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A review by joecam79
Anatomy of a Disappearance by Hisham Matar
3.0
The demarcation line between "classic literary themes" and "plain old clichés" is sometimes so tenuous as to be practically non-existent. This is what I found myself thinking upon finishing "Anatomy of a Disappearance".
The protagonist of Hisham Matar's second novel (after the Booker-nominated [b:In the Country of Men|63657|In the Country of Men|Hisham Matar|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386925450s/63657.jpg|2425175]) is Nuri, the son of an ex-minister of an unnamed Middle Eastern country who has lived in exile in Paris and then Egypt ever since that country's "beloved king" was deposed in the late 60s. At the age of 12 years, Nuri loses his mother to a mysterious illness. Two years later, tragedy strikes again when his father is abducted in Switzerland, presumably by his political enemies, an event which indelibly marks the boy's life.
This is a coming-of-age novel narrated, predictably, by the protagonist's older, wiser self. The plot features, surprise surprise, a young woman who acts as catalyst for Nuri's sexual awakening. This is Mona, Nuri's twenty-something flirtatious stepmother. So we have, in one broad stroke, the age-old love triangle, with an Oedipal complex thrown into the mix. In complete contrast to Mona stands Naima, the loyal, faithful servant who doubles as the narrator's surrogate mother.
It has become fashionable for literary novels to incorporate popular, populist elements - in this case, the dissident's disappearance gives the plot a thriller-cum-mystery element. Many narrative threads however remain unresolved, a de rigueur approach for any novelist wishing to maintain highbrow credentials.
An underwhelming and unresolved plot, a narrator who is not particularly likeable - what is it then that makes this flawed novel a worthwhile read? For me, it is Matar's undeniable mastery of language, which makes an otherwise unassuming book blossom into flowing, poetic prose. Take the title - in four words and just two nouns, Matar contrasts the themes of physical presence and loss, whilst hinting at the novel's underlying eroticism and the mystery at its heart. The book is rich with such images and hidden delights which make up for the "clichéd" thematic and narrative elements.
The protagonist of Hisham Matar's second novel (after the Booker-nominated [b:In the Country of Men|63657|In the Country of Men|Hisham Matar|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386925450s/63657.jpg|2425175]) is Nuri, the son of an ex-minister of an unnamed Middle Eastern country who has lived in exile in Paris and then Egypt ever since that country's "beloved king" was deposed in the late 60s. At the age of 12 years, Nuri loses his mother to a mysterious illness. Two years later, tragedy strikes again when his father is abducted in Switzerland, presumably by his political enemies, an event which indelibly marks the boy's life.
This is a coming-of-age novel narrated, predictably, by the protagonist's older, wiser self. The plot features, surprise surprise, a young woman who acts as catalyst for Nuri's sexual awakening. This is Mona, Nuri's twenty-something flirtatious stepmother. So we have, in one broad stroke, the age-old love triangle, with an Oedipal complex thrown into the mix. In complete contrast to Mona stands Naima, the loyal, faithful servant who doubles as the narrator's surrogate mother.
It has become fashionable for literary novels to incorporate popular, populist elements - in this case, the dissident's disappearance gives the plot a thriller-cum-mystery element. Many narrative threads however remain unresolved, a de rigueur approach for any novelist wishing to maintain highbrow credentials.
An underwhelming and unresolved plot, a narrator who is not particularly likeable - what is it then that makes this flawed novel a worthwhile read? For me, it is Matar's undeniable mastery of language, which makes an otherwise unassuming book blossom into flowing, poetic prose. Take the title - in four words and just two nouns, Matar contrasts the themes of physical presence and loss, whilst hinting at the novel's underlying eroticism and the mystery at its heart. The book is rich with such images and hidden delights which make up for the "clichéd" thematic and narrative elements.