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In a fine quality marble
As smooth as you can be.
In a craftsmanship’s yielding"
Jbara’s new book is composed of ten sections focused on themes such as fear, dogs, love, and sanity. The persona is a thoughtful young woman who sometimes suffers from a painful affliction she attempts to keep hidden from the world. Each thematic section includes four short prose pieces and ends with a poem. The main character loves dogs and considers them more trustworthy and worthy of attention than most humans. Also, she has been in love and been wounded in the process. She has concluded that loving animals will be enough for her because attempts at romantic relationships end badly and cause too much pain. There are some passages when the persona appears older, possibly in her middle years, but in most scenarios, she is a young woman slightly at odds with the world.
Jbara’s book is written in an abstract manner, often devoid of descriptions, and in a style partly derived from the narrative method of stream of consciousness. It appears to be shaped and influenced by social media in that its emphasis seems to be on forming an interesting phrase or a couple of sentences that would readily fit in an Instagram or TikTok post. As a result, much of the writing comes in the form of sentence fragments rather than complete thoughts. Those who spend a lot of time on social media, especially those who frequent the two platforms mentioned earlier, may find her content quickly and easily absorbed and enjoy following her writing to see what she may say next. They will likely appreciate the interesting manner in which she arranges her words and phrases as well.