Disgrace (1999)

Going back in time a little with this latest read. Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee was first published in 1999, though I read the 2000 Vintage edition on my good old Kindle. It's a novel set in South Africa and it won the Booker Prize. The novel is approximately 216 pages long, depending on your edition I presume. I read this as part of my seminar module on eco-criticism and so I will be referring to some themes linked to this approach as well as my overall thoughts.

Disgrace is written in a third-person narrative voice and expresses the thoughts, feelings and experiences of protagonist David Lurie, a twice-divorced, 50-something university lecturer who gets himself into a spot of trouble that leads to him to leave his job and redirect his time and efforts.

A major theme in the novel is crime and in particular rape. Coetzee appears to criticise not only the policing system but also the general attitude towards crime. Efforts are usually lax and in many ways there is a bias to protect men. Victims are represented, although from an onlooker's perspective- that of Lurie himself, and we recognise marked symptoms of sexual harassment and trauma, such as despondency, distractedness, lack of motivation and animation. Alongside this we not only see rapists as aggressive monster-characters but also as people with friends and family, who do not all necessarily condemn such behaviour. We are given an insight into a rapist's potential reasoning and worldview, his sense of entitlement. Also, crimes, including rape, are not punished severely in the novel, which is probably the most disturbing element. There are sometimes repercussions for the rapist but it seems that the sense of entitlement or "rightness" isn't rectified and this allows the culture of the objectification of women to flourish.

There are also disturbing undertones of paedophilia, as descriptions of attractive women often include child-like qualities. There is a sort of obsession with the young girl, innocent and not yet fully mature. Arguably this representation is just another reference to common images splattered across the media of what beautiful women ought to be, a culture of fetishisation of the extremely young female, disregarding the value and beauty of older women as objects that have passed their best.

My eco-critical analysis means that I can make the connection between the subjugation of women and that of nature. This is more specifically an eco-feminist approach that illustrates how women and nature are both subject to the fleeting desires of men and their demands. The value of nature and of women is determined by their usefulness to men and what they can offer to men. This novel provokes questions as to intrinsic value of the two (women and nature) independent of men. Themes from deep ecology also make an appearance in the notion of population control, demonstrated through the metaphor of dogs and the need to consistently reduce their population size.

What I found most striking in the novel, considering the events that took place, was the tone. The narrative voice was rather calm and matter-of-fact. There was perhaps one episode where there appeared to be an emotional expression of violence and rage but otherwise the tone was clear and collected for the duration of the novel. This conveys the feeling that Lurie lives in his own bubble, which cannot be penetrated by others. Despite the events around him, he lives in a world that is male-centred and his white privilege and academic background means that he is self-confident and hardly feels any sort of remorse or regret. In many ways he is quite cold and frank, yet we see he does have a heart and a great interest in passion and the idea of fulfilling desires.

David Lurie's character is counter-balanced by that of his daughter, who appears to be the complete opposite to him. While he is a man of the city, she is drawn in by the country, while he is heterosexual, she is homosexual. Their views on life and many issues, including animal rights, differ greatly. She is subject to male-subjugation and her father benefits from it. She is the strong-willed woman living alone in a society that values male strength and takes advantage of female compassion. Lucy is an interesting character that I would have liked have known better but Lurie's limited insight into the workings of his daughter's mind meant that we too can only decipher so much. Her character is rich and seemingly experienced in ways her father's never could be.

Overall, Disgrace was a rather quick read (I read it within 24 hours) and easy to follow. The issues are still relevant to us today and it didn't feel like a novel that was "old". I felt the ending was quite open and I would have liked a better  (or different) conclusion but otherwise it was an interesting read with an insight into South Africa that I may never have had otherwise. I gave it a 3-star rating on goodreads.

The Other Half of Happiness (2017)

It's snowing outside right now, despite the fact that we're supposed to be in Spring by now, being mid-April and all. So it's the perfect time to get down my thoughts on the sequel to Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged. I guess this novel makes it to the top of the list in terms of the most contemporary/ newest book I've read. So just to get the facts and figures out of the way, the novel is a generous 448 pages long and was published in 2017 by Zaffre, Again, I downloaded the Kindle edition, which was significantly cheaper than the hardcopy and some other e-book editions apparently. A thank you to whoever sorted that out!

