English-Language Fiction from Egypt

I have noticed that there aren't many websites and magazines that discuss English-Language Fiction from Egypt (original, not translated). So I decided to conduct a little research of my own, and came up with this list, which, hopefully, is a complete list of all Original English-Language Fiction published in Egypt. Here goes:

The Years Of Silence by Marwa Ayad: A contemporary tale of spousal abuse and the search for love, by young Egyptian author Marwa Ayad. This is her first and only book (s0 far), and it has garnered some positive reviews, and, according to the author, has achieved good sales as well. Published by Malamih Publishing House. Click here for the book's official website.

Velo by Amr Khaled: A book about being young and lost in contemporary Egypt. The tale is laced with strange images and philosophical interludes. According to some online sources, the book was a bestseller in Egypt for a short time. Click here for the author's website. Published by Malamih Publishing House.

29! by Yasmine Adel Refaat: A collection of short stories encompassing a range of genres, all deeply rooted in psychology. Published by Malamih Publishing House.





When The Honeymoon Is Over by May Taher: A collection of sixteen short stories revolving around romantic relationships in contemporary Egypt. The book, published by Shabab Books, is the most expensive of all the titles listed here, with a retail price of 110 L.E, and is published in Hard Cover, unlike all the other releases which were published in Paperback. Online buzz and reviews haven't been kind to this collection. Visit the author's Facebook page here.

The Lord Of Illusions by Amr Shehata: A novel. Published by Shabab Books. Here is an excerpt from the official synopsis: "Dr. Galal Daggal – an Egyptian scientist and billionaire invents and sells a pill which when consumed, activates the human subconscious mind allowing people to dream whatever they desire while asleep. People dreamt they were rich. People dreamt they were married. People dreamt their deceased family members were still alive. People's dreams were limitless.

Is this the ultimate solution to bringing the long-lost happiness to the suppressed Egyptian people and causing general stability to the country? Or is it only the brink of something worse? "

* Thanks to author Mahmoud Mansi for the heads up about the book.

A Journey From Darkness To Light by Mahmoud Mansi: Arguably, the most ambitious (and longest) of all the novels listed here, this strange, genre-bending novel is part fantasy, part philosophy and part adventure story. Its author, Mahmoud Mansi, previously published this novel in Alexandria (his home city) as a limited-edition. Now he's re-published it in a deluxe paperback edition, which is printed by Author House, one of the most popular self-publishers in the US and the UK. The novel is available to buy from Souq.com, and for international readers, from Amazon. Click here for the author's blog.








Melancholia by Basil Fateen: Released in 2010 by Shabab Books.

I couldn't find much information about this novel and its author, but here is some of the text posted by the author, Basil Fateen, on the book's official Facebook page: "So yeah...I wrote a novel. About a year ago. And now...finally...after months of waiting around, wandering the streets aimlessly all day and then crying myself to sleep every night...it's coming out. And I hope that you go buy it and enjoy it. But at the very least buy it, you don't have to enjoy it. We've manufactured the book in such a way that it can also be used for various functions around the house; to keep a short leg on a table level, to throw at a spouse during an argument, and even for erotic pleasure (somehow). So my point is...buy it. Or I might not be able to afford the life-saving operation for my three legged puppy. Seriously. You don't want that on your conscience. But I do hope you enjoy it..."

Check out the book's official Facebook page for more info on the book and where to buy it.
There is also a short film made by author, featuring one of the characters from the book.

And, there is my novel, Beware The Stranger, published by Al-Hadara Publishing. It's a Young-Adult thriller, set in Cairo, Egypt, featuring vampires, monsters, sorcerers, and much more. It's available from these local bookstores, and, for international readers, from Amazon Kindle.

If you know about any other Egyptian English-Language books (fiction only) that aren't listed here, please send me an email. Thanks.

Book Reviews

Book Review: The Rainbow Dance (رقصة قوس قزح) by Sherif Meleika: I previously reviewed Sherif Meleika's novel, Soloman's Ring (خاتم سليمان), which I found to be a revelation; a stylish, engrossing, original historical Egyptian novel that defies categorization. Well, Meleika's new novel, The Rainbow Dance (رقصة قوس قزح), also is a novel that is hard to categorize, and one which cements Meleika's position as one of Egypt's most important novelists. This is a beautifully written, deeply touching, and boldly dark piece of work.

The novel revolves around a group of Egyptian immigrants living in America (including Mourad, a former Judge, and his wife; Ashraf, a doctor who suffers from clinical depression; Magdy, an extremist young Muslim man; and Labib, a disturbed, sexually perverted musician) who all share a terrible memory: The memory of the 4th of July celebration where they all gathered and on which something terrible happened to Magdy's daughter. The novel is divided into seven parts (and an epilogue), each part focusing on the statement of one of the characters regarding what happened on that fateful day. Each part is represented by a different rainbow color which reflects the mood and/or psyche of each narrator.

