Most people would consider Lebanon the last place on earth they want to be; then there are those who yearn to be there and nowhere else in the world. Layla, Margo and Kamal are three such souls, fiercely drawn to the city of Beirut with all its dreams and shadows.

Fearing for their safety and her future Layla's parents left Lebanon with her, as a child, when civil war erupted in the country. But she has never understood nor forgiven them for this decision, and has always vowed to return. Once back there Layla finds work at the American University, lecturing in English. Being in Beirut means the world to her and she finds joy in her surroundings.

She frequently wonders about her connection with Lebanon. Once settled she meets Margo, her elderly Polish neighbour in whom she finds a kindred spirit. Margo has her own reasons for being in Beirut. She may be frail, but she is spirited and wise, and the two women spend many joyful hours together. Enter Kamal, a Palestinian refugee, writer and lecturer who has also found a place in his heart for Beirut. He befriends both Margo, and Layla.

The narrative is slow, but subtle and heartfelt. There are some wonderful passages of clarity, and a love of the beautiful but beleaguered city of Beirut. Jarrar writes from the heart about the country of her birth and evokes lovely scenes, many with the ever-present sea as a backdrop.

When war breaks out in the city, the protagonists provide solace to one another in a very challenging situation. While others flee to the relative safety of the mountains and other outlying areas, they opt to remain in the heart of the strife. The book explores the meaning of friendship, love, disappointment and finding one's place in the world.

Being Lebanese and having left the country (for Australia) and gone back, Jarrar writes from experience. Layla's character could very well be her alter-ego, and some parts of the book biographical. It provides commentary on the political situation of her country vis-á-vis Israel, and the war imposed on civilians and refugees in Lebanon.

A Good Land is Jarrar's third book and, like its forerunners, is a novel of remembering and celebrating the beloved city of Beirut. It successfully engages a fraught issue, with compassion and grace, and poses some tough questions about the conflict raging on in the Middle East. There are those who will consider the book an eye-opener while others, no doubt, will be annoyed by it. It was deservedly shortlisted for the 2010 Commonwealth Writers' Prize, and is certainly worth reading.