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melodyseestrees's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The bees and hornets play a very subtle role. They were completely overshadowed by the conflicts and tensions between humans. I guess I expected the bees to be a little more important in the scheme of things.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Death, Police brutality, and Murder
Minor: Colonisation and War
internationalreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
A very heavy-handed metaphor. I loved Sidi and I would read about his daily life forever. The second half of the book seemed like a totally different book, with the plot picking up and random characters coming out of nowhere.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
aew325's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, and Police brutality
Minor: Colonisation and War
cynthreads's review against another edition
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-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
4.25
"Read"-the first heavenly word, the first commandment, and the key to all things.
How much I agree!
This novel, published originally in French, is very short and very charming, a deceptively simple but well-crafted allegory of politics in the Arab world after the Arab Spring.
Read this review with a detailed rating breakdown at my blog.
It reminds the Western reader - in areas with conflict or poverty, problems don't just magically go away when you replace a dictatorship with democracy. After the revolution is over, after the world stops watching, what happens?
How many people think about this question? Or have we simply brushed off our hands and closed our eyes to the aftermath?
What was easier to hijack than democracy? Like most things in the world of men, democracy was principally a question of money, and the prince had plenty.
From time immemorial, the gifts of princes have always been poisoned.
In the unnamed North African country where the story is set, newfound democracy, press freedom, and burgeoning sensibilities for civil participation are exploited by a small, gas-rich Arab state called "Qafar". Qafar's political interference brings a fundamentalist wave which takes over their world, and along with it, an invasive species.
In real life, Qafar and its ruler Abdul ban Ania, and the Kingdom of Arabia and its King Farhoud, do not exist. The North African country in which most of the book is set is also conveniently anonymous. On the other hand, more politically distant countries, such as Japan, China, and Italy are named directly, and Silvio Berlusconi even gets a cameo role.
Although it's fairly obvious that Qafar is Qatar and the Kingdom of Arabia is Saudi Arabia, not using real place names and setting part of the novel in Japan lends the story a certain universality. It describes patterns of politics - populism, change, modernity and tradition - things broadly familiar to many times and many places.
That is not to suggest that The Ardent Swarm should be literally applied to some other post-Arab Spring country with a totally different history, culture, and political situation from Tunisia. Or as the translator, Lara Vergnaud, puts it, "Tunisia does not equal Egypt does not equal Syria".
The book is hilarious, a true pleasure to read, and full of pithy quotes like:
Other people. Again. Often hell, sometimes salvation.
"Can we talk about night beards, who vandalize, and day beards, who govern? Is there a link between the two?"
I really liked Sidi, the main character, because he's definitely a relatable guy in some ways. Seeing how messed up the world is, he just wants to bury his head in the sand (or in his case, in a bee hive) and ignore all other humans. Unfortunately, he lives in a society, and he just can't escape that fact.
The conceit, beekeeping and politics, played out well and didn't feel heavy-handed. Although there are some very dark moments in the story, it was a lighthearted, optimistic read, full of comedic and satirical elements.
Overall, the book is great, a masterful political novel. However, the author used a deus ex machina resolution (which sometimes works, but felt forced on this occasion). The ending was also weak and somewhat unsatisfying - everything was just too convenient. Maybe if there were a few more chapters, it would be much improved? This is unfortunately the case for so many novellas and short novels. Regardless, I think it's worth reading!
I chose this book from January 2021’s Amazon Kindle First Reads.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Sexism, and Religious bigotry