Intră stafia

Sonia Nasir is a London-based actor of 38. She faces trouble in her life and work. In 2017, she returns to Haifa after more than ten years away. Her father grew up there. Her older sister, Haneen, still lives there. Sonia hopes to renew their bond and face her own past.

Through Haneen, Sonia meets Mariam Mansour, who directs plays. Mariam plans to stage Shakespeare’s Hamlet on a large scale. She will stage it in the West Bank. She uses the play to explore the Palestinian cause. Sonia takes the role of Gertrude. At first, she doubts Mariam’s view of the play. The cast debates the text and rehearses, and Sonia’s views shift. She starts to link the play to the Palestinian fight for freedom.

Isabella Hammad’s novel joins family ties and theatre with life under occupation. It explores exile and the loss of one’s home. It asks who people are and how they cope with hardship. It also explores their need to belong. Sonia’s own past meets the wider history of Palestine. The characters use art to face what still haunts them. The story asks how people can keep their dignity under occupation. It is for readers drawn to tales of theatre and belonging. It also speaks to those drawn to fiction about political life.

George Volceanov translated this edition from English. He also wrote the notes. The novel was a finalist for the Women’s Prize for Fiction.