In Death is Hard Work we learn about three siblings—Bolbol, Hussein, and Fatima— who journey from Damascus to complete their dead father’s final wish of being buried next to his sister, Layla, in their hometown of Anabiya. The drive would normally be short, but in the middle of war, they come across checkpoints and numerous obstacles.
It is astonishing who Khalifa manages to tell such a sad story, with humor and yet still convey that feeling of hopelessness, of being alone among others. How he manages to find beauty in the ugliness of war is truly a gift.
Literary Infatuation 