THE BOOK OF DISAPPEARANCE BY IBTISAM AZEM, TRANSLATED FROM THE ARABIC BY SINAN ANTOON

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BOOK NAME: THE BOOK OF DISAPPEARANCE

AUTHOR NAME: IBTISAM AZEM, TRANSLATED FROM THE ARABIC BY SINAN ANTOON

GENRE: POLITICAL FICTION 

PUBLISHER: SIMON AND SCHUSTER

BOOK BUY LINK: https://amzn.in/d/01LK6uj

BOOK RATING: 5/5


BOOK COVER IMAGE





BOOK REVIEW

Though I don’t talk much about Palestine these days, I keep thinking about it. In the last year, there has not been a day when I haven’t searched actively about what’s happening in Palestine and its people. When the situation gets out of hand, all we can do is to educate ourselves and share our voices. And so, I picked a book that will help my cause, which is The Book of Disappearance by Ibtisam Azem.


Alaa is grieving the loss of his grandmother who lived like a refugee in her own land. He reflects on their days in Jaffa, his father’s passing and the struggles his people faced in the hands of the IDF. On the other hand, Ariel, Alaa’s neighbour and friend, who is a liberal Zionist is stunned by the sudden disappearance of the Palestinians, including his friend. The doubts settle upon the Israeli government who in turn suspect the powerless Palestinians of planning an attack against them. But, where could they have gone? And what are they planning? Will Israel finally be at peace now that the Palestinians have disappeared? Read this stunning novella to find it yourself. 


This was a short yet sublime story, and the narrative is intriguing throughout. It conveys what it has to with the least number of characters and without being excessively long. It’s a book that will stay with you for a long time because of its evocativeness. The only drawback is that the timeline could be confusing as the narrative hops between Alaa’s grief and Ariel’s quest for the missing Palestinians. But otherwise, it stands out in every possible way and is a must-read. 


This is a part of #BlogchatterHalfMarathon

#penbooksandscalpel



Comments

  1. SaadiqueNovember 6, 2025 at 7:39 AM

    Thank you for recommending this book. As someone equally concerned about the ongoing situation in Palestine, I truly appreciate how this story sheds light on loss, identity, and erasure in such a powerful way.

    ReplyDelete

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