Sometimes you walk two steps and find yourself
two alleys away, two gates away,
two hills away, two seas away,
two continents away,
or seven heavens away.
In this taut and heartbreaking debut novel, a Palestinian teenager comes of age amid escalating violence in Jerusalem. After their friend Hassan is killed by an Israeli, Aziz and Mustafa are shaken to their core, drawn into the orbit of Hassan's father—a respected community leader known for his charity and fiery speeches—as they grapple with grief, guilt, and an uncertain future. As Aziz's forbidden feelings for Dafna, a Jewish girl, deepen and his mother searches for a way to secure his safety, he's forced to confront painful truths about loss, survival, and what it means to find hope amid the ruins.
Sometimes you walk two steps and find yourself
two alleys away, two gates away,
two hills away, two seas away,
two continents away,
or seven heavens away.
In this taut and heartbreaking debut novel, a Palestinian teenager comes of age amid escalating violence in Jerusalem. After their friend Hassan is killed by an Israeli, Aziz and Mustafa are shaken to their core, drawn into the orbit of Hassan's father—a respected community leader known for his charity and fiery speeches—as they grapple with grief, guilt, and an uncertain future. As Aziz's forbidden feelings for Dafna, a Jewish girl, deepen and his mother searches for a way to secure his safety, he's forced to confront painful truths about loss, survival, and what it means to find hope amid the ruins.
| Published By | House of Anansi Press Inc — Feb 3, 2026 |
| Specifications | 328 pages | 5.25 in x 8 in |
| Keywords | Martyr; Immigration; Books About Immigration; Palestinian Canadian; Books for Boys; Books for Boys; Books About the 2010s; YA; Middle Eastern Lit; BIPOC; A Minor Detail; Adania Shibli; Dome of the Rock; Al-Aqsa Mosque; Old City; Al Jazeera; Contemporary Historical Fiction; Nakba; |
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Excerpt |
| Written By |
ASHRAF ZAGHAL is a Palestinian Canadian author who was born and raised in Jerusalem. He has published four poetry collections, and his work has been translated into English, French, and Hebrew. He is an editor of an online magazine focused on progressive literature and translation. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. |
| Written By |
|
ASHRAF ZAGHAL is a Palestinian Canadian author who was born and raised in Jerusalem. He has published four poetry collections, and his work has been translated into English, French, and Hebrew. He is an editor of an online magazine focused on progressive literature and translation. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. |
“Gritty and nuanced … An auspicious first outing.” — Publishers Weekly
“An assured and superbly crafted novel.” — California Review of Books
“A debut novel that is nuanced, searing, and unforgettable.” —Saeed Teebi, author of Her First Palestinian and You Will Not Kill Our Imagination
”“Beautiful and complex … The tension in Ashraf Zaghal’s prose is palpable … A remarkable debut.” —Jessica Johns, author of Bad Cree
”“An engrossing and enraging addition to the growing canon of Palestinian Canadian fiction.” —Aaron Kreuter, author of Lake Burntshore
”“A fierce and beautiful novel.” —David Bergen, author of Away from the Dead
”“A beautifully written and moving novel about Palestinian life in occupied Jerusalem … A powerful debut.” —Ghassan Zeineddine, author of Dearborn
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