Review: The Sunbird by Sara Haddad

The Sunbird is a short and beautifully written novella of a heartbreaking loss. It is also a call for compassion. Nabila Yasmeen is a quirky woman in her eighties, living in Australia. An avid gardener, she keeps her plants in pots because she cannot bear to put them in the ground. She regularly attends protests and has many friends.

And she was born in Palestine.

The short novella moves between two timelines, showing Nabila's life in Australia and her childhood in Palestine--a place that she and her family were forced to flee. As an adult she regularly attends protests, asking for her people to be recognised. To be free.

And that is the story.

It is a gentle call to protest, and to protect the rights of all, reminding us of the people and the humanity behind the headlines. I don't have words that feel appropriate or sufficient to describe the terrible thing that we have seen in Gaza the past few years, but this story presents one simple truth. People just want to live their lives in peace.

Recommended. 

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