While I loved the first book and was slightly scared that the sequel wouldn't be able to live up to the high standard, I have to say it wasn't a disappointment but rather an impressive feat. I wouldn't say this is better than Malik's first book, but rather she took advantage of the circumstances and changed the tone. That's not to say that this novel wasn't funny and relatable but it was generally a lot more serious and the tone reflected this. I felt there was a constant worry, threat or concern pervading the novel's plot line, and the "cause for concern" changes enough for the novel to remain dynamic and engaging. Sofia also has a lot on her plate and so she is under pressure, which allows her character to develop further and she can ask herself some serious questions.

What I love about both of Malik's novels are that they are so rich and full of brave and important issues. Some of the ones that come to mind for this novel include the challenges relating to interracial marriages and conversion, apostasy, homosexuality, adoption, separation, racism, culture conflicts, fundamentalism, white privilege, betrayal, heartbreak, resilience, forgiveness, sexism, misogyny, dealing with emotional baggage, sacrifice, challenges relating to major illness and parenting. These themes are linked to various characters and sometimes multiple characters at a time. The characters remain varied and authentic so I feel Malik does make the most of the community she has created by raising as many issues as she can that ought to be addressed in reality.

I don't want to spoil the novel for anyone who may want to read it because many of the events are probably better experienced by "first-hand" reading. But I must admit that I cried a lot in this novel, a lot more than in the first. I may have felt more personally involved in the novel since I am in a Muslim interracial marriage myself so it was quite interesting to see how Malik went about exploring this relationship. She captures the light-hearted humour as well as digs up some serious issues such as women facing a lack of respect by men in the Asian community generally and also a secret desire for people to see an interracial love marriage fail, or even a love marriage for that matter. They are slightly troubling attitudes in the Asian community but they definitely do exist.

I have to say that I wasn't happy with the ending but after some calm reflection, having cried so much during and after the novel, I realised that I wasn't happy with the ending because I would have acted differently. So this made me re-evaluate my character more and so it took me into a phase of introspection and reflection. I had to respect that Sofia was justified in making her decisions based on a different set of values and priorities to me, as everyone is different and we face and deal with challenges differently, and those differences ought to be respected.

To conclude my thoughts on the matter, I have to say it was an impressive and brave sequel with a lot of drama and emotion. It still makes me emotional thinking about certain scenes and turns of phrase in the novel. An important thing that this novel made me think about was the question of what can a person accept or forgive or live with, as well as the negatives to those thoughts. To each his own limits and strength of character. I hope to study these novels in a bit more detail in a post-colonial context because they are really quite fitting. Thank you and again, well done to Ayisha Malik!

Sofia Khan is Not Obliged (2015)

The 480-paged novel Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged was written by Ayisha Malik, a British Muslim woman and was published in 2015 by twenty7. I came across it as a suggestion by someone, perhaps @pardonmywritings, on Instagram. I downloaded and read the Kindle edition. The chapters are divided into months which are accompanied by headings. Each chapter then is subdivided by specific entry dates (and times) of the given month, as the novel is in the format of an informal personal journal/ diary. The events span from September 2011 to August 2012. 

Prior to reading the book I was rather sceptical and had low expectations because I doubted the quality of contemporary writing and perhaps even dreaded the representation of Muslims. I guess I've also read so many classics that I tend to grant them a higher status. In any case, I was not disappointed with this novel at all, rather it blew me away. It was such a pleasure to read and I have to say an amazing piece of work on so many levels, which I will outline briefly below. I read the book within a few days and it had me laughing out loud as well as crying real tears. 