Meleika really stretches his narrative muscles here, smoothly shifting from one voice to another to show us each character's take on what happened that day. Each character is meticulously drawn, so that you really get to know each of these deeply damaged, complex people. From Ashraf, who suffers from clinical depression, and whose sarcastic yet touching tone is compelling and haunting, to Mourad, whose guilt-laden, grief-ravaged thoughts are deeply affecting, to Salwa, the sexually-frigid wife, whose bitter, sad musings are moving and disturbing, these are characters that feel real, their thoughts ringing true. Also, the novel, bravely, deals with topics that most Egyptian authors are either too self-censoring or too coy to deal with; like Egyptians' and Arab's double-standards when it comes to the U.S. (for example: we loathe their sexual freedom and their lifestyle, yet, secretly, we covet and admire those very same things); homosexual Egyptian youths and - due to a repressed and oppressive society - how confused and guilt-laden they are; and, most importantly, how it really is to be an Egyptian immigrant in the U.S. (both the good and the bad). Meleika tackles all these issues with panache, wit, intelligence, and an unflinching eye; as this is a dark novel, filled with pain, loss and uncomfortable truths. But it is also compelling, wonderfully written, and filled to the brim with memorable characters and sharp dialogue.

Although the central premise is somewhat implausible (the characters too readily agree to share, with a friend, their most intimate thoughts regarding a tragic event), this is a minor caveat, since this is a fascinating, thought-provoking, challenging story about a group of flawed, damaged people, struggling with the darkest aspects of what it means to be human. A must read.

* Available from Al-Hadara Publishing.

Book Review: The Widow Writes Letters In Secret (الأرملة تكتب الخطابات سرا) by Tareq Imam: Tareq Imam's third novel is, in my humble opinion, his most accomplished piece of long fiction. Although, from day one, his unique style and grasp of imagery were strongly evident, The Widow Writes Letters in Secret, is a step forward in terms of narrative skills and literary accomplishment. Why, you ask? The answer is simple: With this novel, and for the first time in his already accomplished career as a writer, Imam manages to imbue his stylish imagery and hallucinatory plots with something new: Affection for his characters.

The story - about an old widow (Malak) who returns to her native town for the first time in decades after her husband's death, and who tries to fill the emotional void in her life by writing romantic letters on behalf of her teenage students, whom she tutors, so that they can present them, as their own, to their lovers - is intriguing, and as told by Imam's unique style, highly atmospheric. Add the wandering ghost of Malak's husband and a mysterious letter which the widow wakes up one night to find plastered to the flesh of her thigh, and you get a wildly original, Gothic tale that is hard to put down once you start reading it. But what's really surprising here is how touching the story is. Despite its short length (the novella is 79 pages long), Imam manages to flesh out his characters, especially the widow, Malak, who is a tragic, sad character, perpetually mourning the loss of her youth and her first love. But despite her sadness and her age, there is a romantic fire that burns within her, whose heat we can feel and empathize with as the story moves along. Also, the relationship between the widow and the nun who lives across the street from her, is a touching interlude, brilliantly written, and a considerable achievement, considering that it only takes Imam a handful of pages to create such a vivid, memorable rapport between these two characters. Imam, as always, also has something to say about contemporary Egypt, and it isn't pretty, making this not only an entertaining piece of work, but also a multi-layered one.

Although the ambiguous, circular ending is a bit disappointing, this is an original, stylish, memorable piece of work, and another brilliant piece of storytelling by Tarq Imam, one of Egypt's most accomplished contemporary writers. Unmissable.

* Available from Dar Al-Ain.

Double Extra! Special Promotion: For a limited time only, my novel, Beware The Stranger and my feature film, Wingrave, are both available to buy exclusively from Souq.com in limited-edition, signed copies. So if you are a fan of my work, Gothic/Horror, Young Adult Fiction, or Experimental Egyptian Films, follow this link and buy a copy of the film and/or novel. Hopefully, you won't regret it. Click here and here for trailers.

That's it fore me. Till next time, keep browsing those shelves!

Book Review

Book Review: But it's Mozart! (!و لكنه موتسارت) by Lamiaa Mokhtar: Every once in a while you come across a book that takes you by surprise; not necessarily because it's brilliant, but because it's unique and heartfelt. Lamiaa Mokthar's play, But it's Mozart!, took me by surprise, for several reasons. Firstly, it's a play about the almost mythic rivalry between Mozart and Salieri, and it's written by an Egyptian woman. That, in itself, is something, considering the current state of Egyptian society. Secondly, the play is so compelling and energetic, that, while reading it, one forgets that the play doesn't cover any new ground regarding the subject matter, which is a testament to Mokthar's storytelling talent. But, to me, the most striking aspect about this play is that despite its brevity, it manages to paint both Mozart and Salieri vividly, really bringing them to life. Mokthar makes this feat look easy, but, really, it isn't.

The rivalry between these two legendary composers (which, to this day, some claim is nothing more than a myth, unsupported by facts) has been the subject of numerous written works, most famous of which are Alexander Pushkin's short drama Mozart and Salieri, and Peter Shaffer's play Amadeus, which was adapted into the Oscar-winning film of the same name. Mokthar borrows liberally from these two works; but she also adds another touch that is, arguably, all her own, which is giving the story an almost mythic feel by adding (in the very first scene of the play) the imaginary character of a gypsy that tells a young Salieri that his life will be ruined by the Sin of Envy. The ending, in which the ghost of Mozart's father appears to Mozart to show him the future, also is a brilliant touch, and one which gives the story and the play a bitter-sweet/fairy-tale like atmosphere.

I, for one, would have paid to see this play performed on the stage. But as a book (which the publisher cleverly formats like a novel for easy reading), this is a compelling, one-sitting read, which, if not quite a must for fans of Mozart, is recommended for readers and theatre-buffs looking for something fresh and heartfelt.

* Available from Dar Oktob.