A Mask, the Colour of the Sky
| Author | Basem Khandakji |
|---|---|
| Language | Arabic |
Publication date | 2023 |
| Publication place | Palestine |
A Mask, the Colour of the Sky (قناع بلون السماء) is a novel by the Palestinian writer, poet, and prisoner Basem Khandakji, is a book published in 2023 by published Dar Al-Adab in Beirut. The novel won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2024, called the Arabic Booker Prize.[1][2]
The English translation of the novel will be published in 2026 by Europa Editions.[3][4]
Background
The book was written during confinement in Israeli prison. Israeli prison authorities denied all knowledge of the book.[5]
Khandakji's brother said the novel was written between June and November 2021 "in difficult circumstances".[6]
Synopsis
The book centres on a Palestinian named Nur who lives in a refugee camp in Ramallah. Finding the blue identity card given to Israelis in a secondhand coat, he assumes a fake name, Ur, and is hired for an archaeological dig near Megiddo.[4]
Reactions
The novel won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2024 in a unanimous decision.[5] The prize is widely considered the Arab world's most prestigious.[7]
In a statement, the judges announced:[8]
A Mask, the Colour of the Sky fuses the personal with the political in innovative ways. It ventures into experimenting with new narrative forms to explore three types of consciousness: that of the self, the Other, and the world. It dissects a complex, bitter reality of family fragmentation, displacement, genocide, and racism. The strands of history, myth, and the present day are delicately woven together in a narrative that pulses with compassion in the face of dehumanisation, and is stirred by a desire for freedom from oppression, both at an individual and societal level.
— Nabil Suleiman, chair of the 2024 panel of judges
On the night the book won the award, the author was beaten by Israeli guards in his cell, then placed in solitary confinement in Ofer Prison.[9]
References
- ^ "A Mask, the Colour of the Sky | International Prize for Arabic Fiction". arabicfiction.org. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ ""A Mask, the Color of the Sky" by Palestinian detainee Bassem Khandakji wins International Prize for Arabic Fiction". 28 April 2024.
- ^ "Europa to Publish Arabic Fiction Prize Winner". Publishers Weekly. 29 April 2024. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
- ^ a b "A Mask the Color of the Sky - Bassem Khandaqji". Europa Editions. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
- ^ a b Adel, Ibrahim (30 April 2024). "Basim Khandaqji wins top Arabic literary award from behind prison bars". Al Majalla. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
- ^ "Two Palestinian Novels Make 2024 International Prize for Arabic Fiction's 6-Book Shortlist". ARABLIT & ARABLIT QUARTERLY. 14 February 2024. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
- ^ Sheehan, Dan (28 February 2024). "An imprisoned Palestinian author has been shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction". Literary Hub. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
- ^ Sheehan, Dan (30 April 2024). "An imprisoned Palestinian author has won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction". Literary Hub. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
- ^ "Award-winning Palestinian author on Israeli prison, exile and homeland". Al Jazeera. 26 October 2025. Retrieved 27 October 2025.