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.

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