The Sultan's Daughter (2020)

An ARC of this fantasy novella, written by P.E. Gilbert was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review. The Sultan's Daughter is a quick read of 11 chapters and around 50 pages. It will be self-published by the author in July 2020 in print edition and kindle edition. I will offer a brief, spoiler-free outline of the novella before addressing a few key themes and my thoughts on how they were addressed. 

The story is a set in a pre-modern, oriental fantasy world, which has its own "Charted Map" found at the beginning of the book. This region forms a kingdom and experiences conflict due to power struggles linked to bloodline but more significantly relating to religious beliefs. The initial scene introduces the dying Sultan in his deathbed bestowing heavy responsibilities onto his daughter's shoulders. The rest of the plot relates to how she executes these last wishes. Gilbert provides several discussion questions at the end of the book to provoke further reflection on some of the plot's themes and events. 

The central theme of the novella is the fight between good and bad, which in this case is between the religiously devout and the religious fanatics of the imaginary faith that believes in Abyars as a deity. It is striking that the "hardline" Aybars' laws include lashing for fornication and cutting off hands for stealing and one of their erroneous desires is to want to wage a holy war to regain access to the holy city of Zenith. These parallels to things attributed to some Muslims and/ or governments or groups is hard to ignore. Ultimately we find two Eastern sects fighting each other for faith-based reasons, and these oppositions are not particularly nuanced or subtle. Interestingly the good side, show little evidence of actual devotion. There is much political commentary to be made in this respect, but I will not delve into this in this post. 

As the title suggests, this novella is about a young woman, namely Nalini, who is the Sultan's daughter. Nalini's character evolves significantly through the rapid turns of events.  She begins as a rather submissive and overly-obedient daughter. She later develops into a determined and, arguably, stubborn, albeit insecure, character. Personally, I did not find her character to be amiable. While I admit that not all protagonists need to be beautiful, I found it noteworthy that Nalini is described as one with "little beauty" and has a "darker complexion" than her husband Emilio, the fair-skinned heathen, who happens to be a more sympathetic character than Nalini herself. These characterisations are problematic especially when considering a post-colonial reading of texts. 

Moreover, with a largely male character cast and central female protagonist, there appears to be an attempt to assert feminine empowerment. This power is bestowed upon a woman by men, and Nalini is hesitant to accept it but does so mainly because it is not prohibited in the religious laws. While she is hard-working and demonstrates immense self-restraint, sometimes it is to unhealthy degrees and makes me question her actual competence. She seems to go from being an extremely passive feminine stereotype to someone trying to avoid association to femininity through any expression of weakness. In my opinion she is yet to reach her full potential by the end of the story. This transition of feminine expression requires more depth and nuance. 

The writing style of the novel is fluid. Gilbert makes use of a third-person narrator who focalises into Nalini's experience of events. In this respect, the novella's perspective is highly influenced by her subjectivities, including her inner turmoil and outer appearances. Due to this dual access, it is easier to criticise her more precisely than the other characters. I found Gilbert's discussion questions to be a a nice way to engage more thoughtfully in a short read. 

Overall, the novella was a quick read, with an eventful plot. In some ways it seems like it is not just an oriental fantasy but also an orientalist fantasy. Gilbert deals with major, complex issues and the length of the work may have been a restriction in fully exploring them with due justice. I would like to thank the author P.E. Gilbert for the opportunity to honestly review his hard work.

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Is this a novella genre that interests you? What do you normally like to read? Comment your thoughts below, I'd love to hear about your reading preferences. 

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Le Cri des Oiseaux Fous (2000) - français

Ce roman autobiographique écrit par Dany Laferrière m'a été présenté pour la première fois pendant ma licence de français. Il m'avait beaucoup plu à l'époque et je voulais le lire à nouveau afin de voir si mes impressions ont changé depuis. Mon édition est celle du “Serpent à Plumes” de 2002, mais le roman a été publiée une première fois par Lanctot Éditeur en 2000. Cette oeuvre de 346 pages est divisée en petits chapitres horodatés, en poursuivant les dernières 24 heures à Haiti avant l'exil indéfini de l'auteur. Il est écrit à la première personne et suit les pensées profondes du protagoniste qui propose des réflexions très personnelles à propos des choses, des gens et des événements. J'examinerai plusieurs thèmes importants et donnerai ma réaction personnelle dans ce compte-rendu. 

