mistercrow's review against another edition
5.0
Superb! My kind of style of story, with its surrealism and mysticism. Thoroughly enjoyed it, was very strange.
edensreadingcorner's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
anniesmanybooks's review against another edition
4.0
For my Around the World challenge (Sudan).
Beautifully crafted short stories and novella from a village by the Nile, written by one of Sudan's greatest writers. Through Zein, the toothless but loveable village fool, the scheming but generous elders, and the other quirky villagers we get glimpses of "a world that was fast disappearing."
Beautifully crafted short stories and novella from a village by the Nile, written by one of Sudan's greatest writers. Through Zein, the toothless but loveable village fool, the scheming but generous elders, and the other quirky villagers we get glimpses of "a world that was fast disappearing."
hannah_le_seelleur's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
axmed's review
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The fact was that this rendezvous of ex-slave-girls was something alien that contained the spirit of adventure and rebellion; it represented a departure from the familiar. There, on the edge of the desert far from the village, squatted their houses made of straw, and at night, when people had gone to bed, beams of lamp-light flickered from their doorways and windows, and drunken laughter could be heard. In their displeasure the inhabitants of the village burned them down, but they returned to life like the alfa plant that will not die.
‘You should, sir, be careful when talking of Zein,’ said Abdul Samad with profound conviction. ‘He’s a man blessed of God and was a friend of that devout man Haneen, God rest his soul.’
‘You should, sir, be careful when talking of Zein,’ said Abdul Samad with profound conviction. ‘He’s a man blessed of God and was a friend of that devout man Haneen, God rest his soul.’
kingkong's review against another edition
3.0
Nice look at another way of life. And yet we're not so different
nad12's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Toujours autant fasciné par l’art de la narration de Tayeb Salih et la poésie de ses récits
jacobinreads's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
partypete's review against another edition
5.0
the introduction says that this has a lot to do with sufi teachings. there is a lot of warmth that comes through this, and it’s melodramatic, but i liked it quite a bit