Witnessing the crackdown of the ruling dictatorship against Muslims in 1980s Syria, our young narrator is filled with hatred for her oppressors, and becomes increasingly fundamentalist. Following in the footsteps of her beloved uncle Bakr, she takes on the party, launching herself into a fight for her religion, her country, and ultimately, her own future. Set against a backdrop of real-life events, In Praise of Hatred is a stirring, sensual story. Its elegant use of traditional, layered storytelling is a powerful echo of the modern-day tragedy that is now taking place in the Middle East.