Vieux Os, le pseudonyme de l'auteur dans le roman, est obligé de partir de son pays en exil après l'assassinat de son ami proche, Gasner. Les assassinats et l'exil sont des circonstances bien connues dans le contexte politique de Haiti sous la dictature de Baby Doc (Jean-Claude Duvalier), héritier du pays après le décès de son père Papa Doc (Francois Duvalier). Il s'agit donc de la politique de la dictature et ses conséquences dans la culture nationale. Vieux Os compare les deux dictatures où la première semblait être moins corrompue que la seconde, mais où chacune a eu sa manière de surveillance et de brutalité sur le peuple. Une réflexion approfondie amène la question importante suivante : vaut-il mieux être torturé par les siens (son propre gouvernement ou ses congénères) ou par des étrangers (rappelant l'oppression de l'esclavage, la colonisation et même la domination raciale)? Comment cela importe-t-il? 

En perdant soudainement un ami proche, Vieux Os se retrouve à analyser ses amitiés variées qu'il tient à coeur. Nous apprenons ses "codes" privés entre amis et aussi comment les bonnes amitiés, sans danger, sont si rares dans un monde rempli d'espions, de traîtres et de tontons macoutes, la police de la dictature. Les réflexions à propos de l'amitié de notre protagoniste contemplatif ne peuvent être ignorées car l'amitié est le catalyseur même de son exil.

La culture de Haiti révèle un environnement religieux unique qui consiste de deux religions principales: le Catholicisme et le Vaudou. Ces deux religions représentent à la fois les anciennes pratiques et les enseignements coloniaux; nous voyons aussi des approches différentes pour trouver l'espoir et la force dans les conditions difficiles. Laferrière entrelace son histoire avec les dieux et les croyances Vaudou de manière subtile et évidente. 

Les femmes jouent un rôle important dans le pays et durant les dernières 24 heures de Vieux Os dans le pays. Il nous présente des femmes de toutes sortes, des mamans angéliques accablées de douleur aux séductrices impétueuses, et toute une variété entre ces deux extrêmes. Ainsi, Laferrière nous présente une exploration du désir et de la tentation ainsi que l'amour pur et l'engagement. Les femmes semblent faire fonctionner le pays et leurs maisons pendant que les hommes font face à la persécution politique, ce qui souligne la force de la féminité dans des conditions extrêmes.

Le roman plonge aussi dans le monde de la prostitution, un secteur stratégique de la part de la dictature pour affaiblir la population. De plus, les prostituées sont des sources d’informations précieuses grâce à leur accès à un monde rempli des secrets les plus profonds. Nous découvrons aussi un côté humain à une profession tellement vulnérable et potentiellement brutale. 

Dans l'ensemble, le roman était encore une fois un plaisir à lire et j'ai pu l'apprécier différemment cette fois-ci comme mon français s’est amélioré. Laferrière étudie un grand nombre de thèmes liés à sa vie et son pays, de la famille et l'amitié à la vie et la mort. La présence de passages amusants compense la tristesse poignante. Parce que ce roman est inspiré de la vie réelle de l'auteur, je me suis retrouvée extrêmement curieuse de la suite des événements surtout par rapport à ses relations avec ses parents. Cette curiosité me poussera à chercher les romans correspondants que Laferrière a écrit.   

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Est-ce que vous avez lu ce roman? Comment vous l’avez trouvez? J’aimerais bien lire vos pensées ci-dessous! 

Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire (1998)

Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire by Jason Goodwin was first published in 1998 by Chatto & Windus. The edition I read was published by Vintage (Random House) in 1999. My kindle edition comprises of 370 pages and it is divided into three parts, a total of 25 chapters with added Epilogue, a list of Ottoman Sultans, an Ottoman Chronology and Glossary at the end. This review is exceptional and I hesitated whether to write it at all, since I have not finished reading the whole book, and may not ever do so. However, I thought my reasons for halting this read were sufficient enough to be mentioned in a brief review. I will note my intentions for reading it as well as how I found it and why I stopped. 

