character development progresses nicely, and shines a light on what it’s like to be a female Palestinian refugee, during the 80’s through to early 2000s; the risks to survival, family values, and bonds that get tested in order to build trust.
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The story is told as a retelling of experiences and occasionally bounces to present time, detailing the current imprisionment conditions of the MC. Combined with the prose writing - this emphasized the real world and first hand experience. The connections and overlapping actions that pulled, and eventually re-pulled, all the characters together added to the suspense and world building.
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Abulhawa blends facts and fiction to build a detailed story that helps to give perspective into the struggles of the Middle East, leaving the reader in an otherworldly daze about what actually is happening in the world.
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Content warning: there is explicit details of experiences involving adult content, drugs, and abuse.

Against the Loveless World is a stunning story of displacement, survival, and resistance. Susan Abulhawa's gripping writing and nuanced characters had me unable to put the book down.

Born to Palestinian refugees in the 1970s, Nahr grows up in Kuwait with her widowed mother, younger brother, and paternal grandmother. When Nahr herself becomes a refugee, fleeing to Jordan with her family after the U.S. invades Iraq, she gains a new understanding of what her mother and grandmother have lived through. Nahr’s fiercely independent and determined spirit is magnetic, and her mother and grandmother are richly layered characters as well. Nahr’s mother is patient and gracious towards her mother-in-law, whose orneriness serves as a mask for the heartbreak she feels. I was moved by the meaning and history that Nahr’s mother stitches into her embroidery. Um Buraq is another memorable and nuanced character; Um Buraq shows Nahr a different way to live and saves her life, but also exploits her.

Many traumatic events occur in this book, but love is undeniably present—love for family, friends, homeland. Against the Loveless World is sure to be one of my favorite books of the year, and its words will stay with me for a long time.

If you're looking for a thought-provoking read look no further. This story of radicalization is an important one. At the core we have our main character Nahr who we are introduced to as she sits in solitary confinement reflecting on the events that brought her there. From Kuwait to Jordan to Palestine each location served a different lesson and period of growth, perseverance and preservation in her life. I'll be thinking about this one for quite some time. Nahr is a fascinating woman with a story worth telling.

Susan Abulhawa’s Against the Loveless World is a Powerful story centering on Nahr, a Palestinian and a refugee. Never having read any fiction told from this perspective, it was an eye-opening experience. I have long been baffled at the scant attention Americans pay to their situation. While I realize that the US and Israel are political allies, it's rather shameful that the brutal uprooting of people who have lived on a spot of land for centuries is so blithely ignored.

Nahr's story is at time wrenching to read, but it goes a long way in explaining how terrorists are forged - bit by bit, one dehumanizing humiliation after another. I was reminded of Omar El Akkad's near- future American War, which dealt with similar themes, though they differ great.y in other respects.

There were, of course, also tender moments of connection and hope, because this is a human story. Love between us and our friends and family - and even relative strangers who are not allowed to speak to us - is why we're in this in the first place. Well done.

Powerful, emotionally gut-wrenching and eye-opening. AGAINST THE LOVELESS WORLD is a 5-star must-read.

What exactly drew me in to this story? So many things! Its language: the author's ability to express depth of feeling in simple words. Its emotion: the protagonist's heart is as walled as her surroundings, aching for a freedom that may never come. Its culture: Abulhawa shows what it is to be displaced, Palestinian, a refugee, a political activist and prisoner. Its realism: this is fiction with a composite character derived from "three Arab women who sold their bodies to survive."

I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to see Israel-Palestine relations from another point of view and those interested in exquisite literary fiction.

This was an interesting read for me. I'll be honest and risk some flack by admitting that I"m Jewish, and this is the first book I've ever read from the Palestinian perspective. It was not always an easy read for me - this book is full of antisemitic and anti-Israeli sentiments.

