This piece of writing left me in tears, but happy tears. The ending is so sweet and Nahr’s story comes full circle. My eyes were opened to a completely new world. I have never read a book that is set in the Middle East, and it was very eye opening to see what people living in that part of the world have been through, and go through in present day. It was also super interesting that the author, Susan, wrote this book after listening to the people who lived during this time tell their stories. It is a beautiful piece of writing. I recommend for sure!

I enjoyed this interesting look at middle eastern culture and found the experience of reading about the life of refugees extremely moving. The characters in the novel are dynamic and experience some of the traumatic realities that displaced people often face. However, for me the plot dragged a little and I found myself "skimming" pages. I loath when books make me skim.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to receive this arc in exchange for an honest review.

What an absolutely beautiful novel. So raw and heat wrenching. Rips you right down the core. Characters I could love for ever. So much heart and emotion, sacrifice and bravery! And love- a true love like I haven’t seen described in a book in quite some time!

Such a strong and emotional story. The story was good and kept my interest but it’s a hard book to read a lot at once. Thank you for this wonderful book and for creating a strong main character like Nahr.

Raw and beautiful. The story is ripe with tradition, heartache, and heartbreak. A woman held captive in “The Cube” looks back over her life and what led To her arrest. The author uses haunting and jarring details that bring the reader deep into the life of Yaqoot (Nahr). She is a woman that I forced the give up her body, her identity, her nationality, and so much more, This floor beautifully explores what it means to be a refugee. The limitations of being a woman. 5 stars

What a beautifully written novel. This novel tells the story of Nahr, a Palestinian refugee telling her story from a prison she calls The Cube. We are taken back through her life to see how she arrived in this prison. We learn about how Nahr got involved in the resistance and the difficulties she faced along the way. The book was heartbreaking and difficult to read at times, but that is what makes it powerful. Coming into this, I didn't know much about the conflicts between Palestine and Israel. This was an eye opening read and I'm eager to learn more about this conflict.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A wonderful debut. Thank you for this review copy. I loved this MC. WOW! everything she went through and how she held herself! I loved the story. I love the reflecting on the past to explain the current circumstances. That's one of my favorite story types and it worked really well for this book.

Against the Loveless World is a very real portrayal of living in the Middle East. It’s about Nahr, a Palestinian woman who lives among the ever present violence. Much of the book is written from Nahr’s sixteen years in prison, using memories to recapture the past.

What I came away with from this book is a confirmation of my previous belief. No one wins in war. You become a winner, then you are the loser, then you become the winner, and then … and the cycle goes on.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Against the Loveless World.

Locked away in solitary confinement, Nahr reflects on her life and how she got there Born to Palestinian refugees in Kuwait, she and her family struggle to fit in and survive. Against the Loveless World is a sweeping story of a young woman who makes hard decisions to support her family and her country.

The writing in this book was lovely and I encourage anyone whose interested to try the book. There are many great reviews and you may be among the readers who loves it. The story wasn't for me. I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover and the hope of learning about the lives of women in countries of which I know little. I wish I could say I enjoyed this one, I always feel awful when I don't love a book. The story is a powerful one and an important one and I will still recommend this book to anyone interested in the topics of this novel.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC of Against the Loveless World in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this deeply affecting book, told from a very unique perspective and with great passion.
The main character, Nahr, a woman of Palestinian descent, tells her life story from The Cube, a high-tech Israeli prison cell. From an idyllic childhood in Kuwait, through the Iraqi invasion of that country and her family's displacement to Jordan, right to her own political awakening in Palestine, Throughout the novel the author doesn't shirk away from difficult topics such as war, conflict and persecution, homosexuality in a culture that condemns it, women's rights, sexuality and morality in a highly conservative religious setting and the ongoing fight for a place to belong. Nah emerges as a strong, empowered woman with a high level of self-confidence and incredible courage. This is a story about love: love of country, love of culture and all its traditions as well as love between friends, family and soul mate.

I’m so disappointed that I couldn’t get into this book. I was expecting something in the veins of A DOOR IN THE EARTH by Amy Waldman—which I loved—but this one is too slow burning to my liking and I keep putting it down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read the ARC.

Thank you so much to net galley for sending me a copy of this book. I ended up really enjoying this book. The cover, the setting, and the plot are so perfect.

Against the Loveless World is a beautiful book on the inside and out. It's a poignant tale that Susan Abulhawa has crafted. The Palestinian culture is one that I know less about, so I enjoyed the opportunity to learn more through this book.

Protagonist Nahr is imprisoned in the Cube, which is a space that is outside of time. The story is told through excavations of time through memories. It's a careful exploration that takes readers on a memorable journey.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

I like this one . It helped me learn about Palestine and the challenges living there. It’s a novel that makes you think.

This book has a very interesting perspective of life as a Palestinian. I definitely learned a lot as this is not a subject I have really delved into before. I did feel like the second half of the book was rushed. The first half is a bit slow without much happening and the bulk of the storyline happens towards the end, almost like the author didn’t want it to be too long so hurried to get it finished. I enjoyed the book and the writing was good but not spectacular. I almost think it would have read better as a non-fiction about the women that were interviewed rather than trying to create a storyline with all of them in one person.

This book was great! It was so easy to lose yourself in the story, and kept you turning pages to see what happened next! Will definitely be recommending!

I greatly enjoyed this book. The main character is a Palestinian trying to find her way in the war torn Middle East.

I am not overly familiar with the Palestinian perspective, so this was eye opening.

It is beautifully written with fully fleshed characters. I highly recommend reading it.

I was given an advance copy. I am leaving my honest review.

A fascinating book that is disturbing, upsetting and difficult to read at times.

This book follows, Nahr, a Palestinian woman who is imprisoned in the Cube, a space devoid time, with few visitors who try and extract her story with little to no success.

The novel switches between chapters about Nahr in prison and chapters that tell of the events that lead to her imprisonment.

It is a powerful, astounding own voices novel that I will never forget!

An interesting read for me.A view of the palestinian plight that does not get much exposure in the west, obviously favoring the palestinian view and in line with how most European countries feel about the conflict.
The lead female character-Nahr-is a composite drawn from the lives of multiple palestinian women , and her time spent in prison-THE CUBE-is wonderfully written.
I learned a lot about palestinian rituals/ culture-anout which I knew very little( shame on me).
Drags at times, but glad I read it.