My sister suggested we start a bookclub during our social distancing and self-isolation practises. With my brother also in the group we decided to read this book as it was on his "to-read" list as he had heard many good things about it and how it provided a good insight into Ottoman/ Turkish history. I agreed to this book because this period of history also interests me, yet I know little to nothing about it. It was also one of the cheaper options on the kindle bookstore (compared to our other candidates). I preferred the kindle option to avoid delivery logistics (waiting and over-burdening the system in this unusual climate). 

An initial critique of the book is that Goodwin failed to describe the context of Europe or Asia prior the Ottoman Empire, thus making it difficult to understand in which environment this empire emerged and how it changed the landscape of these places. We learn that the contemporary world still holds relics of this time gone by but unfortunately there is no real reference to the state of the world before Osman took power. 

In addition to this, it is also a massive shame that the root of the Empire, its values, its raison d'être and the character of its founder are hardly explored. This is apparently due to the seemingly little amount of information there is about Osman I but it seems unusual and like there was not enough justice done to discovering the foundational character of such a significantly powerful and old empire. The first two to three Ottoman leaders were not discussed in any great detail, which would have been of great interest and also would have better marked the distinction between the tribal origins to the sultanate that was later formed.  

It took me a couple of chapters to get into the writing style, but even then I found it less than engaging and far from captivating. I recognise that the Ottoman Empire spans over a vast amount of time (dating from 1300 to 1924) so this book made for an immense project in itself and it would be hardly possible to get into the minutia but even core events in the chronology were not written in a engaging manner. It felt haltingly described and somewhat patched together. In this sense I would disagree with the Time Out review that claimed that this book was "Perhaps the most readable history ever written". My sister also noted that the spelling of the names of the Ottoman leaders were inconsistent between the chronology and the actual book and were thus a tad confusing. 

When we changed books, I considered reading it alongside anyway, to not leave a book unfinished but then I decided against it because of the orientalist attitude and the misinformation shared by the writer. Three core examples of this include: 1) Goodwin attempts to describe the reason for the Sunni-Shi'a conflict and gets it completely wrong: he claims it is due to a disagreement about the Prophetic lineage coming from Ali or Fatima. (They do not disagree on this at all but differ as to whether Ali or Abu Bakr should have been the Caliph after the Prophet's demise). 2) He calls the Kaaba "the weird stone cube", which is highly disrespectful and inappropriate language. This is the direction of worship for all Muslims and marks a sacred geographical, historical and spiritual point in the world. 3) Goodwin describes the Black Stone, a corner stone in the Kaaba, as "God's eye on earth". No sane Muslim has every believed or claimed such a thing, and it is definitely not understood to serve this purpose at all. It is considered to be a sacred stone from the heavens that was initially white then darkened with the sins of mankind. It also is known to have no power, but is revered because the Prophet Muhammad showed respect towards it (i.e. kissed it). 

Since history books are an interpretation of historical events, that are substantiated through documental or other evidence, I felt like I could not really trust Goodwin's interpretation of a history I already know very little about given that he so blatantly made huge gaffes and showed his negative bias in this way. This is the main reason I did not continue reading his work, nor would I recommend it to others.

Admittedly, I only read a small percentage (my kindle told me 20%) of the book, and if my bookclub buddies had decided to proceed with the book, I would have gone along reading it. But since I did not have this commitment, I could not fully trust Goodwin's version of events, nor did I enjoy his writing style, I abandoned ship. 

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Have you read this book? What did you think? Have you ever found yourself abandoning a book? What made you do it? Let me know in the comments. 

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The Forty Rules of Love (2009)

I finally bought a copy of The Forty Rules of Love, because kindle was offering it for 99p so I obviously had to download it. Elif's Shafak's novel was initially published in 2009 though I downloaded the 2015 edition published by Penguin. It is 350 pages long and divided into five parts, which are associated with the four elements and "The Void". I'll briefly summarise what the novel is about, and then share my thoughts on the writing style and some of the ideas expressed in the novel. 

