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sas_lk's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
I really took my time with this novel because it's really one of those books you just need to savour. I loved the journey, I loved the characters. It gave me a sense of peace, even though the book is by no means peaceful, and definitely discusses many important but sad topics such as colonialism, terrorism, political situation, etc.
My only criticism is that at some point, towards the end of the book, it became only politics out of nowhere. One can definitely see that the author wanted to make the reader aware of Egypt's and the Middle East's history, but sometimes it just could so much that I ended up skimming because it was all these names that I didn't remember, and so I had to really force myself to trudge through that part. It just got a little confusing and felt like Soueif suddenly decided that they hadn't put enough politics in it, so they bombarded those 100 pages. It lost me a little bit.
Otherwise, I fully understand why this book was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. A love letter to Egypt, it makes me want to go back and see it again.
My only criticism is that at some point, towards the end of the book, it became only politics out of nowhere. One can definitely see that the author wanted to make the reader aware of Egypt's and the Middle East's history, but sometimes it just could so much that I ended up skimming because it was all these names that I didn't remember, and so I had to really force myself to trudge through that part. It just got a little confusing and felt like Soueif suddenly decided that they hadn't put enough politics in it, so they bombarded those 100 pages. It lost me a little bit.
Otherwise, I fully understand why this book was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. A love letter to Egypt, it makes me want to go back and see it again.
carie's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-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
3.75
chrissiemwright's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
oxnard_montalvo's review against another edition
3.0
We got off to a shaky start, this book and I. It's in need of a brisk edit, especially in the beginning. Reading one page I counted about 6 smiles; he smiled, he smiled a small smile, his eyes smiled, the corners of his mouth twitched in amusement, but his smile didn't reach his eyes... that kind of thing. Bland characterization. Occasionally Anna's voice seemed forced and unlikely. Some turns of phrase that didn't sit well and seemed like something the writer had learned on a writing course. A word here and there that appeared inserted to lend authenticity and authority.
Nevertheless it was a compelling, well told story. Moments of utterly heartbreaking beauty and excellently detailed landscape. A few improbable sidetracks and incidents that were greatly unnecessary to the story at large; forgettable at best, bewildering and confusingly out of step with the overall tone of the novel at worst. While mostly lyrical and poetic, the language came across as trite now and then. Some of the minor characters blended together after a while, and I couldn't quite get a fix on the recurring Egyptian political figures.
But this is the kind of book that, if I had read it when I was 14 or 15, would have set a bar for all the future men in my life, and possibly only high-jump Olympians would be able to surpass it.
(Egypt)
Nevertheless it was a compelling, well told story. Moments of utterly heartbreaking beauty and excellently detailed landscape. A few improbable sidetracks and incidents that were greatly unnecessary to the story at large; forgettable at best, bewildering and confusingly out of step with the overall tone of the novel at worst. While mostly lyrical and poetic, the language came across as trite now and then. Some of the minor characters blended together after a while, and I couldn't quite get a fix on the recurring Egyptian political figures.
But this is the kind of book that, if I had read it when I was 14 or 15, would have set a bar for all the future men in my life, and possibly only high-jump Olympians would be able to surpass it.
(Egypt)
lahoori's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
tombennett72's review against another edition
2.0
This started well, and I was quickly a hundred pages in. But then I bogged down, and forced myself to stick with it. I was torn between fascination and boredom - which leaves me feeling that there was just too much book.
kivt's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It's very well written. All the narratives and narrators flow together well and the structure seems natural by the end of the book.
The novel explains and contextualizes colonialism, both British and American, through deeply human and intimate relationships. While the book does extensively humanize British characters, the narrative & characterization don't tie themselves into incoherent knots to appear ideologically "even-handed." At one point Anna says, speaking of her husband, "It is very hard, listening to him, not to feel caught up in a terrible time of brutality and even he is helpless--save for letters to The Times--to do anything but wait for history to run its course." The Map of Love as a whole is very much about how people deal with this feeling, without being overwhelmingly depressing. I absolutely loved it for that.
I didn't feel Anna's character was particularly anachronistic. Rather, I think she was fairly realistic in the scope of her ambitions and her acceptance of her place as an educated & rich woman in both British and Egyptain social orders. I also liked how Amal's emotional reaction to the characters in Anna's story mirrored both her involvement in her brother and Isabel's romance, and the reader's involvement in both stories.
I didn't understand the point of the weird possible incest connection between Isabel and Omar, though. That felt tacked-on and unnecessary. I'm not sure what it added to the plot that wasn't already accomplished by Omar's concerns about his age and the previous reveal that Omar and Isabel are cousins. It might have made more sense if more of the book were devoted to untangling the web of relationships between Amal and Isabel's families in the generations between them and Anna.
