Dispiriting. I nearly tossed this into the nearest patch of long grass, as I got so thoroughly sick of the descriptions of boobs and buttocks, so impatient with the fact that ALL the women fell into only two categories: young and therefore luscious and desirable, or old, and therefore no longer desirable. Worst of all is old and skinny - and yes, it says a LOT about me that I'm particularly sensitive to this - because old and skinny means you turn into a screeching termagant. (Somebody better warn my husband - what do you mean too late? HOW DARE YOU, I'LL HAVE YOUR GUTS FOR GARTERS.....) Old and chunky on the other hand means you're at least allowed to be motherly, sorry, grandmotherly. Even towards men who are older than you. So that puts me on a strict regime of chocolate, ice cream, cream cake and biscuits, and NO SPORT. There is an awful lot of sex in this book. Or should that be a lot of awful sex? Well, yes. Their intercourse on the first night was simple and spontaneous, as though she had been his wife for years. The rose opened to the touch of his fingers and he watered it more than once till it was quenched. Cringe. Maybe that sounds better in the original. But it's not just the ho-hum description, it's that sex is a marketable commodity. That rose quotation describes 'simple and spontaneous' congruence between Taha and the wife chosen for him by the Islamist brotherhood. It is unique in the whole novel that it does not involve the obvious blandishments of money, or security, or the slightly more subtle pretence of a considerate sensual dexterity that fools the young (luscious, desirable) victim into believing that the old lecher actually cares for her on any other level than pleasuring her and proving his amazing ability to do so.But then, since I'm an old skinny harridan with a couple of brain cells to rub together, I began to think about WHY this made me so angry. And it was the story of Suad, who desperately and fruitlessly tries to take control of her own body, who hopes to gain some dignity and human value by producing a child (and is so shockingly frustrated in her aim) that pointed up to me that in a society where women have no economic or political influence, the only thing that's left to them is the power to bestow sexual favours. And the portrayal of homosexuality seems cliched in its sordidness, but then how can it be anything else in a society that makes something so natural illegal? So this is what al-Aswany does. He uses these rather one-dimensional figures to present what was wrong with Egyptian society under Mubarak. And it reads a lot like trashy soap opera, the rather simplistic causality between poverty, despotic rule and abuse on one side and religious radicalisation on the other. Aesthetically, not a delight. But a drastic situation requires drastic means. And if this is your view of the Egyptian people,Our Lord created the Egyptians to accept government authority. No Egyptian can go against his government. Some peoples are excitable and rebellious by nature but the Egyptian keeps his head down his whole life long so he can eat. It says so in the history books. The Egyptians are the easiest people in the world to rule. The moment you take power, they submit to you and grovel to you and you can do what you want with them.(thankfully proved wrong by the events of the Arab Spring), then it's drastic means that you need. And you know what's really dispiriting? The nagging suspicion that Western readers will mistake a version of what's wrong with the system for a proof of what's wrong with the people.
The writer has the ability to steal the reader and race him with his lines. He keeps firm grip on the reader's mind...even when you leave the book you keep thinking about the events and when will you go back to read more. You can live easily inside his story lines.I have not seen the movie but I've seen some of the tv episodes, and i think the book is much much more exciting.I'm thinking of buying the English version to compare it with the original Arabic versions...also I look forward to reading his other books.Tuesday, June 24, 2008 Today, I reached page 125I like how he dives deep inside each of his characters and serve the reader the core of their mind and feelings and you feel as if you know them personally.I don't see any unnecessary details and nothing is kept mysterious so far...and for a moment I was wondering if the writer knows all those characters in real life. His characters seem so real and alive!What I did not like so far is the typos and the lack of correct punctuations. I'm reading the fifth edition and hoping that the next edition will have better presentation.Friday, June 27, 2008My final notes-Few minutes ago I finished reading this novel. For a moment I thought I was watching an action movie that was filled with suspense.In this novel, the writer blends the stories of about five main characters in a way that keeps you as a reader sitting at the edge of your chair wanting to know what happens next. He sets the scenes, describes his characters and gives them a voice, but you never feel the presence of the writer in any of his lines. He presents their thoughts as they believe in it, and he exposes their deep feelings as they sense it. He never criticizes or takes sides as if he is just a narrator.Alaa Elaswani, is like a talented carpet maker who knows where to put each thread and ends up with a piece of art which you may or may not like. He divided this novel into scenes that was well crafted. He knew how to start each scene and how to end it as if he’s writing scenarios for a play or a movie.With this novel, Alaa Elaswani, stepped into a new level in Arabic literature for the amount of realism and drama he used in constructing this novel. He was very successful in balancing many factors by giving equal amount of attention for each character and avoiding unnecessary descriptions. He reflected well the time and the political events that painted the background for each scene as their characters see it. Despite the unexpected dramatic ending of each story, you as a reader will experience some relief from the tension that has been building throughout the whole novel.I would like to see Alaa El-Aswani writing a mystery or a fictional horrifying novel!….Also I think he’d do great in history and adventures. Can’t wait to read his other books!Monday, June 30, 2008
What do You think about The Yacoubian Building (2006)?
