This book features fourteen of the Palestinian diaspora’s best voices in speculative fiction. From two girls trying to make their way to Jerusalem to men in Gaza swimming in the sea chasing freedom, this book covers many imaginative and heartfelt stories. Speculative fiction is a genre that invites a reconstruction of reality, and, in this book, each story is a portal into folklore and hopefulness for a better future.

Each person’s profile was unique in its own way and showcased different aspects of Palestinian culture. This book was well-written and put together well. I really liked the way it subtly touched on different aspects of Palestine’s history. The book also included many positive themes like resilience, trust, and optimism. I would warn that it also included some heavier themes as well. All the short stories were written by Palestinian authors which is great, but some of the stories did leave me a little confused content-wise since I expected all the stories to center Palestine heavily.

In one of the stories in the book, the protagonist’s grandmother was called Teta Hind. This made me stop reading for a moment and wonder if it was intentional given how recently this book was published. The name Hind reminded me of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old girl who rocked the whole world when she was horrifically shot at 355 times by the Israeli IOF after being trapped in a car with her family, killing them all. The solemn nature of this book made for a sad read but it’s definitely widened my appreciation for speculative fiction.

This read is perfect for those who want to learn about aspects of Palestine through fiction. I loved some stories a lot more than others, mostly because I’m more of a fan of realistic fiction rather than fantasy, but given I chose to read the book knowing this, it won’t affect my rating too much. Also, I imagine that the glossary at the end will help those unfamiliar with the Arabic language to understand some of the words used. I recommend this sombre yet enjoyable read.