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Asad's Secret
A window into a world most people see depicted only in seconds-long news reports, one that we all should look through in order to recognize the genuine humanity within.
Asad lives in Gaza, in a tiny house, on a narrow street pocked by half-destroyed buildings, in a camp that looks shabby to him and feels claustrophobic. He walks virtually the same route every day to his summer job at a printing press, passing the prison that holds his father, for reasons that have not been fully explained to him. As the oldest son, he feels the weight of responsibility for his seven brothers, his sisters, and his Ummi, who wants him to study hard and excel in school, as all mothers do. Moody and reserved Asad has few friends, and fewer distractions. Thank goodness for Um Fawzi, a feisty, cigarette-smoking old woman, who’s the only one who seems willing to tell it like it is, sharply enough, and with a biting sense of humor that snaps him out of his fog sometimes. There’s also Houriya, a lovely and smart girl, who brings him books to read and sometimes prompts him to think about a future that he can’t truly imagine. There seems to be no escaping. But Asad has a secret, too, a mysterious black bag that holds something important that he keeps hidden from everyone.
This rare novel by and about Palestinians showcases this boy whose life is never easy, even as it’s filled with the longing, the bruised hopes, and the frustrations of any seventeen-year-old.
Translated by Sawad Hussain, who was a Princeton translator in residence and has won numerous awards for her work.
Asad lives in Gaza, in a tiny house, on a narrow street pocked by half-destroyed buildings, in a camp that looks shabby to him and feels claustrophobic. He walks virtually the same route every day to his summer job at a printing press, passing the prison that holds his father, for reasons that have not been fully explained to him. As the oldest son, he feels the weight of responsibility for his seven brothers, his sisters, and his Ummi, who wants him to study hard and excel in school, as all mothers do. Moody and reserved Asad has few friends, and fewer distractions. Thank goodness for Um Fawzi, a feisty, cigarette-smoking old woman, who’s the only one who seems willing to tell it like it is, sharply enough, and with a biting sense of humor that snaps him out of his fog sometimes. There’s also Houriya, a lovely and smart girl, who brings him books to read and sometimes prompts him to think about a future that he can’t truly imagine. There seems to be no escaping. But Asad has a secret, too, a mysterious black bag that holds something important that he keeps hidden from everyone.
This rare novel by and about Palestinians showcases this boy whose life is never easy, even as it’s filled with the longing, the bruised hopes, and the frustrations of any seventeen-year-old.
Translated by Sawad Hussain, who was a Princeton translator in residence and has won numerous awards for her work.
155 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 23, 2026
23/6/26: omg literally started crying towards the end, what a book!! Rtc
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16/6/26: cr the Audio ARC! this book sounds so important.
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16/6/26: cr the Audio ARC! this book sounds so important.
June 30, 2026
Life in Gaza, as a Gaza has always been complicated since the Israeli occupation began. And Sumud takes its path to instill that fight in different ways to all Gazas children. At first I found myself uncomfortable with the disdain it seemed Assad felt for the prison he saw himself in, but that anger needed to develop into Pride, and that pride instills in him the drive to see the world, but to return someday. That concept of Al-Awda, the return is underlying the complexity of Asad’s relationship to family and homeland, and Um Fawzi was a key figure in fostering that connection in Asad. I gained much in perspective through this glimpse into young adulthood in the concentration camp that has been Gaza for decades now, and am glad Sawad Hussein pushed to be able to translate and publish this in English so that I could grow in kinship with those from The oppressed Gaza Strip so far away, and yet so connected to the contemporary moment right now in 2026 [2023 and ongoing].
June 14, 2026
Starting in 2011, Asad’s Secret follows a few years in the life of Asad, a teenage boy living in Gaza. As the eldest son, and with his father in prison, Asad shoulders a lot of responsibility when it comes to his family.
Asad is a really angry and frustrated young man, and the author doesn’t shy away or hold back from letting the readers know this. At times it was hard to read because Asad didn’t let himself enjoy anything, and sometimes went so far as to berate himself if he started to feel joy about something.
The only person that Asad truly felt at peace with was Um Fawzi, an elderly woman who lives in the same refugee camp. Um Fawzi tells it like it is, and refuses to let Asad treat her with anything but respect. She was definitely my favourite character and aspect of the whole book. She plays such a pivotal role in Asad’s life and journey, and it was lovely to see such a profound relationship between the two.
Asad’s Secret is a very low stakes novel and at times felt almost like a stream of consciousness from Asad, despite being told in the third person. There were some flashbacks and anecdotes that could have benefited from extra formatting like being italics because as it was sometimes it was difficult to tell which parts of the story were happening in the past.
The ending was both sad and hopeful, with Asad going through some great changes in his life in a short period of time. I do have to say I would have loved to see more of his character growth because the Asad we see at the end is a kinder more gentle person with dreams and ambitions for himself and his family compared to the Asad from the beginning.
