This is my last resort! I've had this book for nearly a year, read a few pages, left it (found it difficult to get into, but interesting nonetheless). I picked it up again a few weeks ago and once I got past the difficult first pages, I was hooked! I couldn't stop reading it, to the point where I was staying up until 3am just to read one more page, and another, and another.
I'm on page 216, which is rougly just over 1/4 and just under 1/3 of the book. So, I'm going to force myself to do a review here, and for that I need to finish it asap! Has anyone else here read it?
Ahdaf Soueif - In the Eye of the Sun
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It's definitely great, but once I put it down, that's it. Anyway, I will get myself off the computer and start reading in a bit.
I love how history is interspersed with the narrative of Asya's story. I do wonder - how factual are the historical elements? I was reading upto page 216 on the tube, and it was an illuminating moment when I was reading about Jordan's involvement in the wars. I've never heard about their involvement before, so I felt like I'd learnt more history from those few pages than I did from reading the news or from discourse.
I love how history is interspersed with the narrative of Asya's story. I do wonder - how factual are the historical elements? I was reading upto page 216 on the tube, and it was an illuminating moment when I was reading about Jordan's involvement in the wars. I've never heard about their involvement before, so I felt like I'd learnt more history from those few pages than I did from reading the news or from discourse.
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Question for those who have read it - how much of the novel is autobiographical?
It was typical of Arab novels in that it's very big on character development with little in the way of a plot. I didn't like Asya's character at all. She was impetuous and yet overly thoughtful. I didn't really see much growth in her maturity, but her mind did develop in the sense of not wanting to stick to what was expected of her.
I did love the historical narrative and didn't realise that the PLO had pretty much fought everyone, not just Israel. I also liked the ending - the pace picked up and the changes to Cairo in those short four years were well depicted.
Spoiler
Also, maybe it's just my over-analytical mind, but did anyone interpret the sex scene (if it can be called that) as marital rape? I'm not sure how to interpret it.
It was typical of Arab novels in that it's very big on character development with little in the way of a plot. I didn't like Asya's character at all. She was impetuous and yet overly thoughtful. I didn't really see much growth in her maturity, but her mind did develop in the sense of not wanting to stick to what was expected of her.
Spoiler
I also thought the author dragged on the relationship with Gerald. I hated him - I hate his vernacular (thank God I'm not a hippy or living up North). I think he would put a number of women off from men and relationships. I also thought the Russian guy part was really peculiar.
I did love the historical narrative and didn't realise that the PLO had pretty much fought everyone, not just Israel. I also liked the ending - the pace picked up and the changes to Cairo in those short four years were well depicted.
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