Defiance: A Memoir of Awakening, Rebellion, and Survival in Syria
Candid and absorbing ... Her self-portrait isn’t always flattering ... The memoir’s descriptions of prisoner abuse are horrifying, if no longer novel ... Mrie’s descriptions of her lost country are imbued with nostalgia.
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An insightful account ... An exposé of the poor treatment of women ... This book is also about elitism ... Remarkably brave ... Mrie is an immensely skilled writer, and Defiance is gripping, even as it is devastating. It is a look at trauma – how much can one person bear; the incomprehensible scale of loss that Syrians have gone through; the sacrifices faced by people who dare to challenge the status quo ... Mrie’s writing must undoubtedly have brought her fresh pain, but the book she has authored is an important account.
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Mrie uses an exceptional eye for detail to evoke her surroundings, whether it be the peaceful Syrian countryside of her childhood or the carnage-filled chaos of rebel-held villages under bombardment. But the most remarkable aspect of Mrie’s memoir is her unflinching honesty as she details how trauma and guilt led to her struggles with impulsive behavior and an addiction to alcohol.
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