Reviews
Distant View of a Minaret and Other Stories by Alifa Rifaat, Denys Johnson-Davies, أليفة رفعت
virginiawoolfloveletter's review
4.0
“Daughter, I’m not crying now because I’m fed up or regret that the Lord created me a woman. No, it’s not that. It’s just that I’m sad about my life and my youth that have come and gone without my knowing how to live them really and truly as a woman.”
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review
4.0
This is a collection of short stories, that are by and large short, set in Egypt (mostly Cairo), and told from the viewpoint of women. To say that Rifaat is a feminist, at least in the board Western use of the term wouldn’t quite be right. The stories are not advocating women moving out of the household, but more
Quite frankly Rifaat reminds me of Jane Austen. Not in the sense of writing manners and marriage, but in the sense of writing about the quiet things, in the sense of being able to do so much with a simple turn or phrase of a sentence.
A large portion of the stories focus on marriage or coming to terms with what a marriage is, in particular, how a woman is forced to adapt to a marriage where her wants (sexual and emotional) are not the primary focus. There are also a few stories about how society forces women to act a certain way.
Still, Egyptian Austen, at least in terms of the wonderful writing.
secretbookcase's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? N/A
4.0
fyoosha's review
3.0
Reviewing short story collections is always difficult, even when it's a collection by a single author, because content and quality can vary so much between stories. Reviewing this particular collection was even more...not difficult, exactly, but perhaps unusual, because this is a work in translation. As a reader I tend to shy away from translated works because they almost always don't cross over naturally; the words seem stiff and distant and I have no way of knowing whether this is the fault of the translator or a different style of writing.
The case of this book was a little different, since it has been translated from its original Arabic, a language I am fluent in. The stories are all about Egyptians, and so I came into this book with familiarity and understanding. I wonder, though, if I may have enjoyed this more had I read it in the original Arabic.
Anyway, the stories in this collection are less stories than vignettes, most of them depressing and hopeless. Rifaat writes about miserable women and awful men. While her stories ring true, it became wearying to read one vignette after another about a woman who hates her life. Since these vignettes were so short, it was also difficult to really identify with any of the characters, since there was so little time to get to know them.
My favorite story in the collection was - surprise, surprise - the only story with a speculative element. In "My World of the Unknown" a woman seemingly begins a love affair with a female djinn who is in the guise of a snake. It's a very strange story without a conclusive ending, but I liked its plot and its potential.
All the other stories were very realistic and down-to-earth. It seems like a book that was written by an Egyptian for other Egyptians, though, as I'm not really sure how accessible these stories are to non-Egyptians (or non-Arabs in general). They are raw and gritty and personal in a very culturally specific way, and I can see the casual Western reader feeling off-put and alienated by their content.
I wouldn't say I enjoyed the stories in this book, but I did enjoy reading it, if only for the familiarity. I always enjoy reading books set in Egypt or about Egypt, but I probably wouldn't have finished a book like this otherwise.
The case of this book was a little different, since it has been translated from its original Arabic, a language I am fluent in. The stories are all about Egyptians, and so I came into this book with familiarity and understanding. I wonder, though, if I may have enjoyed this more had I read it in the original Arabic.
Anyway, the stories in this collection are less stories than vignettes, most of them depressing and hopeless. Rifaat writes about miserable women and awful men. While her stories ring true, it became wearying to read one vignette after another about a woman who hates her life. Since these vignettes were so short, it was also difficult to really identify with any of the characters, since there was so little time to get to know them.
My favorite story in the collection was - surprise, surprise - the only story with a speculative element. In "My World of the Unknown" a woman seemingly begins a love affair with a female djinn who is in the guise of a snake. It's a very strange story without a conclusive ending, but I liked its plot and its potential.
All the other stories were very realistic and down-to-earth. It seems like a book that was written by an Egyptian for other Egyptians, though, as I'm not really sure how accessible these stories are to non-Egyptians (or non-Arabs in general). They are raw and gritty and personal in a very culturally specific way, and I can see the casual Western reader feeling off-put and alienated by their content.
I wouldn't say I enjoyed the stories in this book, but I did enjoy reading it, if only for the familiarity. I always enjoy reading books set in Egypt or about Egypt, but I probably wouldn't have finished a book like this otherwise.
pattydsf's review
4.0
“Daughter, I’m not crying now because I’m fed up or regret that the Lord created me a woman. No, it’s not that. It’s just that I’m sad about my life and my youth that have come and gone without my knowing how to live them really and truly as a woman.”
Who knows where I heard about this book. I had never seen a copy, so when I got this collection of short stories from Paperback Swap, I was a little disappointed. It seemed so short. I thought I had gotten shortchanged in my swap. I was wrong. This is a lovely, well-written glimpse into a world I never knew.
There are fifteen stories here, all narrated by women. Since the book is only 116 pages, some of the tales are very short. Rifaat does not waste a single word. There is just enough here, in every story, to tell us what we need to know. I realize that many people don’t like short stories because they are so brief. However, when a mistress of story is writing, we should all read what she has to say. Rifaat is a genius and these are all enlightening.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to know more about women.
Who knows where I heard about this book. I had never seen a copy, so when I got this collection of short stories from Paperback Swap, I was a little disappointed. It seemed so short. I thought I had gotten shortchanged in my swap. I was wrong. This is a lovely, well-written glimpse into a world I never knew.
There are fifteen stories here, all narrated by women. Since the book is only 116 pages, some of the tales are very short. Rifaat does not waste a single word. There is just enough here, in every story, to tell us what we need to know. I realize that many people don’t like short stories because they are so brief. However, when a mistress of story is writing, we should all read what she has to say. Rifaat is a genius and these are all enlightening.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to know more about women.
ninachachu's review
3.0
Short stories by the Egyptian writer Alifa Rifaat. Most of the main characters are women, who have not been influenced by western values. Several stories also involve death - either of the story's main characters or those they are close to.
sookieskipper's review
4.0
Short, succinct stories that are entirely heartbreaking on their own and inspiring in the collective.
One of the finest short story collection I've read in recent times.
One of the finest short story collection I've read in recent times.
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