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labeet's review against another edition
3.0
Hvor forfriskende at læse en bog fyldt med muslimer og alle deres fordomme over for kristne... Denne charmerende og sjove roman foregår i Cairo i 50'erne under Englands besættelse af Egypten. Det ulmende oprør mod englænderne udgør bagtæppet for fortællingen om en familie, der flytter fra et luksusliv i "Øvre Egypten" til Cairo og en noget mere ydmyg tilværelse.
De fire meget forskellige børn beskrives med stor indlevelse, og vi følger dem i deres frigørelsesproces fra familien. De er i et eller andet omfang tilknyttet den britiske overklasseklub, som bogen er opkaldt efter, og vi får en nøje indføring i den racistiske og dybt klasseinddelte måde, som briterne kørte den slags institutioner på. Pyha, man ønsker ikke for sin værste fjende at være ansat dér!
Al Aswany har et ærligt og kærligt blik på sine landsmænd. Det er godt at blive klog af for sådan en bleg, kulturkristen speltgnasker som mig.
De fire meget forskellige børn beskrives med stor indlevelse, og vi følger dem i deres frigørelsesproces fra familien. De er i et eller andet omfang tilknyttet den britiske overklasseklub, som bogen er opkaldt efter, og vi får en nøje indføring i den racistiske og dybt klasseinddelte måde, som briterne kørte den slags institutioner på. Pyha, man ønsker ikke for sin værste fjende at være ansat dér!
Al Aswany har et ærligt og kærligt blik på sine landsmænd. Det er godt at blive klog af for sådan en bleg, kulturkristen speltgnasker som mig.
janey's review against another edition
4.0
Very interesting- reminded me in ways of Rihinton Mistry.
sheimy's review against another edition
4.0
بارع ف رسم شخصيات الرواية والاحداث ممتعة جدا لكن النهاية ف راىى مكانتش مرضية
kris_mccracken's review against another edition
2.0
An interesting tale that explores the inner life of a family in turmoil, amidst the disintegration of British imperialism and the political and moral corruption of Egypt's royal court in the early-1950s. This is a book that cuts right across the Egyptian social strata, from the King's bedchamber to the servant's quarters., and as such, it presents an interesting insight into a different world.
HOWEVER, I'm not sure about this translation. The dialogue is often bland and stilted, but can then veer into melodramatic and overwrought. It's difficult to tell whether fault lays at the feet of the author or the translation.
The key problem that I had was that the issues and moral choices were too stark. Characters are either wholly good or bad. There's very little in terms of subtle characterisation, and the story feels like an imagined sense of the past, rather than an exploration of a specific historical period.
With this in mind, the book could do with a more ruthless editor, it feels about 100 pages too long, and there's no doubt that it could be trimmed down without losing much. I'd recommend giving it a miss.
HOWEVER, I'm not sure about this translation. The dialogue is often bland and stilted, but can then veer into melodramatic and overwrought. It's difficult to tell whether fault lays at the feet of the author or the translation.
The key problem that I had was that the issues and moral choices were too stark. Characters are either wholly good or bad. There's very little in terms of subtle characterisation, and the story feels like an imagined sense of the past, rather than an exploration of a specific historical period.
With this in mind, the book could do with a more ruthless editor, it feels about 100 pages too long, and there's no doubt that it could be trimmed down without losing much. I'd recommend giving it a miss.
imagdi's review against another edition
5.0
الرواية اكثر من رائعة وطريقة السرد والتنقل مدهشة ، امتعتنا كتابات علاء الاسواني
djehutiemheb's review against another edition
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
palesa's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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? No
4.0
ps2's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0