This is a story about a remarkable and strong woman named Nahr as we follow her from Iraq, where she first takes to a form of prostitution to help her brother pay for his bills, all the way to when she ends up in Israel, aiding a terrorist. We read as she continues to make bad choices as she meets new exciting people. We see her go from a young woman to a radicalized terrorist. We see how horribly Palestinians are treated under the Israeli occupation.

I understand that the reader is meant to sympathize with Nahr, but I found it very difficult as she became more and more radicalized, and in the end, remorseless for her actions. Overall this is a good story, but a particularly challenging one for me.

This was a difficult read as this time in our world is marked by prejudice and racism. But it was also a story of survival. It is dark, graphic but important to read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book should be required reading for every American (and others) to understand the way in which Palestinians move through this world facing countless abuses and disrespect. From second class citizens and scapegoats in Kuwait, to unwanted masses in Jordan, to being cut off from their own land and heritage in Palestine, we see the impacts of being Palestinian on Nahr and her friends and family throughout. With Abulhawa's gorgeous, insightful writing, and a twisting plotline full of heartbreak, this novel is a must read.

I don't know if I needed the ending - it may have been more powerful if it ended with Nahr still stuck in the Cube with no hope for freedom - but nonetheless, I LOVED this book and will be recommending it to everyone I know.

Susan Abulhawa’s Against the Loveless World is a story of survival and strength

Before we talk about Against the Loveless World, I want to tell you that I rarely read historical fiction books anymore. Even though I have a history degree and fascination with the genre runs in the family, those fictional stories that take place during very real, often horrific, historical events feel too heavy for me lately. Now, I like for my books to take me to simpler places in my imagination and enthrall me with adventures, love stories, and, dare I say, happy endings. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy a good piece of literature (and love rereading my favorites), but I do so in smaller doses.

However, I bumped into Against The Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa, and I couldn’t resist. The tragic beauty of the title and the kaleidoscope-like cover full of colors screamed: “read me!” My curiosity piqued when I saw that Abulhawa’s previous books Mornings in Jenin and The Blue Between Sky and Water both received rave reviews.

Embark on Nahr’s journey, ending in finding love in a loveless world
In Against the Loveless World, Nahr, a Palestinian woman, struggles to recount her life and the events that landed her isolated in a sophisticated Israeli jail cell. Her tragic story spans decades. It starts with her experience growing up as part of a displaced Palestinian family in Kuwait; Nahr describes the discrimination and scarcity her family experienced.

She also tells us about her marriage to a Palestinian hero and his abandonment. As a consequence, how she fell into prostitution and the evolution of her relationship with men. She also offers her perspective on the Iraqui occupation of Kuwait and subsequent American invasion of Iraq, which forced her to flee her home and become a refugee in Jordan. And finally, she talks about her return to Palestine, and how she became a soldier of the resistance against Israel.

Abulhawa’s prose is powerful, descriptive and rich

Nahr is a beautifully complex character with deep scars that the world won’t allow her to heal. I was incredibly moved reading about her perspective as a refugee and her journey to radicalization. Through Nahr, Abulhawa narrates a painful but beautiful story of plight, survival, and finally, love.

The book is not a light read, but Nahr is a great narrator. She’s passionate, funny, and witty. Her story is also full of colorful characters we learn to love along the way. (I need to warn you that this book narrates scenes of sexual assault as well as other forms of violence.)

Please don’t plan to read this book in one sitting; it best shines when you take your time.

Against The Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa publishes August 25, 2020. 4.5🌟

Nahr lives in the cube. She’ s been there for so many days and nights on end that she has been unable to keep count. The days and nights mean nothing here. It is a prison. Nahr has been imprisoned for terrorism. Terrorism against Israel. This novel is the life of Nahr as she looks back from her cell on the life she’s lived, the man she loved and the cause she fought for.

What a damn story. From the first page I was fully invested. The story of a Palestinian woman looking back at her life and where she currently is. It’s more than a reflection or a remembrance. We live her world through her eyes in the most visceral way. It’s beautifully detailed, heartbreaking and haunting.

