The Almond Tree by Michelle Cohen Corasanti

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Title: The Almond Tree

Author: Michelle Cohen Corasanti

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Political Fiction

Length: 348 pages

Published: 2012

Publisher: Garnet Publishing

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Gifted with a mind that continues to impress the elders in his village, Ichmad Hamid struggles with the knowledge that he can do nothing to save his Palestinian friends and family. Ruled by the Israeli military government, the entire village operates in fear of losing homes, jobs, and belongings. But more importantly, they fear losing each other. On Ichmad's twelfth birthday, that fear becomes a reality. With his father imprisoned, his family's home and possessions confiscated, and his siblings quickly succumbing to the dangers of war, Ichmad begins the endless struggle to use his intellect to save his poor and dying family and reclaim a love for others that was lost when the bombs first hit."The Almond Tree" capitalizes on the reader's desire to be picked up and dropped off in another part of the world. It tackles issues that many Americans only hear about on World News or read about at The Huffington Post, such as the Israeli Palestinian conflict, the scholasticide that is being imposed upon the Palestinians in Gaza and the current Gaza blockade. But even more, it offers hope.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

Excellent. Heart-breaking. Absolutely amazing. I could not put this down. The author does an incredible job drawing you in right from the start. She weaves her tale around Ichmad, an almost twelve year old Palestinian boy who must grow up quicker than expected when his father is arrested as a terrorist. Through hard work and using his intelligence, Ichmad rises from a boy in a rural village to winning a full scholarship to the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Through awful tragedy and the end of his relationship with his brother, Abbas, Ichmad continues to persevere and care for his family back home while making money abroad. He manages to win the respect of his bigoted physics professor and eventually his friendship.

The Almond Tree really takes a subtle look at racism, religious persecution, and the idea of rising above those beliefs to become who you were meant to be and to care for others despite who they are or what gods they claim as theirs. The Almond Tree bears a resemblance to Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa, as it follows along a similar path: following the story of a Palestinian family and how they persevere against the Israeli government. This was incredible and I definitely recommend it. 

You can purchase The Almond Tree through Amazon in either hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Almond Tree? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.