I approached this book with no expectations, and it has turned out to

be a significant highlight of my 2024 reading experience. In ‘Black Foam’ by Haji Jabir, we follow a young Eritrean man navigating the tumultuous journey of shifting shape and identity to escape a country that has become his personal hell. At the brink of independence in Eritrea, he finds himself imprisoned by a dictatorial regime. Seeking refuge, he flees to Ethiopia, where he disguises himself as an Ethiopian Jew amidst a community relocating to Israel.

He envisions a better life outside his homeland, but misfortune trails him from Eritrea to Ethiopia and eventually to Israel. The narrative cleverly unfolds in a delightful interplay of the present against the flashbacks. David/Dawid/Dawoud emerges as a highly innovative and creative character, who can weave stories from thin air to save himself.

The multicultural nature of the Middle Eastern region and the horn of Africa with it’s layers of history, migration a s religious conflicts is vividly portrayed through the lens of this solitary protagonist in ‘Black Foam.’ He rudely realizes that, irrespective of his location, the color of his skin sets him apart setting him apart and standing in his way of belonging and immersing himself in the heart of a community. Making him always stick out, akin to black foam.

The author succeeds in rendering a dark subject of immigration, discrimination and dehumanisation with such tenderness, care and wit that makes this an almost joyous read. I must say that this is a very timely read that sheds light into the cosmopolitan nature and historical background of the Palestinian-Israeli struggle.

Find me on Instagram for books and banter