A Mask the Colour of the Sky

Winner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction A bold, psychologically rich novel of identity, exile, and resistance from one of Palestine’s most vital literary voices―written entirely from behind bars. Nur, a 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 fence, 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 and gains insight into the lives of those he’s been taught to perceive as enemies. As Nur’s borrowed identity deepens, so does the rift within. Through an exploration of this internal conflict, Bassem Khandaqji’s Arabic Booker-winning novel offers a meditation on the personal toll of occupation and the elusive desire to belong―fully, honestly, and without fear.Author: Khandaqji, Bassem,author,Leak, Addie,translator
Contributors: Khandaqji, Bassem,author,Leak, Addie,translator
Binding: paperback
Publication Date:
Release Date:
Languages: English,Published,Arabic,Original Language
Published/Release Date: 4 Jun 2026
Bic Classification: Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945)
bicCode:
Format: Paperback / softback
Publisher/Studio/Brand: Europa Editions (UK) Ltd
Author/Director/Artist: Bassem Khandaqji
Dimension (cm): 135x210x18 mm
Package Dimension (cm): 19x210x135 mm
Item Weight (g): 200
Package Weight (g): 220