Nur, a Palestinian, lives amongst the alleyways of a refugee camp near Ramallah but dreams of becoming an archaeologist and writing a novel about the true origins of Mary Magdalene. With his best friend Murad in prison and the claustrophobic camp curtailing his freedom, Nur takes on a new identity after finding an Israeli ID card in a secondhand leather jacket.
Eternally, the dual identity offers an exclusive sense of freedom and opportunity, being hired for an archaeological dig, but internally he is plagued by the conflicting emotions this brings. Exploring identity, belonging and freedom through the lens of Israeli-Palestine relations, A Mask The Colour Of The Sky’s author Bassem Khandaqji wrote the novel in an Israeli prison, having been jailed for his role in a 2004 suicide bombing; he was released in 2025, the year after this haunting, reflective work won the International Prize for Arabic fiction.
Despite the melancholy nature of the novel, the exquisite prose conveys the depth of feeling and sense of place portrayed with such vivid detail. Revealing the humanist element with such force, it leaves you thinking about the world and its inhabitants in a different light; a breathtaking and astonishing read.
