About the Night by
Anat Taslshir, translated by Evan Fallenberg, is a Romeo and Juliet type of
love story where two lovers are torn apart by family, religion and war. The
story opens in 2006 as Elias Riani is in the hospital. He is visited by a young
woman, Nomi. The story flashbacks to 1947 where Elias meets the beautiful Lila.
Despite the rising tensions in their country, the two fall in love and
eventually secretly marry. Their life together is torn apart on November 29,
1947 when the General Assembly of the UN had divvied the country into two. One
half becomes the country of Israel and the other the country of Palestine. Lila
is now trapped in the country of Israel as she is Jewish and Elias is in Palestine
as he is Arab. As tension continue to rise between the Jews and the Arabs,
suspicions about Elias and Lila’s relationship begin to arise and soon the two
are torn apart by politics and age-old prejudices. Will the Elias and Lila ever
have a life together? Or will they forever be keep apart?
About the Night is
a beautiful love story about two people torn about by politics and prejudices.
The descriptions by Ms. Taslshir are beautifully written, almost like poetry,
that you can feel yourself there with Lila as she hides during bombings or with
Elias as he waits for death. My favorite quote is from a minor character but
carries such power. Munir says “Nobody can bring peace here…It has to come from
this place, from the people.” This is so true as peace in the Middle East must
come from within the hearts and minds of the people, not from foreign
dignitaries or war. I highly recommend About
the Night!
About the Night
Is available on
Amazon
In paperback $14.95
And with Kindle
Unlimited
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