Review by lavenderbooks20 -- Divided World
Posted: 12 Sep 2020, 01:41
[Following is a volunteer review of "Divided World" by Kenneth Pickering.]
Divided World: Plays of Occupation and Dispossession is a compilation of modern plays written by Hannah Khalil, Kate Al Hadid, and Hassan Abdulrazzak. This book comes with an introduction by the editor, Kenneth Pickering, that involves a little history, a summary of the overall theme and the motivation behind writing it. This anthology provides insight into the culture and social politics in the Middle East, the plight of the refugees, and the generations that come after them.
The book has playwrights’ profiles attached to their works. It provides insight into their background and understanding of the message they are trying to convey. This book is a quick read. But there is already a lot to learn in 186 pages.
I like the way this book interprets relevant issues through dialogue exchange. One of my favorites is ”The Several Beheadings of Ashraf Fayadh” by Hassan Abdulrazzak that pays homage to Ashraf Fayadh, a Palestinian poet and art curator who was sentenced to death by a Saudi court for committing apostasy on November 15. It was then reduced to eighty years of imprisonment and eight hundred lashes after it gained traction in a global campaign. I thoroughly enjoyed this particular play because the author told a deeply meaningful narrative infused with wit.
”The Ship No One Wanted (A Monologue)” is another favorite of mine in this anthology. It follows Reem, a woman in her early 30s, who becomes a refugee after fleeing from her home in Syria. Raw and immensely moving, this play made me realize the reality of war and the socio-political conflict in the Middle East, and how it gravely affects the civilians caught in the midst of it all.
The strength of this book is also in its characters; they feel, act, and think realistically. They are powerful in a way that you could almost hear their voices when you read them. Additionally, the incorporation of history, satire, and drama makes an emotionally compelling piece. The dialogues flow smoothly, and the stage directions are clear.
I give this book 4 out of 4 stars. In my opinion, this book is successful in teaching about history and the Middle Eastern conflict in a creative way. I would recommend this to anyone who might not have a problem with reading plays and would love to get into the premise of this book. However, I do not recommend this to children due to a lot of explicit language and sexual scenes. This was professionally edited as I only found a couple of minor typographical errors.
******
Divided World
View: on Bookshelves
Divided World: Plays of Occupation and Dispossession is a compilation of modern plays written by Hannah Khalil, Kate Al Hadid, and Hassan Abdulrazzak. This book comes with an introduction by the editor, Kenneth Pickering, that involves a little history, a summary of the overall theme and the motivation behind writing it. This anthology provides insight into the culture and social politics in the Middle East, the plight of the refugees, and the generations that come after them.
The book has playwrights’ profiles attached to their works. It provides insight into their background and understanding of the message they are trying to convey. This book is a quick read. But there is already a lot to learn in 186 pages.
I like the way this book interprets relevant issues through dialogue exchange. One of my favorites is ”The Several Beheadings of Ashraf Fayadh” by Hassan Abdulrazzak that pays homage to Ashraf Fayadh, a Palestinian poet and art curator who was sentenced to death by a Saudi court for committing apostasy on November 15. It was then reduced to eighty years of imprisonment and eight hundred lashes after it gained traction in a global campaign. I thoroughly enjoyed this particular play because the author told a deeply meaningful narrative infused with wit.
”The Ship No One Wanted (A Monologue)” is another favorite of mine in this anthology. It follows Reem, a woman in her early 30s, who becomes a refugee after fleeing from her home in Syria. Raw and immensely moving, this play made me realize the reality of war and the socio-political conflict in the Middle East, and how it gravely affects the civilians caught in the midst of it all.
The strength of this book is also in its characters; they feel, act, and think realistically. They are powerful in a way that you could almost hear their voices when you read them. Additionally, the incorporation of history, satire, and drama makes an emotionally compelling piece. The dialogues flow smoothly, and the stage directions are clear.
I give this book 4 out of 4 stars. In my opinion, this book is successful in teaching about history and the Middle Eastern conflict in a creative way. I would recommend this to anyone who might not have a problem with reading plays and would love to get into the premise of this book. However, I do not recommend this to children due to a lot of explicit language and sexual scenes. This was professionally edited as I only found a couple of minor typographical errors.
******
Divided World
View: on Bookshelves