Thank you Levine Querido for the review copy!
Asad is a really angry and frustrated young man, and the author doesn’t shy away or hold back from letting the readers know this. At times it was hard to read because Asad didn’t let himself enjoy anything, and sometimes went so far as to berate himself if he started to feel joy about something.
The only person that Asad truly felt at peace with was Um Fawzi, an elderly woman who lives in the same refugee camp. Um Fawzi tells it like it is, and refuses to let Asad treat her with anything but respect. She was definitely my favourite character and aspect of the whole book. She plays such a pivotal role in Asad’s life and journey, and it was lovely to see such a profound relationship between the two.
Asad’s Secret is a very low stakes novel and at times felt almost like a stream of consciousness from Asad, despite being told in the third person. There were some flashbacks and anecdotes that could have benefited from extra formatting like being italics because as it was sometimes it was difficult to tell which parts of the story were happening in the past.
The ending was both sad and hopeful, with Asad going through some great changes in his life in a short period of time. I do have to say I would have loved to see more of his character growth because the Asad we see at the end is a kinder more gentle person with dreams and ambitions for himself and his family compared to the Asad from the beginning.
Thank you Levine Querido for the review copy!
June 27, 2026
Thank you NetGalley + the publisher for this ARC!
I liked the plot of this book and the themes covered in here. A part which I didn’t like and made me almost DNFed it is the use of bad language. Those words were completely unnecessary, and the novel would have been just as good WITHOUT the language.
I liked the plot of this book and the themes covered in here. A part which I didn’t like and made me almost DNFed it is the use of bad language. Those words were completely unnecessary, and the novel would have been just as good WITHOUT the language.
June 18, 2026
Refuge life in Gaza is miserable for teen Asad. His dad is in prison and his mom is raising their large family in two rooms with scarce resources. Is education the way out of his poverty? A coming of age story made distinctive by the Palestinian setting. Earc from Edelweiss.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Asad’s Secret: A Novel of Gaza is a short 150-page novella that revolves around 17-year old Asad and his everyday life and aspirations as an eldest child in a brood of eight living in the city of Gaza as refugees. Early on in the book, Asad’s issues and conflicts are introduced: his father is in jail, leaving his mother to take care of all of them, he thinks the city is too small for his dreams, he fails to connect with the other boys his age and his best friend is an old lady selling cigarettes, and there’s a girl he wants to know more of but he doesn’t know how.
I requested this title because the author Najlaa Attaalah is a Palestinian who came from Gaza and I thought the book will highlight what life looks like in the city. I believe the book achieves this, with vivid descriptions through Asad’s eyes.
This is the first time I read something translated from Arabic so I’m uncertain if the writing aspects I raise here are brought from the original text or from the translation. I found the writing is too mechanical and expository at many instances. There’s a show-not-tell quality that was most evident in the way the book introduces Asad’s seven siblings through italicized paragraphs of his personal thoughts on each of them – detailing their age, traits, etc. , instead of showing how they interact naturally and letting the readers make their own perception of the characters.
While the book is written in third person POV, it frequently switches around Asad’s inner thoughts, his questions to the air, and a lot of his self-monologues, making me wonder why the author did not opt for a first person POV in the first place to make it more consistent.
Asad’s situation feeds into his character as a frustrated teen who feels limited on what he wants to do and achieve. There are moments when he acts different from the expectation of him as an eldest son, and in many moments I thought he was a bit immature and arrogant for his age of 17. There’s a scene where he jokes to his mother about her having a lot more kids if his father were not in jail. Her mother then explains the hard circumstances of their marriage but Asad still goes on, implying that their misfortune and poverty is a direct result of their decisions. This never gets addressed again.
Asad’s character develops throughout the novel through his discovery of books, particularly of Paulo Coelho’s and Gibran’s. I found this inconsistent since he emphasized that he and his siblings are academic achievers, with him saying that he’s not interested in football or any typical interests of boys his age, but he hasn’t gone to the library ever before.
Overall, Asad’s Secret centers on the messy frustrations and questions of a teenager living in Gaza and is dreaming of a better life out of it. I really wanted to like this but the clunky writing style distracted me from doing so. Nevertheless, the novella does provide a glimpse into a life in Gaza and the things that keep people going, despite everything.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of the book.
I requested this title because the author Najlaa Attaalah is a Palestinian who came from Gaza and I thought the book will highlight what life looks like in the city. I believe the book achieves this, with vivid descriptions through Asad’s eyes.
This is the first time I read something translated from Arabic so I’m uncertain if the writing aspects I raise here are brought from the original text or from the translation. I found the writing is too mechanical and expository at many instances. There’s a show-not-tell quality that was most evident in the way the book introduces Asad’s seven siblings through italicized paragraphs of his personal thoughts on each of them – detailing their age, traits, etc. , instead of showing how they interact naturally and letting the readers make their own perception of the characters.