A handful of intertwining stories all passing through The Yacoubian Building in downtown Cairo, I read this in one plane trip from Texas to SC. I couldn't put it down! And not just for the sexual content, which I'm sure is the reason half the people who read this pick it up. Controversial in Egypt? Oh my! It has interesting insight into relationships of all kinds - homosexual men in a society that may look the other way if they like you enough, women who marry to support their families, and the rights of children after the death of a parent."At rare and exceptional moments Souad Gaber appears as she really is. A look suddenly flashes from her eyes like a spark and her face recovers its original appearance, exactly as an actor returns to his own character on finishing a role, takes off his costume, and wipes the makeup off his face. On such occasions, a serious, slowly awakening look suggestive of a certain degree of hardness and determination appears on Souad's face and reveals her true nature... that spark will flash in her eyes confirming that her mind never stops working, even in the heat of passion."In an interesting conversation about patriotism:"A person has to love his country because his country is his mother. Does anyone hate his mother?"(I'd say that's a pretty loaded question.)
—Jenny (Reading Envy)
لقد سمعت ما قيل عن هذه الرواية و لذلك لم اجازف و ادفع فيها مليم و استلفتها من صديقة لي هذه الرواية لم تعجبني باي حال من الاحوال فتصوير المأسي شئ فطري في شعبنا الذي يعشق النكد و عمل وظيفة اسمها المعددة كي تندب الموتي !!!و اري ان هذه القصة - كغيرها - لا يوجد بها اي ابداع و هو اختار نوع رخيص جدا من الادب و هو الادب الاباحي ان جاز التعبير ,فكمية الاسفاف في وصف مفاتن المراة قد فاقت الحدود المحترمة و لا اعتقد ان الفن يبرر الاسفاف و لولا انه اقحم هذه التحبيشة الاباحية في رأيي لكانت رواية عادية و لما لفتت الانتباه و اجبرت الجميع علي ان يقرأوها حتي نهايتها و يعجبوا بها بمثل هذا الشكل كما اني ضد الفلسفة ان الجميع خاطئين علي طول الخط لان الدنيا ليست شيطين فقط او شر صرف فقط حتي المعتدلين لابد ان يكون بهم ذله ما او كبت او شئ حقير او ما الي ذلك فهي نظرة مريضة للغاية و تنم عن خلل في التفكير كما اني لا احب ان يجعل القارئ يتعاطف مع البطل الزاني الخمورجي و يركز دائما علي الجانب الانساني الكويس اللي هو اد السمسمة و دي طريقة قديمة اوي لاعلاء شأن الخبيث و نفي صفة الطهر عن اي شئ فعلا من اسوأ ما قرأت الفترة الماضية ان لم يكون طوال حياتي كلها
—Shams Eddeen شمس الدين .
لم أستطع اكمالها .. جيدة في المضمون سيئة في الاحداث ..في البداية تغاضيت عن شعوري بالقرف اثناء القراءة (وعصرت على نفسي لمونة) واجبرت نفسي على إستكمالها فلم أستطع التحمل أكثر من ذلك .. الأمر اشبه بإرتكاب ذنب .. هذه الرواية ليست عمل أدبي وانما مادة للإبتذال تصلح للمراهقين وضعاف النفوس ..وبجانب الاوصاف الاباحية الكثيييرة والغيرة مبررة .. وكأن الكاتب (ماصدق يكتب عن حاجة زي كده) .. نقل الكاتب الكثير من الافكار الملوثة عن البلاد ..لا اقول ان كل شئ بمصر إيجابي .. ولكن أيضاً ليس كل شئ سلبي فليس لكل فرد علاقات متعددة ويعيش على المجون وشرب الخمر وغيرها .. وما أحززني أكثر تشويه الكاتب لسمعة الفتاة المصرية وتصويرها في الرواية كمادة للرذيلة وانها تستجيب لمحاولات الرجال للتحرش بها بل وتتقبل ذلك بسهولة .. أعجبني فقط إظهار التناقد في شخصيات المجتمع المصري .. هذا التناقض لا يمكن إنكاره كأن ألا يذكر الرجل المصري اسم زوجته امام بقية الرجال على اعتباره شئ مخجل لا يجوز ذكره .. ولكنه يتحكي تفاصيل علاقته بزوجته لأصحابه على اعتبار أنه (حلال) ..وكأن يكون هناك شخص متقرب إلى الله مثل "طه" ولكنه على استعداد لدفع رشوة لقبوله في كلية الشرطة وأعجبني أيضاً إظهاره للتميز العنصري من قبل الشعب والجهات تجاه من هم في مكانة اجتماعية ضئيلة .. ربما يكون هناك بعض الافكار الجيدة لكن الطريقة سيئة جداً ومبتذلة ...وما يحزن أكثر أن هذه الرواية تُرجمت ونقلت هذ الأفكار المغلوطة عن المجتمع .. ربما لا يمكنني الحكم لأنني لم أكملها .. لكن ما أعرفه أنني لن أقرأ لـ علاء الأسواني مجدداً
—Asmaa Essam