The novel follows two plots. It begins with Ella, who is a wealthy middle-aged, (non-practising) Jewish American housewife with three children. She is at a turning point in her life as she takes up a job with a literary agency. Her first manuscript that she needs to report on is the source of the second plot, and it is a novel about Shams of Tabriz and Rumi, the renowned Sufi mystics of the 13th century. Ella is dissatisfied with her life and the manuscript and the author's words push her to view and experience life differently. 

In terms of structure and style, Shafak plays with the chronology of the two plots by firstly intertwining them but also by revealing scenes from the end at the beginning and then taking the reader through the journey of revealing how those initial decisions came to be made. I'm not sure if this was a good structural move for the Shams story. The novel within a novel Sweet Blasphemy is written through the perspectives of numerous characters, who are interconnected by circumstance. In doing so, it offers several people's engagement with faith and religion, varying from indifference and hopelessness to the "zealot" and the mystic, which are valuable in their own ways. 

However, despite creating these different characters, who speak in their own chapters, and who offer their own experiences (thus changing the content), the style of writing seems fairly unchanging. The lack of variation in these characterisations resulted in me not being able to really get invested in any of the characters. Also, each character's chapter is relatively short (even if we meet them several times) and so this limits one's attachment too. Ella's emails provided a slight change, but that may have also been because it was a change of plot too. So I mainly continued to read for the characterisations of Rumi and Shams of Tabriz, who are renowned personages outside of this novel and thus piqued my interest more greatly. 

The novel's main theme, as expressed in the title, is love. It explores the transformative powers of love (and not only romantic love) and it contextualises Shams of Tabriz's forty rules of love by engaging with various characters and human experiences. I think this is a really nice idea, though I am less convinced by the execution of this concept due to the writing style and some structural reservations. 

As well as love, Shafak clearly wants to write about faith and religion. I appreciate her nuanced viewpoints of this controversial and delicate subject (since in many ways religion is considered hugely problematic and almost taboo or backwards now). This is a brave topic to engage with and she provides her readers with an opportunity to look at religion with a more open-eyed approach. Despite this, I did have some reservations about a couple of her descriptions of Sufis, that I felt were problematic, such as a protagonist claiming to be "spiritual not religious" and that Sufis are "not violent even when they have a reason". I felt that these expressions in particular pander to Western expectations of Sufism so it suits them. The first one is problematic because it seems to absolve the likeable character of the "ugly" label of religion, when rather the label should not be considered ugly, as religion comprises of spirituality. The second is problematic because it implies that Sufis (the good guys in this book and the "good Muslims" in Western discourse) ought to be passive and pacifists, which removes their right to self-defence, for example. Later in the novel Shafak counters the second notion slightly by stating that "There's a difference between patience and passivity", which I agree with more. 

Overall, I found that the idea behind the novel was promising, but the execution of it was not to my liking. The writing took some getting used to and perhaps that may be partly because Shafak is not a native English speaker. I do not know if that is the case or rather because I personally did not find myself invested in the story or characters. Nevertheless Shafak shares the importance and universality of love and how it can break barriers and transform people from all backgrounds and experiences, including those most "disconnected" from the real world or notions of injustice. The praise this novel received no doubt created high expectations and I was somewhat let down. I would give it about 3 stars. 

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Have you read this novel? What did you think of it? Comment your thoughts on it below, I'd love to hear what you thought. 

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Homosexuality in Islam: Critical Reflection on Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Muslims (2010)

Homosexuality n Islam: Critical Reflection on Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Muslims by Scott Siraj al-Haqq Kugle was published by Oxford Oneworld in 2010. It is a non-fiction text that comes to 275 pages (main body) but goes up to 335 including the notes, bibliography. glossary and index, which illustrates the extent to which this text is well-researched and comprehensive. I will highlight some of the key arguments in the text, divided by chapter, and provide my own thoughts on how convincing Kugle's argument is. 

Kugle begins his work with a case study to contextualise the need for this research and the social repercussions of publicly acknowledging a gay sexual orientation. By the end of the book he brings to the fore his engagement with contemporary realities (in terms of the legalisation of same-sex marriage in secular countries) and how Muslims of different sexual orientations and gender identities live and negotiate their life and faith in relation to these matters. 

