Sabra Zoo by Mischa Hiller

Sabra Zoo

Mischa Hiller

I really found it hard to put this book down. It draws you in to the world of the young Ivan and you really care about what happens to him. He's vunerable and innocent - trying to live up to his famous father's reputation and be the man. His duel life – part medical volunteer in war-torn Beruit, part PLO messenger adds to the sense of impending drama as the story moves inexorably towards its climax. A powerful book.

Extract
Four men, one of them Samir, were rushing into the lobby with a stretcher. A shrieking teenage boy was on it, his right leg ending below the knee in a stub of bone and blackened flesh. His left leg was intact but a bloody pulp .... 'We''ll have to remove this one,' Asha said, as if she was talking about an offending hangnail, holding up the frayed left leg which was attached by only skin and flesh to the knee. The cameraman had zoomed in at this point, filling his viewfinder with gore. He lowered the camera. There were tears streaking his cheeks.
Parallels
  • The Madman of Freedom Square by Hassan Blasim
  • A Girl Made of Dust by Nathalie Abi-Ezzi
  • De Niro's Game by Rawi Hage