New review: Susan Muaddi Darraj’s ‘A Curious Land’

The Electronic Intifada, 13th June 2016

A Curious Land begins in 1916 with a group of Bedouin refugees fleeing the violence and famine which wreaked havoc across the Levant during the First World War.
Although many of the characters encountered in this first story are subsequently never mentioned again, the way they are presented is key to how Palestine is seen and conceptualized. The borders which rigidly divide the modern Middle East are meaningless; this small band of survivors passes from the Jordanian town of al-Salt (closely linked to Nablus through trade and familial connections since the 18th century), across the Galilee and into what is now Lebanon.
The members of the group, although bound by family ties, are also from diverse origins: one mentions a European slave in her ancestry, another lays claim to Roma blood in explaining her gypsy-like skills in healing. This is an image of “Palestinian-ness” which is generous and inclusive.

The full article is here.