He highlights the methods of coming to Islamic legal rulings and how they are negotiated, from Quran, hadith (reports of the Prophet Muhammad's words and actions) and reasoning of the various major schools of thought. These are divided into separate chapters. He makes the following significant points made in the respective chapters. "Liberating Quran: Islamic Scripture" points out that the story of Lot does not condemn gay people, as the crimes of Lot were not limited to sodomy and if their crimes included this element, it condemns rather the violence of the action. Furthermore, laws of previous nations are not necessarily applicable to Islamic law, as is the case for many other matters. "Critiquing Hadith: Islamic Oral Tradition" notes that there is no prophetic example to follow in terms of same-sex relationships (punishments or otherwise). It also highlights the prevalence of weak or fabricated hadiths. "Assessing Fiqh: Islamic Legal Reasoning" competently compares the logical reasoning behind the various schools of thought and thus explains their differing stances on same-sex sexual acts in relation to illegal heterosexual sex. Through these chapters he deals with the notions of prejudice, bias and inconsistency which then inform legal interpretations. 

From these criticisms and analyses, Kugle goes on to offer his own suggestions on how to address same-sex relationships in contemporary society. In his chapter "Reforming Shari'a: Islamic Ethics of Same-Sex Marriage" he offers the possibility of legalising same-sex marriage in the Muslim community and argues how such a shift in approach to nikkah contracts will also benefit women (and feminists) as well as gay Muslims. His argumentation is compelling and informed, as he deconstructs the reasons not to do so competently. 

Kugle's transgender argument is much shorter, being limited to the one chapter: "Reviving Spirit: Islamic Approaches to Transgender Experience" and is, for me, less convincing outside the frame of hermaphrodites. When I say "less convincing", that is not to contest Kugle's case for fair, human and compassionate treatment of people who choose to identify with another gender (and even surgically change their body with this intention), rather I mean that I do not know how such a decision can be deemed more than a "whim" in the Islamic perspective, and correspond to the essentialist notion of sexuality and gender that Kugle adopts. It is a complex matter and it requires more study, which Kugle at least offers a starting point for. 

To conclude, Homosexuality in Islam: Critical Reflection on Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Muslims that provides essential insights into the contemporary reality of homosexual and transgender Muslims in the light of Islamic understanding. It explores the conflicts gay Muslims face due to cultural and social forces prejudicing Islamic interpretation and consequently human treatment of homosexuals. He offers strong and convincing arguments for his case, especially for gay Muslims, and does so by breaking down the multiple components that inform Islamic legal jurisprudence. Due to this, this book also provides much information and insight, for those who do not know, into the workings of the Islamic law (or shari'ah) and its many nuances- obviously with a limited focus on this topic. 

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Sexual Ethics in Islam and in the Western World (2011)

Sexual Ethics in Islam and in the Western World by Ayatollah Murtada Mutahhari is a compilation of articles published in Maktab-e-Islam, the leading religious journal in pre-revolutionary Iran. They were translated into English by Khurshid Ali and published by the Islamic Centre of England in 2011. The book is extremely short and concise, at only 67 pages and 7 chapters plus an Introduction by S. Khalil Toussi. I will share a brief description of the author, provided by Toussi, before mentioning the key arguments presented in the book. 

Mutahhari, considered a reformist of his time, was born in 1919 to a clerical family in a village near the city of Mashhad. He began basic Islamic training in Mashhad and later went to Qom for advanced education in the Islamic sciences, where he stayed for fifteen years. He attended lectures by Ayatollah Ruhullah Khomeini on Mulla Sadra's philosophy, mysticism, ethics, and principles of jurisprudence amongst many other disciplines. He was also involved in socio-political activities and his theological writings aimed to debunk Marxism and atheism, which were influencing Iranian intellectuals of the time. He was assassinated in 1979. 

