The Attack

By: Yasmina Khadra

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

Dr. Amin Jaafari, an Arab-Israeli citizen, is a respected, dedicated surgeon at a hospital in Tel Aviv. He has learned to live with the violence that plagues his city and works tirelessly to help the victims brought to the emergency room. But one night, a deadly bombing in a local restaurant takes a horrifyingly personal turn, when his wife's body is found among the dead, bearing injuries that match those typically found on the bodies of fundamentalist suicide bombers.

As evidence mounts that his wife, Sihem, was responsible for the catastrophic bombing, Dr. Jaafari must face the inescapable realization that the beautiful, intelligent, thoroughly modern woman he loved had a secret life that was far removed from the comfortable, assimilated existence they shared.

©2006 Yasmina Khadra (P)2006 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

• AudioFile Earphones Award Winner

"Powerful and engrossing." (Booklist)
"The Attack, Yasmina Khadra's best book, is an urgent, must-read." (Paris Match)
"Moving....[Khadra] nicely captures his hero's turmoil in trying to come to terms with the endless violence." (Publishers Weekly)
"The Attack is a mournful detonation at the end of this summer. To read it is to undermine your tranquility, and you can't tell whether the shiver that goes through you at the end is a sign of anguish or relief." (Le Figaro)

Thought provoking, but a little depressing

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It does a good job of getting you into the heads of both sides of the Palestinian conflict, without coming across as advocating for either side. But be warned, it can be a little depressing in parts.

Powerful

I'm not sure what made me pick up The Attack, but I'm so glad I listened to it. The story - of a man who finds out the hard way that his wife was leading a double life - is moving and thought-provoking. Rudnicki has always been an Audible favorite, and here he gives the character of Dr. Amin Jaafari the weight he deserves, without being overbearing. This performance is complex, emotional, and highly recommended.

good listen, somewhat biased politically

I really enjoyed the story. It was well read, and explores the aftermath of a suicide attack from both the Israeli and Palestianian perspective. I feel that the author attempted to present a non biased story to demonstrate the horror that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become. I believe that it is important to note that the Israeli "atrocities" are all in response to suicide bombings. The pain inflicted on the Palestinian's following such a suicide bombing is explored in detail. There is no exploration of the pain of the families of the children blown up by the suicide bomber. That being said, the story is well worth a listen.

Thought provoking listen

Relatively short listen and well worth the time. Really gave me better insight on the emotional turmoil in the Middle East from a personal perspective. Conflicted protagonist showed both sides of the issue.

Can you imagine...

I was intrigued by this title because I hoped that by listening I might begin to understand what would motivate someone to strap on a web of explosives, walk into a crowed restaurant, and press the button. That seems to be the basic question the main character, Dr. Jaafari, pursues, and hence the driving force of the novel. The author does a great job balancing the emotional torture inside Dr. Jaafari with the action of finding the truth. By the end, though, I'm not sure I've arrived at a place that's real or just where the author wanted to leave me. Worth the listen to make up your own mind.