I'd like to begin with Malik's characterisation of Sofia as well as in general. Sofia was immediately a character that felt normal and while I personally don't quite approve of bad language, I cannot deny that people swear, and Muslim women also swear. Sofia is a practicing Muslim (i.e. she tries to implement her faith in her daily life including praying her five daily prayers as well as wearing a headscarf). Yet she is flawed, she makes mistakes and she isn't the "ideal" or "perfect" Muslim woman either. Rather she is perfectly imperfect. She is still likeable and doesn't claim or pretend to be some saint though she tries her best to do what's best, as most Muslim women do in normal everyday life. Every Muslim woman (and man for that matter) has their own set of struggles and weaknesses but that doesn't mean that they're not Muslim nor less worthy of our respect. Sofia also smokes and I value this attribute because it is fairly taboo and frowned upon. Some Muslim women also smoke, albeit a bad habit it isn't reserved for men. Some of those Muslim women happen to wear a hijab. I identified with Malik's suggestion for us to try to be a little more forgiving and look at the human behind expectations. Malik beautifully captures Sofia's increasing frustration and grumpiness as the pressure around her augments. I found the characters in the book to be so real and raw. They are quirky in their own ways but they're real. For example the Pakistani parents, especially Sofia's, are rather typical in their way of being but they are still cute and funny. They're definitely not perfect, nor political correct, but Malik illustrates a vast array of different types of Muslims and personalities overall. There is a sense that everyone is just trying to do their best in their own way, just like in real life I guess. 

A little word on writing style before I discuss some of the themes raised in the novel. Malik's style is witty and humorous. It is also touching and the narrative voice is authentic. I found it interesting that she decided not to italicise the Punjabi words, practically adding them to the English language. Her style is also concise, and yet she is able to rapidly capture the awkwardness of a whole range of everyday (and not-so-everyday) situations. Her use of slang alongside the expectations of good standard English and correct grammar are not only realistic but reflect the fluid nature of language and what its use says about us. 

In terms of the themes in the novel, I have to say I found that Malik provided a rich variety of valuable material. Not only was she brave but she was brutally honest in raising so many of the issues that exist in the Muslim Asian community but aren't necessarily acknowledged or dealt with appropriately. This romantic comedy managed to raise these issues carefully, delicately and tastefully and despite the gravity of some of the matters, allowed one to laugh or at least take a moment to think about them. Just to name a few of the issues raised, we have racism, sexism, colourism, islamaphobia, culture conflicts, difficulties with in-laws, exoticism, polygamy, homosexuality, misunderstandings concerning religiosity and infertility amongst some of the main ones that struck me. However what I loved about this book was that it was perfectly honest about these issues and didn't hide them. I think it was my first time reading about a homosexual Muslim in fiction in a sympathetic fashion, and I felt Malik did well in this respect as I found the story touching and important to be acknowledged amongst the Muslim community. 

Overall, I have to say that I was thoroughly pleased with the novel and glad it exists. I want to thank Malik for taking the time out to write it and doing such a good job. I'm also quite eager to begin reading the sequel, The Other Half of Happiness. I wanted to write these thoughts up before reading the sequel, in case I become disillusioned or disappointed as to where the story is taken. I'm secretly sacred of being disappointed again but also have pretty high expectations now too. This first book in itself is definitely one that, in its own way, has given a pretty authentic illustration of desi Muslim matrimonial issues in Britain without feeling the need to create a protagonist that chooses to compromise core Islamic values or practices to be more "relatable". I finally felt it was a novel that wasn't whitewashed but rather of genuine struggles Muslims faced in white (western) societies. Definitely a book I'd recommend, especially to fellow young Muslim women. 

Wake in Winter (2014/ 2016)

Wake in Winter is a Russian novel initially published in 2014 in its original language and then in 2016 in English by AmazonCrossing. The novel was written by Nadezha Belenkaya and then translated by Andrea Gregovich. It's 368 pages long in my Kindle edition. This is Belenkaya's first novel, although she has written a variety of other shorter pieces of literature previously.

Before beginning the novel I naturally read the "About the Book" section, which is ultimately the blurb in digital format. I was thus prepared for a mysterious novel with rather threatening elements and almost a crime novel. That's not exactly what I got when I read the book itself. The novel is technically one single chapter, "These events actually happened", which is then divided into parts by diamond symbols.