While the book is written in third person POV, it frequently switches around Asad’s inner thoughts, his questions to the air, and a lot of his self-monologues, making me wonder why the author did not opt for a first person POV in the first place to make it more consistent.
Asad’s situation feeds into his character as a frustrated teen who feels limited on what he wants to do and achieve. There are moments when he acts different from the expectation of him as an eldest son, and in many moments I thought he was a bit immature and arrogant for his age of 17. There’s a scene where he jokes to his mother about her having a lot more kids if his father were not in jail. Her mother then explains the hard circumstances of their marriage but Asad still goes on, implying that their misfortune and poverty is a direct result of their decisions. This never gets addressed again.
Asad’s character develops throughout the novel through his discovery of books, particularly of Paulo Coelho’s and Gibran’s. I found this inconsistent since he emphasized that he and his siblings are academic achievers, with him saying that he’s not interested in football or any typical interests of boys his age, but he hasn’t gone to the library ever before.
Overall, Asad’s Secret centers on the messy frustrations and questions of a teenager living in Gaza and is dreaming of a better life out of it. I really wanted to like this but the clunky writing style distracted me from doing so. Nevertheless, the novella does provide a glimpse into a life in Gaza and the things that keep people going, despite everything.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of the book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
On one hand, I think there are probably a fair number of things in here for which simple/direct translation was not enough. For example, you can translate a phrase, but it's much harder to carry over context such as cultural points of reference (there are several explicitly referenced works of prose and poetry, and I expect that there are more that I simply didn't pick up on because I don't know the original works well enough). I also would have liked more descriptions of things, because I lack the context to imagine them, and because it seemed like we spent most of the novel with Asad's thoughts. He spends a lot of time walking from place to place and reflecting. Is that intentional? Maybe, as there's a passage about walking for utilitarian reasons and walking for personal pleasure. As a novel, though, I really wanted more connective tissue.
As other reviewers have noted, the writing style was a bit choppy. We jump around through time in a way that didn't do much to clarify things for me. Asad's kind of awful to his mother and thinks very little of being cruel to her, though at other times he thought about how she was special and unique because she wanted more for her children. Really? She's the only one who wants her children to be happy and successful? That felt like an odd assertion. At any rate, the way Asad treated his mom throughout this story made it pretty hard for me to root for his romance with the cute girl from the library.
There were parts of this I really liked, and other parts that felt so disjointed that I wasn't sure what to make of them. I truly don't know how much is down to translation of literal language vs. context, but I found myself struggling to get through this despite its length. I'm glad we're getting a few more Palestinian voices in the mix, and I'm not of the mindset that every book or work needs to grapple with the larger social issues (as opposed to exploring personal life). However, since this book explicitly DOES try to grapple with those things, I wish there had been more meat to hold it together.
This didn't impact my rating, but just a final thought: this book strongly implies that Asad needs to leave Palestine in order to achieve his potential. I have mixed feelings about this, and I think Attaallah could have explored this more, as the revelation comes rather late in the story and with very little discussion. As with other elements, this realization felt abrupt, and I wish we'd spent a bit more time with it, since I think it's a central element of the story and there was more to be said here, and about Asad's choices and character turn in general.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel.
As other reviewers have noted, the writing style was a bit choppy. We jump around through time in a way that didn't do much to clarify things for me. Asad's kind of awful to his mother and thinks very little of being cruel to her, though at other times he thought about how she was special and unique because she wanted more for her children. Really? She's the only one who wants her children to be happy and successful? That felt like an odd assertion. At any rate, the way Asad treated his mom throughout this story made it pretty hard for me to root for his romance with the cute girl from the library.
There were parts of this I really liked, and other parts that felt so disjointed that I wasn't sure what to make of them. I truly don't know how much is down to translation of literal language vs. context, but I found myself struggling to get through this despite its length. I'm glad we're getting a few more Palestinian voices in the mix, and I'm not of the mindset that every book or work needs to grapple with the larger social issues (as opposed to exploring personal life). However, since this book explicitly DOES try to grapple with those things, I wish there had been more meat to hold it together.
This didn't impact my rating, but just a final thought: this book strongly implies that Asad needs to leave Palestine in order to achieve his potential. I have mixed feelings about this, and I think Attaallah could have explored this more, as the revelation comes rather late in the story and with very little discussion. As with other elements, this realization felt abrupt, and I wish we'd spent a bit more time with it, since I think it's a central element of the story and there was more to be said here, and about Asad's choices and character turn in general.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Asad’s Secret touched me in ways I didn’t expect. It was different from both my expectations and my usual tastes.
Asad’s Secret is about a boy who lives in a small house with a tin roof. He is the eldest brother in a family of eight children. His father is in prison, and Asad works in a printing press during the summer. He feels trapped, as though he is in a prison himself. He doesn’t understand why he has to face the harsher side of life while his classmates live easier ones. He doesn’t want to be the eldest son and takes no pride in it, because it means carrying the responsibility of his entire family. With his father gone, he is the man of the house. He feels suffocated by his life, and the person who pulls him out of these brooding thoughts and guides him is an old woman named Um Fawzi.