Abulhawa proved to me with this novel that she is a great writer. It is incredibly well paced with a timeline that moves back and forth from Nahr’s current imprisonment through the years of her life as a woman raised hearing of a homeland she has never experienced, then as a refugee, then as a fighter. It shows an incredible amount of growth and defiance. Nahr’s spirit shines through and her resilience still exists even though her time of fighting has passed. I was so impressed with this novel. From the imagery, to the character development to the intrigue. It was a fully immersive experience.

Nahr is the daughter of refugees who were forced to seek asylum from Israel in Kuwait. This novel flashes back and forth throughout Nahr’s life as we learn she is imprisoned for helping the resistance. She has survived sexual assault, poverty and being displaced three times to different countries. She has fallen in and out of love and depends on her family for her motivation to live.

Nahr is feisty and an amazing heroine. The other characters that support her are equally as interesting. I loved reading about the locations in the Middle East such as Jordan & Israel. Learning about Nahr’s culture and how it impacts her everyday life was so interesting to me. It was a bit slow in some parts but I found the flipping back and forth between present and past kept me hooked. This novel made me want to learn more about Palestine and it’s conflicts.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for granting me a copy of Against the Loveless World. This was a fantastic and tragic story about a Palestinian woman named Nahr who thinks back on her life from solitary confinement. She highlights the highs and lows of her life and the difficult decisions that led her to be put in prison. I really enjoyed reading Nahr's story, it reminded me a bit of Adunni from The Girl with the Louding Voice. Both are strong women who try with all of their might to live the best life they can under their circumstances. This story brings to light what women often have to go through in countries that reside in the Middle East and I once again want to thank the publisher for allowing me to diversify my reading choices through this book.

Thanks Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I do not know enough about the Israel and Palestine conflict to assert my opinion on those matters. However, I will say that after reading this book I began to research it and all the stuff she writes about is true; although, Nahr is fictional. And my heart is broken.

I truly do not understand the cruelty of our world.

You guys, Nahr is a force to be reckoned with and she is a character that will stay with me for a long time. She is strong, hilarious, and as they say revolutionary. Below is an extremely powerful quote that she spoke. She has a sailors mouth so a bunch is beeped out.

"Honor is an expendable luxury when you have no means or shelter in this f****** world... We are not all blessed to receive a good education and inherit what it takes to live with some dignity. To exist on your own land, in the bosom of your family and your history. To know where you belong in the world and what you're fighting for. To have some god**** value... Some of us, madam honor, end up with little choice but to F****. For. Money."

The second half really focused on the Palestinian community and the oppression they deal with. Here is another quote where they are talking about works of James Baldwin.

"I think in saying 'loved each other,' Baldwin doesn't just mean the living. To survive by loving each other means to love our ancestors. To know their pain, struggles, and joys. It means to love our collective memory. Who we are, where we are from."

Read this book. Research the topic. Learn.

I had really high hopes for this one, but it fell a bit flat for me. The pacing of the book did feel a bit off. It was pretty slow at first and then the last 30% of the book had a lot more action to it. I also struggled with the main character. Yes she was incredibly strong to go through all the horrible things she was dealt, but I never felt like I wanted to root for her until the very end with Balil.

I really enjoyed the first 20%, but after that the book fell flat to me. it was hard to pinpoint who Nahr was, and maybe that was the point, but it made it hard to connect to her. she lives a very troubling life, constantly fighting and struggling to prove herself and provide for her family. i was interested in reading abt her introduction to prostitution and the role she had to play in the world. i admire how tirelessly she works to make her family happy.

there were so many parts of the story that were confusing to me and i kept wondering why certain things were in the writing. i think the use of “but we haven’t gotten there yet” was excessive. it was intriguing the first time but reading it two, three, four more times, just felt like the author was trying too hard to keep us interested.

i also HATED the really long chapters!

thank you netgalley for a copy!