The grim sense of foreboding and corruption is present from the very outset of the novel. At first the descriptive style felt superficial and forced but it improved soon enough and became a more natural read. Nina, the Russian Spanish-speaking doctoral student, is the central protagonist who embarks on a journey far removed from her academic bubble to that of independent international adoptions. Her interpreting jobs and especially her trips to Rogozhin are associated with risks and danger, underlined by the fact that the road itself is dangerous as it is accident prone. The risks go beyond this, in her approach to work where she ventures to bend and recreate some new rules. I was able to identify with the descriptions of the foreign language department in the university having already been part of a language department during my Bachelors degree.

Overall I found the characterisation in the novel to be good. Nina was relatable in many ways and appeared to be a fairly typical dreamy language student while clearly having her own marked, traits peculiar to her. She is well-developed and generally convincing. The dilemma of being interested in academia and research while not necessarily being financially successful is quite a real issue. Ksenia appears to be an opposing personality and yet her words and style are convincing and highly realistic. For me it wasn't very difficult to conjure up this sort of person in my mind as you can quickly identify her attitude, or at least elements of it, in a whole array of people that you may have come across. The background stories relating to the children up for adoption were particularly well-crafted and touching.

I found that in the majority of the novel Nina wasn't facing any real physical threat, which is what I was expecting, however she risks losing rather her integrity, her moral and ethical dignity and her surrounding relationships. The novel is more a story questioning the risks of the soul and more specifically evaluating the power of money and how it can affect even an 'unsuspecting', innocent soul. In some ways it reminded me of A Picture of Dorian Gray in terms of the development of a seedy character which is masked by the accumulation of wealth.

Belenkaya brings attention to the nature of literature and what is or can be credible. She also uses her novel to open up the discussion as to the role and nature of literature, where it may be a means to convey incredible depth and meaning or simply provide a fleeting experience that is quickly forgotten. Being the only contemporary Russian literature I have read and only having read a few of the classics, I feel I can only compare her to the greats, the likes of Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky, who wrote immense works about the human soul, and I'm not quite sure Belenkaya has acquired that depth yet, although she shares some similar themes.

On several occasions we are forced to ask ourselves whether the situation described in the novel is true or not. For example the name of the chapter already wants us to believe the events were real, and a discussion between Nina and Dina brings up the idea of writing a story of these adoption events with the given chapter name. However the proposed name of the novel is different to the one we're reading and we're given a disclaimer at the beginning of the book, before the novel, noting that this piece is entirely fictional. Again this attempts to blur the line between fiction and reality and the desire to believe or not believe in certain events actually taking place.

My overall opinion of this novel improved with the case studies of certain children and the plot twist at the end. I feel they really did do the author credit and embellished the novel. I was disappointed because I was expecting something far more captivating and engaging but it was more of a slow read and not full of the drama (or as much drama) as I had expected. My disappointment was rooted rather in that it wasn't the type of story I was expecting, but on its own merit, it was a good first novel.

Dracula (1897)

I finished reading Bram Stoker's Dracula a little while back and I'm finally coming round to writing up a few of my thoughts. I thought I ought to add the date (year) of publication or the edition in my titles so that the period I'm reading from is clearer at a glance. 

I read the Kindle edition once again, which was the 1897 edition of the novel. It is a a self-named mystery novel and I began reading it during my Bachelor's degree in Liverpool but then had to abandon it due to other reading and academic commitments. I'm generally not one to opt for fantasy novels or even horror, thriller and all that is supernatural. I generally prefer novels that are about real people, and are somewhat historical or at least "realistic". However, I decided I ought to read this classic to at least see where this vampire craze and love for horror began. 

The novel is written as a compilation of journal and diary entries, with some occasional letters and telegrams. Stoker captures various voices well, by even incorporating some local dialects of the working classes. I found the characterisation generally quite well-rounded and balanced in terms of developing the more important characters more fully. The general descriptive technique was also fluid and natural, without being tedious and superficial. 

Something I feared about reading this novel was that it wasn't going to be as captivating because many of the constructs of vampires and their lifestyle and weaknesses have been so popularised. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that right from the start the novel had me pretty hooked as there was a sense of suspense and urgency throughout that kept me wanting to read on. 