I felt that Asad’s Secret had a repetitive start. The reader is immediately shown Asad’s thoughts and feelings, which creates an unsettling tone, especially since they are not happy ones. However, it gradually grew on me, and I found the connection I initially lacked. The book made me feel grateful for my parents, my home, and my childhood. Even though it is only about 160 pages long, it felt much heavier. It shows a side of the world we often don’t see, ignore, or hear about without fully understanding its depth.
I appreciated the way the author brought out and handled various themes. For instance, the preference for having a baby boy in certain families. While this is not uncommon, I liked how the author portrayed the pressure placed on mothers and the weight of responsibility that comes with being the eldest son in such a household. I also liked how the author shared the story of Ummi, Asad’s mother, and her hopes for all her children, both daughters and sons.
Most of all, I liked how the story concluded with Houriya, the girl who brings books to him. I am not usually drawn to love interests with significant differences in background. Don’t get me wrong. This is because I’ve seen many such relationships end badly, and reading them can make me uneasy. However, I appreciated that Asad was aware of this and handled it with maturity. He understood the risks and realities of such a relationship.
Lastly, coming to our protagonist, even though I didn’t like him at first, he ultimately showed the drive, responsibility, and maturity needed to pursue what he wanted instead of lamenting his living conditions.
Asad’s Secret is about a boy who lives in a small house with a tin roof. He is the eldest brother in a family of eight children. His father is in prison, and Asad works in a printing press during the summer. He feels trapped, as though he is in a prison himself. He doesn’t understand why he has to face the harsher side of life while his classmates live easier ones. He doesn’t want to be the eldest son and takes no pride in it, because it means carrying the responsibility of his entire family. With his father gone, he is the man of the house. He feels suffocated by his life, and the person who pulls him out of these brooding thoughts and guides him is an old woman named Um Fawzi.
I felt that Asad’s Secret had a repetitive start. The reader is immediately shown Asad’s thoughts and feelings, which creates an unsettling tone, especially since they are not happy ones. However, it gradually grew on me, and I found the connection I initially lacked. The book made me feel grateful for my parents, my home, and my childhood. Even though it is only about 160 pages long, it felt much heavier. It shows a side of the world we often don’t see, ignore, or hear about without fully understanding its depth.
I appreciated the way the author brought out and handled various themes. For instance, the preference for having a baby boy in certain families. While this is not uncommon, I liked how the author portrayed the pressure placed on mothers and the weight of responsibility that comes with being the eldest son in such a household. I also liked how the author shared the story of Ummi, Asad’s mother, and her hopes for all her children, both daughters and sons.
Most of all, I liked how the story concluded with Houriya, the girl who brings books to him. I am not usually drawn to love interests with significant differences in background. Don’t get me wrong. This is because I’ve seen many such relationships end badly, and reading them can make me uneasy. However, I appreciated that Asad was aware of this and handled it with maturity. He understood the risks and realities of such a relationship.
Lastly, coming to our protagonist, even though I didn’t like him at first, he ultimately showed the drive, responsibility, and maturity needed to pursue what he wanted instead of lamenting his living conditions.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Set in Palestine, Asad’s Secret by Najlaa Attaalah follows the life of Asad, the eldest of eight children living in a small home. With his father imprisoned, Asad takes on responsibilities far beyond his years, working at a printing press through the summer and stepping up as the man of the house. But this role weighs heavily on him. He feels trapped, resentful, and confused: why must he face life’s hardest sides? Being the eldest brings him no pride, only the burden of caring for his whole family, and he often feels suffocated by it all. It’s only when he meets Um Fawzi, a wise old woman, that he begins to find guidance and a way out of his heavy, brooding thoughts.
The story focuses on everyday moments that dive deep into Asad’s inner world. We see him struggle to balance his duty to his family with his dream of continuing his education, and watch as he navigates the anger, frustration, and sadness that come with his family’s difficult circumstances after his father’s imprisonment.
This is a character-driven book. We spend almost the whole story inside Asad’s head, and honestly, it’s not always an easy place to be. He carries so much negativity, such as how he envies people around him whom he sees as “happier” or luckier, even though as readers, we can tell they have their own struggles too, they just choose to face life differently.
The plot is good, but don’t come here expecting big conflicts, high adventure, or shocking plot turns. The plot is "gentle" and focused entirely on how Asad perceives his life, his community, and his place in it.
Asad’s Secret is a well-written, thoughtful read, but I think it’s not for everyone. Many young readers look for stories full of action, adventure, and surprises, and this book is the opposite: quiet, reflective, and heavy with emotion.
That said, if you love literary fiction and stories that explore real-life hardship and personal growth in a meaningful way, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
Thank you to Levine Querido and Netgalley for providing me with the review copy.
