Review by lavenderbooks20 -- Divided World

Justine Ocsebio · Post by **Justine Ocsebio** » 12 Sep 2020, 01:41

[Following is a volunteer review of "Divided World" by Kenneth Pickering.]

4 out of 4 stars

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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.

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Divided World
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pablo10 · Post by **pablo10** » 14 Sep 2020, 04:45

I have never read a play compilation but this seems not only interesting, but also informative. Thank you for the wonderful detailed review.

rahilshajahan · Post by **rahilshajahan** » 14 Sep 2020, 10:13

Wow! I actually saw this book in my review roster and thought of reading later. Seems like that was a bad idea; the plays are so powerful and emotional. Thanks for your eye-opening review!

honesty_pays · Post by **honesty_pays** » 16 Sep 2020, 08:44

A short and informative read the touch as many angles especially the middle east. Nice review

Rodel Barnachea · Post by **Rodel Barnachea** » 16 Sep 2020, 23:21

One thing I like about pieces of literature is the realism it contains and depicts; I am glad to know that this book realistically shows how its characters think, feel, and act.

Justine Ocsebio · Post by **Justine Ocsebio** » 29 Sep 2020, 19:50

pablo10 wrote: ↑14 Sep 2020, 04:45 I have never read a play compilation but this seems not only interesting, but also informative. Thank you for the wonderful detailed review.

Thanks for the comment!

Justine Ocsebio · Post by **Justine Ocsebio** » 29 Sep 2020, 22:19

rahilshajahan wrote: ↑14 Sep 2020, 10:13 Wow! I actually saw this book in my review roster and thought of reading later. Seems like that was a bad idea; the plays are so powerful and emotional. Thanks for your eye-opening review!

I hope you give it a shot. Thanks for the comment!

MeganDJ · Post by **MeganDJ** » 29 Sep 2020, 23:17

I can honestly say that I haven't read anything like this book you described. Maybe I should give it a try, your review certainly encourages it! Thank you so much for your detailed review. Happy reading

Justine Ocsebio · Post by **Justine Ocsebio** » 30 Sep 2020, 01:23

MeganDJ wrote: ↑29 Sep 2020, 23:17 I can honestly say that I haven't read anything like this book you described. Maybe I should give it a try, your review certainly encourages it! Thank you so much for your detailed review. Happy reading

This book is definitely worth a try if one wants to branch out to a different genre. Thanks for stopping by!

Drado_27 · Post by **Drado_27** » 30 Sep 2020, 02:57

Insightful review! I planned on reading this one, but plays can be hard to understand!

Justine Ocsebio · Post by **Justine Ocsebio** » 30 Sep 2020, 17:39

aaurba wrote: ↑16 Sep 2020, 23:21 One thing I like about pieces of literature is the realism it contains and depicts; I am glad to know that this book realistically shows how its characters think, feel, and act.

Thanks for stopping by!

Justine Ocsebio · Post by **Justine Ocsebio** » 30 Sep 2020, 19:57

honesty_pays wrote: ↑16 Sep 2020, 08:44 A short and informative read the touch as many angles especially the middle east. Nice review

Thanks for the comment!

Justine Ocsebio · Post by **Justine Ocsebio** » 01 Oct 2020, 06:35

Drado_27 wrote: ↑30 Sep 2020, 02:57 Insightful review! I planned on reading this one, but plays can be hard to understand!

I can totally understand how some may find plays difficult to understand. Thanks for stopping by!

AbhyarnaAman · Post by **AbhyarnaAman** » 10 Oct 2020, 22:46

This is one of the best reviews I have read so far. The book seems quite compelling. I had read a book based on political unrest in middle east. It is unfortunate to know the plight of civillians their. I am sure this book conveys this message well. Congratulations for your wonderful review!!!!

AbhyarnaAman · Post by **AbhyarnaAman** » 10 Oct 2020, 22:47

pablo10 wrote: ↑14 Sep 2020, 04:45 I have never read a play compilation but this seems not only interesting, but also informative. Thank you for the wonderful detailed review.

I too would love to read a book of this format.