Mutahhari compares former Western concepts of sexuality, which were strongly influenced by a Christian culture, to contemporary thought and modern approaches to sexuality (i.e. a more libertarian approach). These offer two opposing approaches to sexuality. The Christian-influenced approach glorifies celibacy over sexual activity (because sexual activity is base), while maintaining that marriage and sex are necessary for reasons of pro-creation. The contemporary Western approach to  sexuality is one of fulfilling one's desires to the utmost and is greatly hedonistic and indulgent, and often associated with freeing oneself from the chains of institutions like marriage or concepts like chastity. 

Mutahhari notes the influence of Western thought on Muslim communities, since there has been an exchange of culture and ideas between Islamic thinkers and Western philosophers for centuries. Consequently, he describes in which ways Islamic thought and Western thoughts on sexuality are distinct. One way in which he does this is by underlying the importance of marriage in Islam and the goodness that lies in engaging in sexual relations. This is supported by the practice of the majority of the Prophets, who had wives and this was not a hinderance to their worldly or spiritual success. He links the spiritual virtues of sexual activities to a wholesome way of living and is not merely a union required for procreation. He argues that Islam does not advocate self-denial nor does it condone lustful activity.

Mutahhari distinguishes between love and lust and consequently finds flaws in the arguments offered by the Western thinkers Bertrand Russell and Will Durant. He also briefly engages with some of Freud's thoughts on the subject. Mutahhari argues that the institution of marriage aims to nurture love rather than encourage lustful behaviour. 

I found this short book to be extremely insightful because it competently engages with Western thinkers as well as offers comparisons and reasoning that reflect the changing attitudes to sexuality as I've noticed them (as well as the trends that we have been taught) through my literary studies. Yes, it promotes Islamic values and marriage, but it also highlights what elements of Western thoughts Muslims are prone to being influenced by and how Islam relates to these matters. The collection of articles are informative and worthwhile read for those interested in comparing Western sexual ethics to those in Islam. 

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The Translator (1999)

The Translator by Leila Aboulela is one of my primary texts for my Masters thesis (in progress) so although I may discover more interesting interpretations and analysis through the course of my research, I thought I would share a quick review of the novel now. It was first published in 1999 but my edition is from 2008, published by Polygon. This was Aboulela's first novel and is 196 pages and 23 chapters long. I will explore some of the key themes of the novel as well as its socio-historical significance. I will also briefly discuss the choice of genre but firstly I will add the blurb of the novel. 

The Translator is a story about love, both human and divine. Sammar is a young Sudanese widow, working as an Arabic translator at a British university. Following the sudden death of her husband and estrangement from her young son, she drifts- grieving and isolated. Life takes a positive turn when she finds herself falling in love with Rae, a Scottish academic. To Sammar, he seems to come from another world and another culture, yet they are drawn to each other. 

As indicated above, this is a novel of love, loss and healing where faith plays a central role. Sammar marries her childhood sweetheart and first cousin, Tarig but after his death she has to renegotiate her notion of love and heal herself in order to be able to love again. Aboulela manages to write about the grieving process in a delicate and careful manner and illustrates some of the "extreme" decisions that may be taken in grief but also shows how invaluable a strong support network is, since her trauma meant that she was incapable of being a mother to her child. Slowly she reveals what she considers to be some of the underlying factors in love, such as gratitude, feeling understood, respected and safe. 

The relationship between the East and the West is a strong theme in the novel. Aboulela deals with the Orientalist tension, which is voiced via her colleague Yasmin, and attempts to remove the division between the two worlds by indicating a "crossing" or exchange of the two. While Yasmin is critical of Western academia, Sammar attempts to engage with it (via Rae) to deepen the understanding of Islam in the Western context. This is while Sammar herself negotiates her faith and its practise in the secular context of Aberdeen and the culture shock of enjoying practising her faith freely and openly in Sudan to the secret prayers in the UK. This theme highlights the central role of religion in a practising Muslim's everyday life, as opposed to it being a random disposable hobby. The importance of faith is highlighted again when Sammar is faced with the reality of her situation: that she loves a non-Muslim man, who she cannot marry unless he converts. This predicament is in many ways symbolic of the relationship between the East and the West and it challenges contemporary notions of romance and the romance narrative. 