The story focuses on everyday moments that dive deep into Asad’s inner world. We see him struggle to balance his duty to his family with his dream of continuing his education, and watch as he navigates the anger, frustration, and sadness that come with his family’s difficult circumstances after his father’s imprisonment.
This is a character-driven book. We spend almost the whole story inside Asad’s head, and honestly, it’s not always an easy place to be. He carries so much negativity, such as how he envies people around him whom he sees as “happier” or luckier, even though as readers, we can tell they have their own struggles too, they just choose to face life differently.
The plot is good, but don’t come here expecting big conflicts, high adventure, or shocking plot turns. The plot is "gentle" and focused entirely on how Asad perceives his life, his community, and his place in it.
Asad’s Secret is a well-written, thoughtful read, but I think it’s not for everyone. Many young readers look for stories full of action, adventure, and surprises, and this book is the opposite: quiet, reflective, and heavy with emotion.
That said, if you love literary fiction and stories that explore real-life hardship and personal growth in a meaningful way, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
Thank you to Levine Querido and Netgalley for providing me with the review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Asad is not like the other boys in his refugee camp in Gaza, who are interested in playing or even just watching sports, while he, on the other hand, reads books borrowed from a mysterious girl, Houriya, and dreams of breaking out and beyond the confines of their small world. Fortunately, he has the psychological support of the elderly Um Fawzi and the example of his elder sisters, who excelled enough in high school to get scholarships to continue their studies, despite growing up in poverty as eight children raised by a mother bringing them up alone after their father’s imprisonment.
Unfortunately, not much happens here in terms of plot; it reads more like a “slice of life” story. I wish there were more development here, if not in terms of action, then in terms of ideas. The “other boys” actually show more understanding of the relativity of this binary opposition, explaining that watching soccer matches gives them the same sense of escapism that Asad gets from his books. And then there is the wise Um Fawzi, who prefers to stay in the camp despite having the opportunity to move in with her son in Germany. But that is about as much as the characters’ straightforward beliefs are questioned, not really bringing them from one understanding of the world at the beginning of the story to a different one at the end (something we usually expect from a YA story?). But if anyone is looking for an inspiring story about breaking out of the confines of a suffocatingly small world, this is a nice one.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with the eARC of this title. The opinion above is my own.
Unfortunately, not much happens here in terms of plot; it reads more like a “slice of life” story. I wish there were more development here, if not in terms of action, then in terms of ideas. The “other boys” actually show more understanding of the relativity of this binary opposition, explaining that watching soccer matches gives them the same sense of escapism that Asad gets from his books. And then there is the wise Um Fawzi, who prefers to stay in the camp despite having the opportunity to move in with her son in Germany. But that is about as much as the characters’ straightforward beliefs are questioned, not really bringing them from one understanding of the world at the beginning of the story to a different one at the end (something we usually expect from a YA story?). But if anyone is looking for an inspiring story about breaking out of the confines of a suffocatingly small world, this is a nice one.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with the eARC of this title. The opinion above is my own.
June 17, 2026
Asad's Secret: A Novel of Gaza is a remarkable and deeply affecting novel that illuminates the emotional and psychological realities of childhood in Gaza with compassion, nuance, and authenticity. Through Asad's journey, the author gives voice to children whose dreams, fears, and aspirations are too often overshadowed by the politics and headlines that define their world.
What makes this novel so powerful is its unwavering commitment to the humanity of its characters. Rather than portraying Gaza solely through the lens of conflict, the book reveals the rich inner lives of children who continue to imagine, hope, and dream despite the uncertainties that surround them. Asad's story is not simply one of hardship; it is a testament to resilience, courage, and the enduring power of hope.
The author's greatest achievement lies in transforming a complex and often misunderstood reality into an intimate and profoundly human narrative. With eloquent prose and keen emotional insight, the novel invites readers to look beyond statistics and news reports and to engage with the lived experiences of those whose voices are rarely heard. It challenges us to consider the universal rights of children—to safety, dignity, belonging, and the freedom to dream.
Thought-provoking, compassionate, and unforgettable, Asad's Secret succeeds both as a compelling work of fiction and as a powerful reminder of our shared humanity. It is a novel that lingers long after the final page, leaving readers with a deeper understanding of the human cost of conflict and the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit.
What makes this novel so powerful is its unwavering commitment to the humanity of its characters. Rather than portraying Gaza solely through the lens of conflict, the book reveals the rich inner lives of children who continue to imagine, hope, and dream despite the uncertainties that surround them. Asad's story is not simply one of hardship; it is a testament to resilience, courage, and the enduring power of hope.
The author's greatest achievement lies in transforming a complex and often misunderstood reality into an intimate and profoundly human narrative. With eloquent prose and keen emotional insight, the novel invites readers to look beyond statistics and news reports and to engage with the lived experiences of those whose voices are rarely heard. It challenges us to consider the universal rights of children—to safety, dignity, belonging, and the freedom to dream.
