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A review by nini23
Between Beirut and The Moon by Naji Bakhti
funny
hopeful
sad
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? Yes
4.5
Between Beirut and The Moon is a debut novel by Lebanese writer Naji Bakhti, published by Influx Press. A coming of age novel, about an adolescent boy Adam living in post civil war Beirut who dreams of becoming an astronaut. This articulated dream gets a different reception from those around him: derision from his journalist father who snorts that Arabs can't be astronauts, his school headmistress who takes special interest, his schoolmates who mock him and call him Gagarin. The title reflects there are significant obstacles in his way such as sectarian violence and bombing incursions by Syrian and Israeli forces. Adam's father Mr Najjar writes an article in the local newspaper raging “I curse the country that presented our children with two alternatives: death or immigration and instructed them to pick between the two.”
The tone of the book is surprisingly a dichotomy of irrevent humour mixed with despair. Bakhti has shared that he is influenced by Lebanese authors Rawi Hage and Rabih Alammedine but also funny coming of age Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle. The dark comedy that Bakhti deploys certainly results in a unique book; I'm used to authors tiptoeing for justifiable reasons around sensitive topics of sex, religion and war. However, Adam and his friends frequently get pulled inadvertently into these hot topics and I have to chuckle everytime the troublemakers find themselves in the headmistress' office who has to deal with the thorny issue with disgruntled parents and teachers. Adam himself comes from a mixed faith household: his maternal grandmother Mary is a Catholic from Palestine who currently resides in England and his paternal side is Muslim. His best friend Basil is Druze, as is his one time adolescent love interest.
Naji Bakhti chose to pen his work in English rather than Arabic, and he does a good amount of what he terms "leb-splaining" - explaining the cultural, historical, sociological context of the Lebanese setting and characters. We get to follow the evolution of taste in local beer brands, iconic singers like Sabah, the meaning behind common Lebanese sayings. Through Adam's surroundings, we experience a microcosm of Lebanese society. One of his teachers is a member of the SSNP Syrian Socialist National Party who later recruits his friend Basil. He is exposed to the powerful words and writings of Khalil Gibran and Mahmoud Darwish at school. Their neighbours include a French diplomat and an Egyptian porter who beats his wife. His father is a bibliophile who stacks their living quarters with towers of books, such a larger than life character. All the Najjar family members are memorable and their interactions a hoot.
I can't decide if the book ultimately ends on a hopeful note. We follow Adam's trajectory to when he becomes a young man residing in London while his family remains in Beirut. Given the dark days that Beirut is experiencing now in the real world, perhaps optimism is premature but the grit and life-affirming qualities are strong.
The tone of the book is surprisingly a dichotomy of irrevent humour mixed with despair. Bakhti has shared that he is influenced by Lebanese authors Rawi Hage and Rabih Alammedine but also funny coming of age Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle. The dark comedy that Bakhti deploys certainly results in a unique book; I'm used to authors tiptoeing for justifiable reasons around sensitive topics of sex, religion and war. However, Adam and his friends frequently get pulled inadvertently into these hot topics and I have to chuckle everytime the troublemakers find themselves in the headmistress' office who has to deal with the thorny issue with disgruntled parents and teachers. Adam himself comes from a mixed faith household: his maternal grandmother Mary is a Catholic from Palestine who currently resides in England and his paternal side is Muslim. His best friend Basil is Druze, as is his one time adolescent love interest.
Naji Bakhti chose to pen his work in English rather than Arabic, and he does a good amount of what he terms "leb-splaining" - explaining the cultural, historical, sociological context of the Lebanese setting and characters. We get to follow the evolution of taste in local beer brands, iconic singers like Sabah, the meaning behind common Lebanese sayings. Through Adam's surroundings, we experience a microcosm of Lebanese society. One of his teachers is a member of the SSNP Syrian Socialist National Party who later recruits his friend Basil. He is exposed to the powerful words and writings of Khalil Gibran and Mahmoud Darwish at school. Their neighbours include a French diplomat and an Egyptian porter who beats his wife. His father is a bibliophile who stacks their living quarters with towers of books, such a larger than life character. All the Najjar family members are memorable and their interactions a hoot.
I can't decide if the book ultimately ends on a hopeful note. We follow Adam's trajectory to when he becomes a young man residing in London while his family remains in Beirut. Given the dark days that Beirut is experiencing now in the real world, perhaps optimism is premature but the grit and life-affirming qualities are strong.
Content Warnings
Moderate: War
Minor: Suicide