A Conversation with the Dylan Thomas Prize Winner about Obsession, Identity, and the Power of Fiction

Palestinian author Yasmin Zaher has made headlines with her debut novel, “The Coin,” which has won the prestigious Dylan Thomas Prize for young writers. The book tells the story of a Palestinian woman living in New York, struggling with her past and her identity, as she becomes obsessed with cleaning and fashion. In a recent interview, Zaher spoke with us about her journey to writing “The Coin,” her inspirations, and the challenges of being a Palestinian writer in the literary world.

Zaher’s own life has been marked by a sense of obsession, particularly when it comes to cleanliness. Growing up in a traditional Palestinian family, she was taught to prioritize hygiene and order. Her mother and the other women in her family were meticulous about keeping their homes spotless, and Zaher learned to emulate this behavior. However, as she began to write “The Coin,” she found herself becoming increasingly fixated on the topic. “I set out to write a novel that was fun, sexy, full of pleasures, and against my will, in a way, the past was coming up for me, and the painful present was coming up for me, and at some point I had to submit to that,” she explained.

Zaher’s inspiration for the novel came from a range of sources, including the Brazilian writer Clarice Lispector, who encouraged her to write wildly and without concern for logic or morality. Lispector’s novel, “The Passion According to GH,” about a woman who undergoes an existential crisis after crushing a cockroach in her apartment, resonated deeply with Zaher. She also drew on the works of Kurt Vonnegut, who she admires for his ability to explore the complexities of human nature, and Michel Houellebecq, whose lonely characters she connects with on a deep level.

The novel’s protagonist, a Palestinian woman living in New York, is a complex and multifaceted character. She is judgmental and rude, and her relationships with students are often inappropriate. However, Zaher sees her character as a reflection of herself, and as a way of exploring the darker aspects of human nature. “I don’t like novels where there are good people and bad people,” she said. “I find that boring. I’m always attracted to novels that bring me closer to my bad, secret fantasies, my repressed bad qualities.”

The timing of the novel’s publication was significant, coinciding as it did with Nakba Day, the anniversary of the forced displacement of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. Zaher has spoken about the challenges of being a Palestinian writer, and the fear that her book may be seen as a reflection of her own identity rather than a work of fiction. However, she is determined to push back against this narrative, and to create a character that is complex and multifaceted.

For Zaher, the £20,000 prize is a significant recognition of her work, and a testament to the power of fiction to explore the complexities of human nature. However, she is cautious about the impact that the prize may have on her writing. “I’m generally a private person, and I try not to think about these things,” she said. “But it would be nice if the book would reach more people who really connect with it.”

As she looks to the future, Zaher is working on her next book, a newsroom mystery set in Jaffa. She is determined to continue exploring the complexities of human nature, and to create characters that are complex and multifaceted. “I think it’s because reading is engaging in fantasy, and writing is also engaging in fantasy, so it’s an exploration of parts of us that we cannot live in real life,” she said.

Zaher’s experiences as a Palestinian writer have also given her a unique perspective on the role of literature in society. She believes that literature has the power to challenge our assumptions and to bring us closer to the complexities of human nature. “Literature is a way of engaging with the world, of exploring our own identities and the identities of others,” she said. “It’s a way of pushing back against the dominant narratives and of creating new ones.”

In the end, Zaher’s journey to literary success is a testament to the power of fiction to explore the complexities of human nature. Her novel, “The Coin,” is a complex and multifaceted work that challenges our assumptions and brings us closer to the darker aspects of human nature. As she looks to the future, Zaher is determined to continue exploring the complexities of human nature, and to create characters that are complex and multifaceted.