Thought-provoking, compassionate, and unforgettable, Asad's Secret succeeds both as a compelling work of fiction and as a powerful reminder of our shared humanity. It is a novel that lingers long after the final page, leaving readers with a deeper understanding of the human cost of conflict and the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
I went into Asad’s Secret expecting something intense and headline-driven. What I found instead was a quiet, character-focused story about responsibility, ambition, and the weight of family expectation.
Asad is intelligent and driven. He wants more from life and clearly has the ability to achieve it. But he is also one of eight children in a struggling household, where duty comes first. The central tension is not explosive or dramatic. It is internal. It is the constant pull between wanting to build your own future and needing to support the one you were born into.
At times I caught myself reacting through my own “normal” lens, thinking in terms of freedom and choice that simply are not equally available to everyone. That reflection became part of the reading experience. The novel quietly shifts perspective. It does not romanticise hardship and it does not reduce Asad to a symbol. He feels like a boy trying to navigate constraint with resilience and determination.
The ending is emotional without being overly dramatic. It left me thinking about freedom, opportunity, and how much of life depends on starting point versus personal will.
A thoughtful and reflective read that lingers more in the mind than in adrenaline.
Asad is intelligent and driven. He wants more from life and clearly has the ability to achieve it. But he is also one of eight children in a struggling household, where duty comes first. The central tension is not explosive or dramatic. It is internal. It is the constant pull between wanting to build your own future and needing to support the one you were born into.
At times I caught myself reacting through my own “normal” lens, thinking in terms of freedom and choice that simply are not equally available to everyone. That reflection became part of the reading experience. The novel quietly shifts perspective. It does not romanticise hardship and it does not reduce Asad to a symbol. He feels like a boy trying to navigate constraint with resilience and determination.
The ending is emotional without being overly dramatic. It left me thinking about freedom, opportunity, and how much of life depends on starting point versus personal will.
A thoughtful and reflective read that lingers more in the mind than in adrenaline.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book is literary fiction – if you like literary fiction, you might love it. If you don’t like literary fiction, steer away. I didn’t know it was literary fiction, otherwise I wouldn’t have read it. But since it was short, I persevered with it and read it to the end.
I have enjoyed other Palestine novels which were harrowing, so it’s not like I don’t like the negativity, but this just didn’t hit the mark for me. We were in Asad’s mind a lot and he was very negative and depressed, while it seems like all the other kids his age living in the same circumstances were able to find joy in their lives despite the challenges.
There wasn’t a lot of plot or action, just a lot of reflection on the world around Asad and how things are for him as a teenage/young man living in a refugee camp.
The translation from Arabic was very well done, you couldn’t tell that it was a translation, it was all very natural sounding, so five stars to the translator.
Two stars for the story, as there really just wasn’t much to it as a story. But I suppose if you like literary fiction, then you would give it more stars. Not a book for me, sorry.
Thank you to the Levine Querido and NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I have enjoyed other Palestine novels which were harrowing, so it’s not like I don’t like the negativity, but this just didn’t hit the mark for me. We were in Asad’s mind a lot and he was very negative and depressed, while it seems like all the other kids his age living in the same circumstances were able to find joy in their lives despite the challenges.
There wasn’t a lot of plot or action, just a lot of reflection on the world around Asad and how things are for him as a teenage/young man living in a refugee camp.
The translation from Arabic was very well done, you couldn’t tell that it was a translation, it was all very natural sounding, so five stars to the translator.
Two stars for the story, as there really just wasn’t much to it as a story. But I suppose if you like literary fiction, then you would give it more stars. Not a book for me, sorry.
Thank you to the Levine Querido and NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Levine Querido for the e-ARC.
Asad’s Secret focuses on the day to day life of 17 year old Asad, beginning in the summer before his final year of school. There are many slice of life moments that focus on his interiority. What is he feeling as he traverses the refugee camp? How does he balance his duty as the eldest son with his dream of pursuing education? What does he do with his simmering anger and frustration at his family’s circumstances following his father’s imprisonment? How does he handle his emerging crush on Houriya, a girl who he has put on a pedestal? Underlying all of these personal thoughts and feelings, there is a constant sense of confinement, even suffocation: “But how can we be free when we are refugees in our own homeland? How can we be free when we are occupied? How can we be free when we live in camps?” But these interior musings are buoyed by the conversations between Asad and Um Fawzi, a female elder with a snarky sense of humor and empathetic ear. The ending is hopeful, with Asad having achieved his dream of attending university outside of Palestine.
A valuable story written by a Palestinian author. My one critique is that the translation felt a bit stilted for the first half of the book but was much smoother by the end.
