Jarmuk from Yarmouk

“Solitude is a kind of freedom,” writes Umberto Eco. Sometimes, it is a freedom that relieves and purifies as, within the walls of solitude, the individual can withdraw from the negativity of the outside world into a kind of inner peace. In other instances, however, it is a freedom that leads to destruction and pain, as a consequence of isolation from dearly held roots. Imposed by circumstances, this solitude becomes a burden which leaves one fighting against the currents of life without a shoulder to lean on.

Marwan and Chanelle, the protagonists of Jarmuk, experience this burden very early in life. Still in their secondary school years, they face the emptiness that surrounds them. Their isolation has different facets. Chanelle’s is more psychological than physical. Besides the fact that her mother left home for another man, Chanelle lives with the rest of the family under the same roof. Nevertheless, her father’s detachment, her brother’s foolishness and the loss of her grandfather strip her of all human contact, and in return, present her with obstacles and responsibilities. The latter prevent her from following her dreams and further isolate her from fellow teenagers.

Marwan’s isolation has deeper roots. The spirit of his upbringing in Yarmouk, a district of the city of Damascus which was the scene of intense fighting during the Syrian conflict, is felt throughout the whole novel. In Yarmouk, Marwan had been surrounded by family and friends. Now, he is left with just his mother, a lonely woman with impossible dreams and bitter nostalgia. From the first pages, his ambiguous and introverted character acts as a backdrop to his conspicuous solitude as an outsider displaced from his land, who then gives up on the possibility of integration due to finding himself in a community that does not understand him, and that consequently rejects him and discards him.

As a result, Yarmouk becomes more than just Marwan’s homeland, but in an intriguing play on words (‘jarmuk’ in Maltese means ‘to dump/to throw away’), it amalgamates with the inner soul of the two protagonists, victims of a hostile environment that pushes them to ostracise themselves further. In this sense, the novel’s title acquires more significance as it acts as their outcry against a society that excludes them. It is a silent and suppressed outcry which the author presents with great skill by means of a first person narration that alternates with each chapter. Later, when Marwan’s and Chanelle’s paths cross, they find a kind of mutual support. However, it is a fragile support blemished by years of isolation, a deep connection with family roots and apparently unachievable aspirations.

Jarmuk is Stephen Lughermo’s second novel. His first work, X’Aħna Smart! (2015, Horizons) won the Literary Contest of Novels for Youths 2014 organised by the National Book Council and Aġenzija Żgħażagħ. With this novel, Lughermo continues to explore a young adult world but from a deeper and more mature perspective. In fact, although the main characters of this work are teenagers, this novel appeals to readers of all ages.

Jarmuk is published by Horizons and can be found for sale in all major bookstores.