Reviews

Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad

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lindserature's review

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Sonia returns to her motherland Palestine after years away to escape some messy romantic entanglements and reconnect with her roots, in particular her sister. While there, she reluctantly joins the cast of a production of HAMLET, quickly falling under the spell of her fellow actors. She experiences violence, confusion, and discoveries of the parts of herself she thought she’d left behind.

I loved the backdrop of Palestine in this novel. While the locale is obviously a hot topic right now, I appreciated that this was more of a story about a woman’s nostalgia for better days while visiting her homeland (and therefore, in some ways, a metaphor for Palestine itself) rather than an overt attempt to take on modern issues in the area.

However, reading this book did feel like a chore. I had a mental block preventing me from picking it up, which may have been due to my lack of interest in its characters — who, despite being interesting on the surface, have no real depth or motivation, perhaps because there are so many of them — or another aspect of the story that I can’t quite put my finger on. I could only stomach a chapter or two at a time, which typically isn’t the case for me.

Positive note though: This book encouraged me to do some more digging into Palestine and its history, which is always a good thing! Overall, I get why this was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize, but it does not have my vote for the win. Three stars.

maaa_aaam's review

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informative reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes

4.25

mayphoenix7992's review against another edition

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emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

4,5⭐️

What beautiful book, one of my favourite of the year. "Enter Ghost" is one of these books which stay with you long after the last page has been turned. The intricate and sensitive writing was superb. The heavy and raw writing exhibiting the daily life of Palestinians under Israeli occupation was rich in details and *lived* experience.