Book Review: Chains of Sand by Jemma Wayne

About:
Chains of Sand by Jemma Wayne is a novel about the recent Gaza War. Ms. Wayne was  shortlisted for The Guardian’s 2016 Not the Booker Prize.

My rat­ing for Chains of Sand — 5
Buy Chains of Sand from Amazon.com*
More Books by Jemma Wayne

Thoughts:
Chains of Sand by Jemma Wayne tells of the recent Gaza War with a bunch of loosely connected stories. Ms. Wayne concentrated on the families of Israelis and Palestinians affected by the conflict from near or far.

The common denominator for all those characters is the feeling of displacement and disconnect. They are disillusioned with their lives and want something more meaningful from life than what their lives currently are.

The author writes about the challenges of living in the region for both Jews and Arabs, especially for young people who struggle with identity and family. Most people in their 20s, who are starting to discover individuality and how to balance their wants against the families’ wishes struggle with their decisions. On top of that, add the daily pressure of living in a political pressure plate.

The author does not shy away from the emotional price one has to pay living in a war zone. The narrative is beautiful, easy to read and understand despite the complexity of the issues.

Synopsis:
Udi is a 26 year old Israeli man of Iraqi origin. Even though he served in the IDF, Udi is frequently treated as an unwanted entity in Israeli society by those who don’t know him.

Daniel, a London banker in his late 20s feels a strong connection to Israel. Despite his family’s pleads and fears, Daniel plans to leave London and create a life in Israel.

Dara, a young Jewish teenager falls in love with Kaseem, a Muslim living in Jerusalem. Both Dara and Kaseem love art and understand each other’s desire to create.

Buy Chains of Sand from Amazon.com*
More Books by Jemma Wayne

Zohar — Man of la Book
Dis­claimer: I got this book for free.
*Ama­zon links point to an affil­i­ate account