THE PARISIAN BY ISABELLA HAMMAD

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BOOK NAME: THE PARISIAN

AUTHOR NAME: ISABELLA HAMMAD

GENRE: HISTORICAL FICTION 

PUBLISHER: VINTAGE BOOKS 

BOOK BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.in/Parisian-Isabella-Hammad/dp/1784705705



BOOK COVER IMAGE





BOOK REVIEW

The Parisian By Isabella Hammad is a moving tale of love, grief, loss and trauma built across nations during the First World War. The story effortlessly connects lives in Paris and Palestine across decades through war and peace. It's the show of Palestinian resistance since the start of the land occupancy turmoil, exploring subplots like Middle East politics, islamophobia and deep-rooted misogyny in the society. 


The journey starts with Midhat Kamal's expedition to Paris to obtain his medical education. Midhat becomes intoxicated in love in Paris with Jeanette and dreams of a future together amidst the looming threat of another war. But fate has different plans, and Midhat returns home to his family in Nablus, where he still feels disconnected. What happens later to Midhat and Jeanette is an aggregate of jealousy, betrayal and power. 


This is one of the most intriguing and dynamic sagas of the Palestinian struggle for independence, spanning nations and decades. I struggled initially to get through the initial few pages, but once I did, it was a journey to remember. Not to forget the beautifully written characters and emotions, this book has some of the most brilliant quotes and lines ever. 


I, however, was looking forward to more of Jeanette's side than Kamal's, and my heart ached every time I read their letters. However, this book may not work for people who are fond of twists and turns or expect a fast-moving story. It's a tale that is simmered to bring out its essence to the fullest and is more character-driven than story-driven. It's made for people who savour evocative language with lengthy descriptions and patience-testing, non-disclosing narratives. Though I loved most of it, I still needed more from the book, maybe because I expected a regular 'this-or-that' ending as in every book. But it's a story taken from someone's life and is bound to be the way it was made. And I absolutely have no regrets. 



MY REVIEW: 4/5

This is a part of Blogchatter’s #TBRchallenge

#penbooksandscalpel

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