Status Updates From Asad's Secret: A Novel of Gaza

‘His father flew into a rage. “What do you know?! Will these books you read do us any good?!”

Asad replied, his tone tense but decisive. “At least I want to get out of here … I don’t want to live this tragedy for decades.”

“I helped my father feed my brothers by working. Do you think you’re better than me?”

Asad responded with a look that sparkled with defiance. “Yes—I want to be different.”’

Omg

‘“...All I knew was getting pregnant, and then giving birth.”

“Shouldn’t that be illegal? Six boys and two girls? Who in their right mind thinks that’s okay?”

Asad’s mother swallows hard. “Stop it, Asad.”

“You all sowed the seeds and now we reap the thorns.”’

This child is outta control 💀

‘She slowly responds to Asad. “I was married off to your father when I was fourteen. When I was pregnant with Huda, I was still jumping rope with girls in the camp. God forgive your Jiddo. All he wanted was to lighten the burden of having daughters—there were six of us. As soon as your father asked for my hand, your grandfather agreed...”’

Jesus

“She always feels that he’s accusing her when he starts talking like this, that she knew her husband was a letch. That’s why he’s behind bars, isn’t it? He would have inappropriate conversations with the teenage girls and young women riding in his taxi. The taxi she sold her gold for so he could get a job.”

What is happening???

“Tell me, Baba, why are you in there? Did you really touch some girls? Are you really that nasty? Or are you a traitor like people say?”

Excuse me WHAT