JEDDAH: Betty Shamieh’s debut novel “Too Soon” is a triumph of storytelling — the kind that had me canceling my own plans so I could witness its female characters experience the breadth of life on the p
A profound exploration of diasporic identity, this sharp, spirited novel is a funny, audacious, and sensual look at modern womanhood through the lives of three generations of Palestinian women.
From love and desire to ambition and liberation, “Too Soon” captures the nuances of mother-daughter relationships within the patriarchal framework of Palestinian society.
At its center is Arabella, a privileged, 35-year-old theater director who has long prioritized career growth over Palestinian activism. In 2012, she is finally forced to confront her heritage and the political implications of her art, when she journeys to Palestine to direct a gender-bent “Hamlet” in the West Bank, finding herself caught between artistic freedom and cultural responsibility.
Shamieh, herself an accomplished playwright, brings authenticity to Arabella’s world of theater. She presents the charged interplay between art, identity and politics with the sharpness of someone who knows the stage and the bureaucratic realities that shape each performance.
Arabella’s cultural awakening is mirrored in a love triangle that crystallizes Palestine’s political dilemma: loyalty to her roots with Aziz, a doctor whose family is also from her ancestral hometown Ramallah, or the hope of peace with Yoav, a Jewish American colleague and longtime friend.
Interwoven with Arabella’s story are those of her grandmother, Zoya, and mother, Naya, who anchor the narrative in Palestine and the US. From Zoya’s displacement during the 1948 Nakba, to the family’s efforts to build a legacy in America in the decades that follow, the lives of these women root the novel in historical upheaval and generational resilience.
Shamieh pairs humor and heart with historical gravitas — capturing Zoya’s longings, Naya’s rebellious spirit, and Arabella’s ambitions.
Stories told from multiple points of view across time can sometimes feel disjointed, but here, each woman’s voice is distinct and in conversation with the others.
By anchoring the narrative within a Palestinian Christian family, Shamieh adds much-needed nuance to the representation of Palestinian life.
“Too Soon” is a literary gem illuminating women’s hopes and heartaches in a world that politicizes every aspect of their existence.
