Reviews

در کشور مردان by Hisham Matar

mohamedfarid's review against another edition

5.0

رواية للكاتب "هشام مطر" - تدور أحداثها في ليبيا بلغة جميلة سهلة ومباشرة.

الرواية سهلة الفهم - يأخذنا أبطالها لأحداث حدثت بعد تحرير ليبيا في نهايات ستينات القرن الماضي وما تعرض له المعارضين والبطش الدموي للجيش.

سرد التفاصيل والتعرض لبعض القصص والحكايات الطريفة على لسان سليمان - بطل الرواية - وهو الفتى الصغير والذي حكى لنا عن والده ووالدته وأصدقائه وجيرانه وأصدقاء والده بعذوبة وأريحية جعلتنا نعيش مع الأحداث والشخصيات التي استطاع الكاتب بناءها بصورة جميلة.

القصة سياسية ومع إنها لم تتطرق للأحداث السياسية في هذه الفترة بصورة مباشرة إلاّ إنها وصفت مشاعر الناس وما يتعرضون له وكيف يفكرون وكل هذا بصورة سهلة ويسيرة وجميلة.

ملحوظة شخصية:
ذهبت إلى ليبيا عدة مرات "طرابلس" و "بني غازي" وما زلت أتذكر طيبة الناس وتلقائيتهم وجمال عشرتهم.

استمعت إلى الرواية على تطبيق "ستوريتيل" - ثماني ساعات و دقيقة.

#فريديات

ruta_crnoja's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Kako spremno i jedva prikriveno izradimo te umjetne nas varajući svijet i ono što smo mogli postati, da se nismo umiješali, da smo samo pričekali da vidimo što bi se moglo dogoditi s nama.

msliz's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

jenniferstringer's review against another edition

4.0

I get a "Fight Ignorance - READ" newsletter, and this was one of the titles from countries "not-banned," (but really banned). Impressive first novel. It's a heart-wrenching story of a boy trying to make sense of his life as his parents attempt to shield him from the harsh realities of living under the Gaddafi regime. I can't imagine living under those circumstances.
And, on another level, it's a Libyan version of "Room." It's also a story of a woman trying to rescue her son from a life she had no choice about. A very sad, but enlightening read.

nadinefrisk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

ashley_choo's review against another edition

4.0

Learnt a lot about Libya

k_wagner's review against another edition

5.0

Devastating.

cmcarr's review against another edition

2.0

I could never quite get into this book. I thought that the first person point of view was a bit awkward, and the character a little too naive. However, it was interesting to learn about Libya, and some of the atrocities committed there. The author speaks from personal experience. Actually, I found the following article more informative and more moving than his book:
Independent article by Hisham Matar

wiktoria's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

richard_f's review against another edition

4.0

Insight into Libya under Gaddafi.