This novel incorporates many core themes and concerns of its period, which we still experience in our own time. Those themes include the role of science in our life where there is strong references consistently being made to scientific observation and empirical evidence. The need and attempt to rationalise all matters and yet identifying human error as a pitfall we are given passages where Jonathan Harker, for example, identifies the importance of noting down all of his experiences as soon as possible in order to avoid memory distortion and confusion. This reliance on human reason and scientific observation is repeated in several areas throughout the novel, such as Dr Seward's regular observation of his patient Renfield. Due to our own period being even more steeped in the scientific approach to the world, we can still identify with the protagonists' dilemmas. 

Another facet of the period's concern was that of science being insufficient and the existence of supernatural forces. Stoker clearly introduces supernatural phenomena into the novel through the means of Dracula himself but what is interesting is the attempt to decipher the supernatural with scientific means. However religious ideas are always in the background, since it is a part of the history of Europe. The fact that it is a medical doctor, a man of science and impartiality, that discovers the vampire signs in his patient goes to show the extent to which responsibility and hope and truth is attributed to science. Van Helsing, the doctor in question, is also a devout man and it is in fact his religious insight that works as a form of protection. I found that religious superstition was given some space and some sort of validity when confronted with things that took on a supernatural form. However I also found that for at least the first half of the novel, Christianity had been somewhat simplified to chapels, graveyards and crucifixes. Only towards the end was there a language that sought salvation and appealed to God. As the danger increases in the novel the references to God also increase. Another issue I found was that religion and superstition were considered synonymous and this lack of distinction meant that it was still easy for the protagonists to regards various aspects as "silly", such as the evil eye. And yet, in this period of religious doubt, there is still a recognition that religious seems to serve some purpose albeit in rather extreme and complex conditions. 

This combination of the supernatural and science triggers a discussion on elements that are not wholly supernatural but are nonetheless difficult to scientifically observe and explain. By this I am making reference to the themes of human psychology, an emerging science of the period, and the practise of hypnotism or even the phenomenon of sleepwalking being associated to nocturnal living. We are forced to wonder as to what the nature of sanity and insanity are and what is the nature of the dividing line between the two, as well as between waking and sleeping states or even life and death. Also the period's fascination with the notion of spirits is an especially obvious reference in the novel, as well as life after death and what the nature of death is. Considering the loss of faith in the West at this time, there was an intense desire to seek an explanation on a range of matters relating to the above matters. And this led to the birth of many spiritist and occult schools*. In this sense it is truly a novel of the modern era where there is an active discussion on what is credible and ought to believed and what is the nature of faith and its role for humans. 

In terms of gender roles, the novel presents us with a rather simplified dichotomy of male heroes and female damsels in distress. We have a wise old man that guides the way and any contributions made by Mina to resolve the mystery is attributed to masculinity as if she were acting out of the norm. Her saving grace is that she does not lose her feminine touches of care, affection and fragility as well as an accepting, self-sacrificing nature. The male characters are also rather 'typical' in that they are wealthy, gentlemanly, diplomatic, brave and protective over their womenfolk. I thought it rather a shame that any intelligence and sense of initiative in a female character was considered such a rarity but otherwise Stoker constructs a story that gives a solid motivation to the heroic men to act in the chivalrous manner expected of them. However, I found it rather interesting how there was quite some bribery involved in resolving the case but it was only ever called out as bribery or baksheesh when the characters were off the shores of Britain. When in Britain, the act of bribery was still present yet not considered negative. This made me think of the hypocrisy and double-standards of the 'civilised' nation in relation to other nations, especially the colonial states. 

Overall, I found Dracula to be a highly captivating novel with plenty of suspense as well as an elegant literary style. It is a novel rich in themes of the period, which extend to the present day and thus are still relevant and engaging to contemporary readers. The fact that many of the issues explored in the novel haven't been resolved in the modern outlook means that Stoker provided an excellent foundation for the various scruples and theories people have on to offer to be explored in a literary genre that goes a little beyond the ordinary. 


* I would recommend reading René Guénon's The Spiritist Fallacy for more information concerning the emergence and nature of these schools.