Arabicliterature

pan

I suspected this would not be for me and indeed it was not. It occasionally felt like it was going to veer close to an understandable metaphor, but instead of getting there would then throw in a deliberately provocative sexual statement and I‘m never a fan of that, as I don‘t think it informs the story. #TOBlonglist

Leftcoastzen I was curious about this one , but lots of “so-so”& pan reviews (edited) 1w

Hooked_on_books @Leftcoastzen There are people out there who love it, so I say grab it from your library and give it a go if you‘re curious. You never know! 1w

55 likes2 comments

squirrelbrain

The Coin: A Novel | Yasmin Zaher

so-so

I‘m not really sure I understood this at all. 🤷‍♀️ A wealthy young Palestinian woman arrives in NYC to teach, and slowly starts to unravel, teaching in a very unconventional manner and getting involved in a Birkin bag scam.

She also has a cleaning obsession, and hang-ups with her body, and the final 25% gets *really* weird.

I‘m sure there metaphors / allegories aplenty, but I couldn‘t grasp any of them to make much sense of it.

#ToBlonglist

julieclair Well, this one sounds interesting, to say the least! Great review. 1mo

Ruthiella Often I am drawn to these kinds of narratives in that they can demonstrate the impossible standards that can be placed on women… but it‘s sounds like maybe this one didn‘t have that aim or arc. 1mo

TrishB I love the way you still finished and gave it a so-so. Great review. 1mo

See All 9 Comments

squirrelbrain @julieclair - other reviewers have compared the book to Ossfegh and Broder, if you like those authors. I haven‘t read either author (yet!), so couldn‘t comment. 1mo

squirrelbrain I think it did have that arc in there, but muddled up with others - too many messages I think. @Ruthiella 1mo

squirrelbrain You know me @TrishB - still learning how to bail! And it‘s ON A LIST (ToB) so even more reason to finish and tick a box. 🤪 1mo

Oryx Another one I was considering but will give a miss..I have to say, you are providing a very useful service here 💜😂 1mo

squirrelbrain I‘m not usually the one *stopping* people from reading books - usually the opposite! 🤪 @Oryx 1mo

Oryx @squirrelbrain on balance, I've definitely read more on your recommendation than the other way. 1mo

64 likes1 stack add9 comments

SamanehMot9731

Memory for Forgetfulness: August, Beirut, 1982 | Mahmoud Darwish

I wished to drink tea with you at night, it means to be happy together... ☕🍂

2 likes

The_Book_Ninja

Frankenstein in Baghdad: A Novel | Ahmed Saadawi

so-so

In war torn Iraq, a man puts together a creature made of body parts left uncollected after suicide bombings & it goes on a killing spree. It‘s more of a horror story than Shelly‘s novel. The use of Frankenstein in the title is misleading as it‘s thematically totally different. There‘s many interesting characters here but the author doesn‘t know what ones to stay with. It also goes from YA to something very dark. Another book with a naff ending.

21 likes

Floresj

The Coin: A Novel | Yasmin Zaher

so-so

This book is so different and creative that the synopsis actually works against what this one is. A woman unravels, ravels back in her own way, and I have no idea what it means. So, that makes it intriguing enough to suggest it.

8 likes

christhelesbian

Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories | Ghass?n Kanaf?n?, Hilary Kilpatrick

pick

Favorites in order

1. The Land of Sad Oranges
2. Letter from Gaza
3. The Falcon
4. A Hand in the Grave
5. Umm Saad
6. If you were a Horse
7. Men in the Sun

1 like1 stack add

vlwelser

The Coin: A Novel | Yasmin Zaher

Acquired a new treasure. This store in Newburyport MA isn't in the database.

28 likes1 stack add

everlocalwest

The Coin: A Novel | Yasmin Zaher

so-so

As unhinged as everyone says it is. More Broder than Moshfegh in my mind. I probably would have DNF'd this, but the chapters are just so short and I needed to know where we would end up.

Anna40 And? Was it worth waiting for the end? 6mo

everlocalwest @anna40 I'm not sure! I'm still thinking about it, so I guess? The novel is a descent into madness but the commentary is ultimately that we exist in the madness. It's a modern catch-22. If you're fine, you're clearly mad but if you're crazy, you're actually having a normal response. And that I like - the despair of the modern condition. But there was a disconnect that didn't work for me. There's a core of callousness that didn't resonate. 5mo

19 likes2 comments

GatheringBooks

Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories | Ghass?n Kanaf?n?, Hilary Kilpatrick

pick

#SummerSouls Day 15: Kanafani wrote in a matter-of-fact yet also highly intimate manner – like stories that are being whispered around a #Camp #campfire. Most are horror stories that one would not imagine could happen to another human being – yet these stories are snapshots of actual lived experiences of people, who are still pretty much going through what Kanafani had surfaced here. My review 4 yrs ago: https://wp.me/pDlzr-mKo