Seven Heavens Away
Palestine

Seven Heavens Away

by Ashraf Zaghal

Freedom & Resistance Literary Fiction Fiction 2026

Summary

In Jerusalem, where everyday life unfolds under the shadow of escalating violence, fifteen-year-old Aziz faces a loss that will change everything. After his friend Hassan is killed, Aziz is pulled between grief, loyalty, and the growing political anger surrounding him. His feelings for Dafna, a Jewish girl he works with, further complicate his friendships and force him to question the divisions shaping his world. As his family searches for a way to protect his future, Aziz must confront a difficult choice: how to hold on to love, compassion, and hope when the world seems determined to take them away.

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Country
Palestine
Asia
About the author
Ashraf Zaghal
Ashraf Zaghal

Ashraf Zaghal is a Palestinian Canadian poet and novelist born and raised in Jerusalem. Before publishing his debut novel, Seven Heavens Away (2026), he established himself as a poet, publishing four collections in Arabic between 1998 and 2016. His poetry has been translated into English, French, and Hebrew, bringing his work to readers across different linguistic and cultural traditions. Zaghal later moved to Canada to study environmental engineering and earned a PhD in Water Resource Engineering from the University of Guelph, as well as an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. He also edits an online magazine dedicated to progressive literature and translation. His fiction draws on his deep connection to Jerusalem, exploring the human cost of political violence, the complexities of identity, and the struggle to preserve humanity amid conflict.

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Details
Published
2026
Author
Ashraf Zaghal