If there's one thing I love about this book is in the mundane lives of the characters, the intricate weaving of a community and how each and everyone of us is connected in their own ways. And to me, this book is perfect at a time like this - a time where Falestinians are seen as one collective being, a symbol of grief and horror. But this story, its an insight that they are more than just a collective symbol. This story puts a name to every single person, of them making mistakes, of them having dreams and inspirations, of them being in love, of them building up a family, of them having flaws. Its of them being human.

Written in an interconnected-short stories format, we follow the lives of Christinian-Palestinians who has started and lived their lives in Baltimore.

Firstly, I loved how diverse and different all the stories are. And its fun to see how they connect with one another. But on top of it all, I loved how each and every one of them, even in that small community that they lived in, are different from one another. Each characters has their own uniqueness and its just very mundane. Its the way that they were portrayed as any other neighbour that we can have, in which shows us that, they are all humans just like anyone of us. Some of the stories will leave you gasping in shock and will definitely take you by surprise. And some, will rip your heart open and make you cry. This variety of emotions through the characters that has grasped you from the very start of the story makes it such a wonderful read. Its eye opening but its also, just very mundane.

Out of all the stories, there were two that had me bawling and sobbing - Worry Beads, on complex relationships between families and how women were treated, and Escorting the Body Home, where I was both pissed and sad for the character.

But again, Darraj had done such a splendid job in showing the complex relationships between humans, and the struggles for the newer generation of a displaced community, living in a place that was home to them but not for the older generations. I liked that it was subtly interwoven in the stories and it was brought up in ways that showed that, the sense of belonging and home, it can be just a concept to them too and not something that is embodied.

Overall, this collection is endearing to me at most. I devoured it in one seating and it had changed my view in how we see them not just as a cause, but as humans. The fight for the right to stay and live as humans. From the river to sea, Falestine will be free.

4.5🌟 overall

Thank you to Times Reads for the copy! I truly appreciate it.