I am ever so glad I found this by chance whilst browsing in my local bookshop. To think it initially caught my eye because the name in its title reminded me of a friend of mine, and the lovely illustrations on the cover. It turns out that 'Safiyyah's War' is just as great - no, better by far - as its cover suggests.
'Safiyyah's War' is a new children's book about World War II. It is based around a true life heroic story - a different, widely forgotten and erased part of history I certainly never heard of before: about how Muslims in Paris hid Jews in their mosques, as a sanctuary and refuge, and helped them escape the Nazi occupation; through the Resistance, involving secret messengers, underground tunnels, catacombs, and boats on rivers, under the cover of night.It is a true testament to humans' limitless capacity to love, and to be compassionate, empathetic, and brave, and to preserve our spirit, no matter what tragedies befall us. We are each so much braver, and more capable of anything, than we think, in the direst of times, when it seems that evil is winning in dominance over the world. Through togetherness, support, love, community, connection, friendship and family, we can achieve anything.
After all, major religions, as was originally intended, are formed out of love and community, not hatred, selfishness, violence, bloodlust and division.
'Safiyyah's War' is beautifully written, and I would have read it in a day if I hadn't been so busy. It tells the story of Safiyyah, a Muslim child living in Paris at the start of WWII, and her day to day life, her curiosities, her excursions, her risks, her helping those in need however she can, her cunning, her fears, her astounding bravery, and her relationships with her loving, lovely family, and friends; such as the many Jewish and non-Jewish children (and adults, too) she meets, gets to know, and saves along the way. It is this wonderful, wandering heroic girl's coming-of-age journey, when her childhood is taken from her far too soon. I especially love how her PTSD and anxiety are depicted, becoming clearer and more prominent near the end, when the situation with the Nazis grows increasingly worse and more deathly and terrifying.
Safiyyah and those around her never lose hope, however, or they don't for long. They will not, and cannot, let evil win. They have love, and each other, and they can push forwards, through anything.
There are gorgeous, delicious descriptions of oranges (I adore Safiyyah's grandmother and her nostalgic love for the fruit). And the rest of Paris. There are books, libraries, maps (Safiyyah is a brilliant navigator, cartographer, and future explorer), paper butterflies, increasingly rationed food, and animals like little fluffy cats, and an abandoned parrot that refuses to leave his cage. 'Safiyyah's War' is like 'The Book Thief', if it was set in Paris and the main characters were Muslims, and the heroine was a bit more proactive.
This treasure of a book - this near-perfect* holy, sacred, reverent tome - is all at once adorable, lovely, scary, sad and tragic. But above all, it is ever so hopeful. It is so heartfelt and earnest, it is impossible not to feel for the characters, the setting, and its crucial intensions. We all need books like this - we always have, but especially right now. Human history is always repeating itself, and humans are determined to be doomed to make the same tragic and stupid mistakes over and over again.
In trying to write a review now do I realise how inadequate and unqualified I am to give 'Safiyyah's War' the proper, wholehearted justice and respect it deserves. So, in the remains of my incompetence, I'll leave off by saying:
It is magnificent, moral, and inspiring - and criminally underrated - children's literature. Just read it. You won't regret it. It is a reason to keep on reading books. It is a rare jewel that proves that new literature can actually be good, and well written from passion and the heart, and as vital to our survival as old books; a survival that is slowly dwindling every day in the sorry, ghastly, outrageous, pathetic, dangerous current state of affairs in the world.
'Safiyyah's War' needs to be read by everyone, to be known and recognised as the important masterpiece for all ages it is.
Never give up. Never give in to despair and hopelessness. Never surrender. Never stop caring.
Now to read more books about WWII!
I'll end by including these quotes by authors, who say more with simple, little words than I could with any long review I write:
'Safiyyah's War has the soul of a classic and the urgency of a story for our times. A tale of tolerance, unthinkable bravery, and heart-in-mouth true events. I loved this book.' - Kiran Millwood Hargrave.
'This book shines through with empathy at its very heart.' - Nizrana Farook.
'Luminously written, this is an extraordinary story of bravery filled with truth and light and hope.' - Katya Balen.
'Beautifully written, full of compassion and hope, Safiyyah's War is an important and much needed WWII story that puts a spotlight on a rarely heard of part of history. Safiyyah's story is a must-read in schools exploring WWII, to encourage empathy. The story is superbly told, with adorable characters. A special, heartfelt book that I'm glad exists.' - A M Dassu.
'Beautiful, vivid writing... A moving story of resistance and unity, the power of community and faith. I absolutely loved it.' - Radiya Hafiza.
And from the author, Hiba Noor Khan, in her Historical Note at the end of the book, a quote I feel is gravely prescient and poignant:
'I feel incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to write this story, and intend for it to be a humanising, unifying force in an all too often bitterly divided world.'
(Bitter, petty, and dangerously stupid.)
Also, at the end of her Historical Note:
'Both Jewish and Muslim tradition share the saying; For whoever saves a single life, it is as if they have saved all of humanity.'
Final Score: 4/5
*I feel a few characters get forgotten about at the end, and maybe I am hard to please, but oh well. Nothing can be perfect.
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