Minor Detail by Adania Shibli
The novel explores the haunting legacy of violence and occupation through two parallel narratives set decades apart. The first part recounts a brutal incident in 1949, where a young Palestinian girl is raped and murdered by Israeli soldiers in the Negev desert. The second part follows a contemporary Palestinian woman who becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind this atrocity. As she delves deeper into the past, her journey underscores the enduring impact of historical trauma and the pervasive sense of displacement experienced by Palestinians. The narrative intertwines themes of memory, identity, and the relentless search for justice.
The 3177th greatest book of all time
- Published
- 2017
- Nationality
- Palestinian
- Length
- Very Short
- Pages
- 100-150
- Original Language
- Arabic
- Avg User Rating
-
(3.3)
- Alternate Titles
-
- Een Klein Detail
- Eine Nebensache
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This book is on the following 8 lists:
- 91st on Truelit's 100 Best Books of the Quarter Century (/r/truelit)
- 100th on The Greatest Books of 2024 - Honorable Mention (The Greatest Books)
- 103rd on The Greatest Books of 2023 - Honorable Mention (The Greatest Books)
- A Century of World Literature 1925 - 2025 (Der Spiegel)
- Honi’s 100 Best Books of the 21st century (Honi Soit)
- Not the NYT list: 100 fine books from around the world (and not just the USA) of the 21st century (The Bookshop Inc)
- The 100 Best Novels Of All Time (Runners-Up) (The Guardian)
- What the New York Times Missed: 71 More of the Best Books of the 21st Century (Lit Hub)