Asad’s Secret focuses on the day to day life of 17 year old Asad, beginning in the summer before his final year of school. There are many slice of life moments that focus on his interiority. What is he feeling as he traverses the refugee camp? How does he balance his duty as the eldest son with his dream of pursuing education? What does he do with his simmering anger and frustration at his family’s circumstances following his father’s imprisonment? How does he handle his emerging crush on Houriya, a girl who he has put on a pedestal? Underlying all of these personal thoughts and feelings, there is a constant sense of confinement, even suffocation: “But how can we be free when we are refugees in our own homeland? How can we be free when we are occupied? How can we be free when we live in camps?” But these interior musings are buoyed by the conversations between Asad and Um Fawzi, a female elder with a snarky sense of humor and empathetic ear. The ending is hopeful, with Asad having achieved his dream of attending university outside of Palestine.
A valuable story written by a Palestinian author. My one critique is that the translation felt a bit stilted for the first half of the book but was much smoother by the end.
July 5, 2026
2.5 stars
I really, really wanted to like this book. I want to know more about people in Gaza. This was a hard read and not just because life in Gaza is depressing and going nowhere. If that's the theme of this story, then, well, mission accomplished.
Asad's secret (spoiler alert) is that he wants to learn, to study books and literature, to have and become something better. In his eyes, his soccer-loving schoolmates don't want anything but the sport.
The writing wasn't very evocative. It reads like a stream of consciousness story but it's written in the third person. Asad is conflicted about nearly everyone and everything. His relationship with the elderly woman, Um Fawzi, is an enlightening bright spot. And so would his growing relationship with the young, attractive Houriya, except he's too conflicted about her to think straight. I feel bad that Asad feels so trapped and (spoiler alert) am grateful for the brief ray of hope that ends the book.
I'm curious to know what teens, the intended audience, think of this book.
I really, really wanted to like this book. I want to know more about people in Gaza. This was a hard read and not just because life in Gaza is depressing and going nowhere. If that's the theme of this story, then, well, mission accomplished.
Asad's secret (spoiler alert) is that he wants to learn, to study books and literature, to have and become something better. In his eyes, his soccer-loving schoolmates don't want anything but the sport.
The writing wasn't very evocative. It reads like a stream of consciousness story but it's written in the third person. Asad is conflicted about nearly everyone and everything. His relationship with the elderly woman, Um Fawzi, is an enlightening bright spot. And so would his growing relationship with the young, attractive Houriya, except he's too conflicted about her to think straight. I feel bad that Asad feels so trapped and (spoiler alert) am grateful for the brief ray of hope that ends the book.
I'm curious to know what teens, the intended audience, think of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Receieved arc from NetGalley
I still don't know Asad's secret. In fact, I have no idea what this was all about.
This book is about a teen Palestinian. The book talks about his struggles, his life and his family.
That's all I could come up with as a summary. I feel like the book didn't flesh out properly. I didn't feel I was reading about Gaza, not because there was little description of the destruction there but because it didn't reflect Palestine much. Yes, I understood the hopelessness, but I don't understand what this book was about.
About the writing, it felt chopped. Like there were a lot of sharp transitions which was awkward and confusing to read. Some of the dialogues sounded very unnatural and forced.
All in all, could've been better
I still don't know Asad's secret. In fact, I have no idea what this was all about.
This book is about a teen Palestinian. The book talks about his struggles, his life and his family.
That's all I could come up with as a summary. I feel like the book didn't flesh out properly. I didn't feel I was reading about Gaza, not because there was little description of the destruction there but because it didn't reflect Palestine much. Yes, I understood the hopelessness, but I don't understand what this book was about.
About the writing, it felt chopped. Like there were a lot of sharp transitions which was awkward and confusing to read. Some of the dialogues sounded very unnatural and forced.
All in all, could've been better
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Seventeen-year-old Asad dreams of leaving Gaza. The oldest of multiple siblings, Asad feels the weight of responsibility in taking care of them and his mother, especially after his father was imprisoned. Resentful of his situation, Asad barely has any friends, and tension between him and his mother is high. But Asad finds solace with Um Fawzi, a feisty old woman who tells it as it is, and with Houriya, his crush, who gives him books to read. It’s through books that Asad begins to dream of exploring the world, and with Um Fawzi and Houriya’s help, he also begins to plan for the type of future he wants.
This book was equal parts hopeful and heartbreaking 🩷💔 My heart broke for Asad and how unhappy he was. He was going through a lot of stress, financially, emotionally, and physically. Because of this trauma, he often daydreamed of a better life, away from Gaza and the camp and its poor conditions that him and his family were living in. I liked that he was able to find solace in books, as well as in his friendships with Um Fawzi and Houriya. I absolutely loved Um Fawzi in particular. She was kind, blunt, sassy, and a great mentor to Asad when he felt alone.
I liked the story, especially the second half, which felt more cohesive. One thing that was a bit challenging for me was that it was sometimes hard to tell what were thoughts, memories/flashbacks, and the present moment. The prose meandered a lot, which is okay, but I wish it had been a bit more clear.
