{"product_id":"9798889661702","title":"A Mask the Color of the Sky","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA bold, psychologically rich novel of identity, exile, and resistance from one of Palestine’s most vital literary voices—written entirely from behind bars. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNur, a young Palestinian refugee from a camp near Ramallah, is often mistaken for an Ashkenazi Jew. Fluent in Hebrew and with a degree in archaeology, he dreams of freedom beyond the fences of the camp—and of writing a novel about Mary Magdalene based on the Gnostic Gospels. When he discovers an Israeli ID card in the pocket of a secondhand coat, he assumes a false identity and is hired for an archaeological dig near Megiddo. Passing as an Israeli, he moves through a world previously off-limits, gaining insight into the lives and beliefs of those he’s been taught to see as enemies. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut as Nur’s borrowed identity deepens, so does the rift within: between Nur, the Palestinian, and “Ur,” the Israeli. By exploring this internal conflict, unfolding alongside friendships and love affairs, Bassem Khandaqji offers a meditation on the personal toll of occupation and the elusive desire to belong somewhere—fully, honestly, and without fear. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bassem Khandaqji","offers":[{"title":"Europa Editions |  Paperback \/ softback | Trade paperback (US) |  2026-03-27","offer_id":47350569140479,"sku":"9798889661702","price":29.5,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0329\/9075\/7001\/files\/BNCImageAPI_52bc710b-3d90-4cb3-9b58-93929125885d.jpg?v=1760456979","url":"https:\/\/riverbookshop.com\/products\/9798889661702","provider":"River Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}