Goddess of Battle
by Gwendolyn Rachel Ackerman
The Story
“Goddess of Battle” tells the tale of two young women on opposite sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict who, despite what they suffer, manage to focus on what they have in common and forge a friendship that has the potential to change the world. Each is inspired by their very different encounters with the struggle for civil rights in the United States.
This book is the product of three decades of reporting and the urge to write more than a 500 word news article. It seeks to show that in every conflict, and in this one in particular, underneath the conflict perpetuated by politicians are real people, human beings who want normal lives for themselves and their children. People who, if given the chance, might find a way to open their hearts to those they might otherwise call their ``enemy.’’ People so frustrated by what the conflict has brought to their lives, that they sometimes see killing and murder as the only way out.
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It hopes to send the message that if only a few are willing to open their hearts and focus on what is common to all mankind instead of concentrating on age-old narratives that sustain hatred and suspicion, there may be a possibility to embark on a better future.
It is a work of fiction, and as such, while its storyline and the events it covers are loosely based on real incidents the author has witnessed personally, they are not intended as reportage and take liberties with time and place. The characters, too, are completely fictional, although some of the stories they tell are true accounts.
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In an era in which women are taking to the streets to change policy, and in an area where four Israeli mother successfully led a movement that prompted Israel withdraw its army from Lebanon, this novel attempts to herald the words of former President Barack Obama and say: ``Yes, we can.’’ To peace in our time.
Publisher: Black Rose Writing 2017
Cover Design: Tara Varon
Cover Photo: Heidi Levine