A Bottle in the Gaza Sea

Content Warning: The novel addresses themes of violence, conflict, trauma, and political tension. It includes references to suicide bombings, terrorism, death, and mental health conditions.

The novel opens with the line, “It’s a time of darkness, sadness, and horror. The fear’s back again” (1), which is part of Tal’s diary. She is preparing for bed when the sound of an explosion rattles the windows of her family’s house. They know it is a bomb, and the family is on alert. As a military nurse, Tal’s brother Eytan rushes out with his first aid kit, followed by their father; Tal’s mother cries and then connects to every media source to learn more. Tal goes to bed and tries to block out the sound of ambulances.

Tal thinks about how strange it is that she has suddenly chosen to write in a diary about the bombing, since it was never her habit. She remembers receiving The Diary of Anne Frank as a birthday gift; she connects with Frank’s dream of being a writer and hopes for freedom and reflects on the unfairness of Frank dying just before Bergen-Belsen was freed.

Tal provides more details about the attack and the six people who were killed—“an average attack” (5).