In terms of the writing style itself, Aboulela writes in a largely linear chronology, making use of occasional flashbacks and memories to fill in gaps in the reader's knowledge. The novel is narrated with a slow and careful pace with a third person voice with the majority of the novel focalised from Sammar's perspective and occasionally from Rae's. In terms of genre, it parallels Jane Eyre and the nineteenth-century domestic novel in many ways, although Aboulela clearly adapts the story to suit the changed context and protagonists. 

This novel, having been published in 1999, illustrates the tense relationship the West has had with Islam from before a 9/11 era, which people often use as the benchmark of when islamophobia began. Although 9/11 may have led to increased discrimination towards Muslims, there is a deeper history behind hostility towards Muslims and it goes beyond simplistic conclusions of one or two terrorist attacks. This novel strongly implies the difficulties Muslims in the West have to face in order not to perpetuate imposed stereotypes and for how long these stereotypes have existed. 

Overall, this novel is a serious, calm and sombre reflection of the experience of a Muslim woman in Britain. The secular prejudice that is criticised in the novel, still exists in academia today, almost 20 years later, thus making it relevant to contemporary struggles. The Translator challenges Orientalist discourse but does not seek to create a divide between the East and the West but rather looks at positive exchange and a new approach to their relationship. It was a thoughtful novel that quietly dealt with deep social and personal issues. I personally found that the technological restrictions of the time illustrated the nature of patient perseverance and it added an extra charm to the relationship.  

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Have you read this novel or anything else by Leila Aboulela? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below or message me via instagram. 

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Seasons of Splendour (1985)

Seasons of Splendour: Tales, Myths and Legends of India was written by Madhur Jaffrey in 1985 but my edition was published in 1992 by Puffin Books. I found this book in my childhood bedroom while clearing it out and my recent study into Indian history and culture obviously made me keep and read it. This collection of short stories is 183 pages long (including the guide to pronunciations). It was a fascinating and enjoyable read and I'll review its structure, themes and my overall thoughts so you can consider having a read for yourself. 

Jaffrey structured these Indian short stories in the order of the Hindu calendar and more specifically followed the chronology of selected festivals throughout the year to head her chapters. Each chapter includes one or several short stories associated to the named festival. Because Jaffery herself was told many of these stories orally via her family members, she respects this oral tradition by including a comprehensive pronunciation guide at the end of the book. The 12 chapters are as follows: Introduction, A Special Birthday, Time For The Dead, Dussehra The Festival of Victory, The Day of The Wintery Full Moon, Karvachauth- The Little Clay Pot, Divali- Festival of Lights, Holi- Festival of Spring, A Day For Brothers, Nine Days' Festival and The Festival For Parvati. 

Since these stories are taken from Hindu mythology and scripture, they deal with both spiritual and worldly matters and their relationship. The themes are consequently linked to this worldly life and its spiritual significance, and so life, love, conflict, loss, family and death are amongst some of the topics of instruction. When matters of good and evil arise, I found the stories and characterisation of people to be more nuanced than most, although there is still the notion of good and bad we see that it is not always possible to come to a conclusion on the matter without looking beyond the surface. 

I was already familiar with some of these stories and festivals through my Religious Education classes at school and from watching lots of Indian dramas/ films but some of the festivals I didn't know the reason and stories behind and those I was familiar with were told with more detail and depth than what our brief school lessons taught. Jaffrey enhances the collection by connecting the festivals to her own childhood and family, which adds a valuable layer of how these festivals are celebrated and "lived" but also a glimpse into an Indian family's life along with its heritage. The book is nicely embellished by the black and white illustrations by Michael Foreman; they are detailed and add a visual dimension to the tales. 

Overall, this collection of short stories was a pleasure to read and I only wish there were more of them, which I am sure there are- but I may have to delve into the traditional Hindu texts to learn more. This would be a great book to read to young children (even for bedtime as the tales are not too long), or for them to read for themselves, but I also find that it is a valuable book for adults searching for a sneak peek into Indian cultural and religious heritage without going into academic study. It is engaging and informative and I believe that it makes a refreshing change from mainstream children's literature. 

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Have you read any interesting books about Hindu mythology and legend? Do you have any suggestions of some similar books? Do let me know in the comments below. 

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