“No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark.” ― Warsan Shire. Hidden: Nistar is a stunningly gripping epic historical novel by Dr. Batya Casper, a renowned author who commands respect and sheer knowledge in Arts & Literature.
The text comprises of two perplexing stories, “Hidden” and “Hanover Gardens.” Featured in the first story, “Hidden,” is a young woman, Sarah, whose only source of solace and comfort is taken away when her parents die in a horrific war in Israel. She struggles with self-discovery and confidence in a warring world. The detrimental and atrocious ordeal she has to endure, including moving to a whole new country, meeting new people, new culture, and emotional distress, all seem to complicate her life incessantly. One can’t help but feel the heavy blanket of emotions, fear, desperation, and despair relayed in this sad story.
The second story “Hanover Gardens,” is a solid illustration of war reverberations on refugees’ lifestyles, the pain and emotional stress that follow, and the psychological torture they have to endure. The author narrates this magnetic story in a manner which makes the reader share and flow with their grief and desperation.
This train journey into the past adopts very likable characters who share each other’s experiences in various situations, such as in World War II. The fact each chapter is majorly recounted by the characters gives this novella a unique first-person grasp of events, making it much more enjoyable, clearer, and easier to understand than most fictional works today which majorly rely on second-person narration. “Hidden” makes for one of the most influential historical-fiction stories with great persuasive power and effectual lessons about war and its effects. It is a breathtaking work from one of the virtuosos in this genre, whose nuances and impact last long after reading it.
The two highly affecting and deeply moving stories present in the book are adeptly written to suit current events around the world, making Hidden: Nistar a great resource for peace development and reconciliation, as well as healing. Its life-long lessons, other than the role it plays in escapist entertainment, can ably serve as an adaptation in the improvement of refugee policies, their access to education, livelihoods, and integration opportunities. Good work author Batya Casper!
