Sisters of the War: Two Remarkable True Stories of Survival and Hope in Syria (Scholastic Focus) 12+: Two Remarkable True Stories of Survival and Hope in Syria

About this book

An extraordinary true account of the enormous tragedy of the Syrian civil conflict.

Since the revolution-turned-civil war in Syria began in 2011, over 500,000 civilians have been killed and more than 12 million Syrians have been displaced. Rania Abouzeid, one of the foremost journalists on the topic, follows two pairs of sisters from opposite sides of the conflict to give readers a firsthand glimpse of the turmoil and devastation this strife has wrought.

Sunni Muslim Ruha and her younger sister Alaa withstand constant attacks by the Syrian government in rebel-held territory. Alawite sisters Hanin and Jawa try to carry on as normal in the police state of regime-held Syria. The girls grow up in a world where nightly bombings are routine and shrapnel counts as toys. They bear witness to arrests, killings, demolished homes, and further atrocities most adults could not even imagine. Still, war does not dampen their sense of hope.

Through the stories of Ruha and Alaa and Hanin and Jawa, Abouzeid presents a clear-eyed and page-turning account of the complex conditions in Syria leading to the onset of the harrowing conflict. With Abouzeid's careful attention and remarkable reporting, she crafts an incredibly empathetic and nuanced narrative of the Syrian civil war, and the promise of progress these young people still embody.

Reviews

Praise and awards for No Turning Back: Life, Loss, and Hope in Wartime Syria:

A New York Times Notable Book of 2018
Winner of the Overseas Press Club of America's Cornelius Ryan Award
Finalist for the Lionel Gelber Prize
Finalist for the RSL Ondaatje Prize
Finalist for the Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism

"Abouzeid's remarkable journalistic and literary work has given us, at last, a book worthy of the enormous tragedy that is Syria." -- New York Times Book Review

"Harrowing reporting from the front lines of the civil war in Syria." -- Kirkus Reviews