The novel explains and contextualizes colonialism, both British and American, through deeply human and intimate relationships. While the book does extensively humanize British characters, the narrative & characterization don't tie themselves into incoherent knots to appear ideologically "even-handed." At one point Anna says, speaking of her husband, "It is very hard, listening to him, not to feel caught up in a terrible time of brutality and even he is helpless--save for letters to The Times--to do anything but wait for history to run its course." The Map of Love as a whole is very much about how people deal with this feeling, without being overwhelmingly depressing. I absolutely loved it for that.
Spoiler
I noticed some reviewers were less interested in the political/historical parts of the novel, and also less than enthusiastic about the contemporary romance, but obviously these were the parts that really sold me on the book. The political and historical exposition was well delivered through both explicitly expository passages and through Anna and Amal's experiences. Colonial politics not only shaped the characters' relationships, but politics were also deeply important to all of them. They were certainly all in love with Egypt as much as they were with each other.I didn't feel Anna's character was particularly anachronistic. Rather, I think she was fairly realistic in the scope of her ambitions and her acceptance of her place as an educated & rich woman in both British and Egyptain social orders. I also liked how Amal's emotional reaction to the characters in Anna's story mirrored both her involvement in her brother and Isabel's romance, and the reader's involvement in both stories.
I didn't understand the point of the weird possible incest connection between Isabel and Omar, though. That felt tacked-on and unnecessary. I'm not sure what it added to the plot that wasn't already accomplished by Omar's concerns about his age and the previous reveal that Omar and Isabel are cousins. It might have made more sense if more of the book were devoted to untangling the web of relationships between Amal and Isabel's families in the generations between them and Anna.
skele_queen's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
Starts strong, and partially ends in a way I would like if it wasn’t for the slog the final stretch of the book became. The format is enjoyable (especially with the prose, though the scene shifts feel like they would be better in visual media than literary) and it suits the beautiful prose. Some twists were questionable and though I’m fine with things being unresolved plot-wise, being unresolved thematically makes the ending feel weak and the twists themselves unneeded.
timna_wyckoff's review against another edition
4.0
found on a friend's "to-read" shelf - looks good, Booker Prize finalist
I just finished this. It was really good! It's the story of one large family in two time periods in Egypt. It's a moving love story. My only "complaint" was that some of the Egyptian politics of both time periods got a bit long for my taste. It was quite important to the story, and well done, just a bit much in a few places for me.
I just finished this. It was really good! It's the story of one large family in two time periods in Egypt. It's a moving love story. My only "complaint" was that some of the Egyptian politics of both time periods got a bit long for my taste. It was quite important to the story, and well done, just a bit much in a few places for me.
shhchar's review against another edition
3.0
I hesitate on giving this a four star review as opposed to a three though I'm sure it's being affected by my recent finishing of the novel. It is beautifully written: an important crash course on colonialism, a walk through the talk that turns politics into action, and a love letter to Egypt and fellow countries that have been subjugated by Britain, France, Italy, and the Zionists (- language I am using to reference the book's as I know discourse on this subject has radicalized much more since its original publishing in 1999.)
The bad taste in my mouth does not come from the historical meat of this book but from the modern romantic plot. For those who do not wish spoilers let me hint that my opinion has more grounding than the typical "I don't like these two characters together." When this came into being it jarred me out of what was otherwise a total adoration for this book.
As Map of Love was written in 1999, I kept having flashes of how it captures such a raw moment in time and contains the gloom that comes with the author/characters reading the signs and knowing what onslaught is on the rise in these nations invaded by colonizers. I absolutely recommend a read if you are interested in this too.
12/22 - bonked down to three stars. Incest doesn't age well
The bad taste in my mouth does not come from the historical meat of this book but from the modern romantic plot.
Spoiler
I simply am not interested and am disturbed by a brief introduction of incest between 'Omar possibly being Isabel's father as he had an affair with her mother and she popped out 9 months later . . . and then her continuing on to be deludedly and raptly in love with him as she learns that he knew this potential all along and continued to have sex with her leading to another baby that could be both his child and grandchild . . . Writing this all out is like WTF?!!!!!!!!!!!!!As Map of Love was written in 1999, I kept having flashes of how it captures such a raw moment in time and contains the gloom that comes with the author/characters reading the signs and knowing what onslaught is on the rise in these nations invaded by colonizers. I absolutely recommend a read if you are interested in this too.
12/22 - bonked down to three stars. Incest doesn't age well