Translated from Italian, this is a work of fiction that shows Jebreal’s journalistic side and her objective focus on events rather than on personal insight. In this work she tries to take a neutral position, which is not easy given that she, like the protagonist, grew up in an orphanage, and that the events are “based on a true story”.
The novel depicts the robbed childhoods of Palestinian children after 1948, and the selflessness of Hend, a woman who dedicates her life for the betterment of Palestinian girls who have been “marginalized”. She builds them an orphanage and stays single to dedicate all her time to the children. We read about her struggle to finance the project, and the underlying theme of hope.
Jibreal maintains a neutral tone throughout the novel, emphasizing that sides are irrelevant because everyone suffers: be it the Jewish daughter of a general or a Palestinian child in the orphanage.
The protagonist of the book Miral, attends Hend’s orphanage. She is a rebellious young woman who, guided by her passion and values, decides to fights and eventually pays the ultimate price. She represents the patriotism of Palestinians, and the face of resistance. She represents the struggle of women living in Palestine who not only suffer due to the occupation, but also to the misogyny of their own culture, as shown through a series of unfortunate events, involving arrest, torture, and worse.
Although many of the events of the story are based on historical events, (Hind al-Husseini has her own Wikipedia page), the novel remains a work of fiction. The strong female characters act as role models: they fight for their rights, for what they believe in, and let their ‘stubbornness’ fuel them to achieve their goals.
Jebreal reminds us that within any conflict, all people suffer. We are reminded that war is not the desire of anyone, and that conflicts can arise even within families – not just enemies – and that indeed ‘enemies’ can be the closest of friends and lovers (as is reflected through Miral and her cousin). Despite war being against the very nature of humanity, in the end it is society that fights against them. Jebreal’s objective is to promote peace by reminding us that in the face of hardship we must fight, take action, and stand strong.
Book Recommendation:
Wedding Song by Naguib Mahfouz
Written by a Nobel Prize winner, this is an entertaining novel that presents events through four different perspective in four chapters, leaving the reader to decide what really transpired.