Lastly, I really loved the ending! Without spoilers, I’ll just say: Um Fawzi 🥹🩷
In all, a beautiful novel! 🩷 Thank you to Netgalley and Levine Querido for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book was equal parts hopeful and heartbreaking 🩷💔 My heart broke for Asad and how unhappy he was. He was going through a lot of stress, financially, emotionally, and physically. Because of this trauma, he often daydreamed of a better life, away from Gaza and the camp and its poor conditions that him and his family were living in. I liked that he was able to find solace in books, as well as in his friendships with Um Fawzi and Houriya. I absolutely loved Um Fawzi in particular. She was kind, blunt, sassy, and a great mentor to Asad when he felt alone.
I liked the story, especially the second half, which felt more cohesive. One thing that was a bit challenging for me was that it was sometimes hard to tell what were thoughts, memories/flashbacks, and the present moment. The prose meandered a lot, which is okay, but I wish it had been a bit more clear.
Lastly, I really loved the ending! Without spoilers, I’ll just say: Um Fawzi 🥹🩷
In all, a beautiful novel! 🩷 Thank you to Netgalley and Levine Querido for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*3.5 Stars*
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this and it was good and interesting and such a fast read. But maybe a bit too fast? I felt like we didn't go as deep as we could have. It felt a bit two-dimensional. I really just flew through this but in a way that didn't feel fully developed. I don't know... This was YA, Asad is 17 but it read more like a middle grade. He felt quite young but also not. I'm just not really sure where to stand on this one. I'm afraid some of the story just got loss in translation. It didn't really feel complete when it ended, I guess...
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this and it was good and interesting and such a fast read. But maybe a bit too fast? I felt like we didn't go as deep as we could have. It felt a bit two-dimensional. I really just flew through this but in a way that didn't feel fully developed. I don't know... This was YA, Asad is 17 but it read more like a middle grade. He felt quite young but also not. I'm just not really sure where to stand on this one. I'm afraid some of the story just got loss in translation. It didn't really feel complete when it ended, I guess...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.25 stars
A quiet, emotional story set in Gaza, where the realities of daily life add weight while the focus remains deeply personal. It captures a teenage boy’s perspective well—introspective, uncertain, and trying to make sense of complicated emotions.
The balance between his inner thoughts and his relationships with friends and family adds depth, but it’s his internal struggle that really drives the story.
The final chapter feels both like an ending and a beginning—subtle, grounded, and quietly impactful without ever feeling overdramatized.
A quiet, emotional story set in Gaza, where the realities of daily life add weight while the focus remains deeply personal. It captures a teenage boy’s perspective well—introspective, uncertain, and trying to make sense of complicated emotions.
The balance between his inner thoughts and his relationships with friends and family adds depth, but it’s his internal struggle that really drives the story.
The final chapter feels both like an ending and a beginning—subtle, grounded, and quietly impactful without ever feeling overdramatized.
July 25, 2026
Asad's father is in prison and it feels to Asad that he is also trapped in the camp in Gaza.
Not very long, 3.5 hours. Interesting look into another culture. I enjoyed the narration by Fajer Al-Kaisi (Narrator) as I had the opportunity to listen to the advance copy of the audio book.
Asad was very angry and the book wrapped up quickly (and it seemed awkward to me).
Many thanks to NetGalley and RB Media recorded books for approving my request for the advance read copy.
Publication date is June 16, 2026.
Not very long, 3.5 hours. Interesting look into another culture. I enjoyed the narration by Fajer Al-Kaisi (Narrator) as I had the opportunity to listen to the advance copy of the audio book.
Asad was very angry and the book wrapped up quickly (and it seemed awkward to me).
Many thanks to NetGalley and RB Media recorded books for approving my request for the advance read copy.
Publication date is June 16, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thankyou NetGallery for the advance audiobook. i requested this book only because of palestine's rep. the way more stories like this need to come in awarneness, the things asad faces, the surroundings, the loss after war. the way Asad explores himself and his life. The way he dreams of being something while being free in future.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This stream-of-consciousness novel gives insight in the mind of a teenager in Gaza. Life is difficult, coming of age is difficult and dreams are always present. Unfortunately the book is quite repetitive and there's not much happening.
Review of advance copy
Asad's story did not engage. It felt a little disjointed. There are some valuable insights into the refugee life of Palestinians in the Gaza area. I wonder if some of the disjointedness is in the translation.
July 7, 2026
A snapshot look at a young boy's daily life in Gaza. Although this is an important work for students to see, I'm not sure that the interest level is there. The story feels uneventful and didn't hold my interest.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Review submitted to School Library Journal for potential professional publication.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
Such an important book. Whether you want to check your own privilege or teach your kids empathy, this is an important window into Gaza. And at the same time Asad’s just a kid feeling kid things.
July 28, 2026
Maybe it was because it was a translation, but I just could not get into this one at all. It was a lot of telling and not showing. And Asad as a character was mostly a bit infuriating.
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