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A review by jujudepamplemousse
Ali and Nino by Kurban Said
4.0
This novel tells the love story of christian Georgian princess Nino and Shiite Muslin Ali in Baku during the early 20th century events that led to the declaration of separate Azerbaijan State.
The question of identity is the heart of the book. The conflict between east and west, between conservative traditions of Asia and liberal culture of Europe, the compromises, sacrifices and pain to accommodate the other's needs and desires. The relationship between Nino and Ali is a metaphor for the dawning of the new Azerbaijan nation and so reading this novel only as a love story would be missing out its beauty.
This novel reminded me of Shan Sha's novel named [b:La joueuse de go|927957|La joueuse de go|Shan Sa|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1179524011l/927957._SX50_.jpg|2126470] ([b:The Girl Who Played Go|92315|The Girl Who Played Go|Shan Sa|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320427070l/92315._SX50_.jpg|2126470]) in the way the romantic relationship serves as a metaphor for a cultural, political and/or historical conflict.
For me this novel was quite challenging because I didn't know much of both Caucasia history and Shiite Muslim religion. Even if I've learned a lot, in this end I still feel like I couldn't wholly appreciate this book and for that I think it would be interesting for me to read it again after some more learning.
The question of identity is the heart of the book. The conflict between east and west, between conservative traditions of Asia and liberal culture of Europe, the compromises, sacrifices and pain to accommodate the other's needs and desires. The relationship between Nino and Ali is a metaphor for the dawning of the new Azerbaijan nation and so reading this novel only as a love story would be missing out its beauty.
This novel reminded me of Shan Sha's novel named [b:La joueuse de go|927957|La joueuse de go|Shan Sa|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1179524011l/927957._SX50_.jpg|2126470] ([b:The Girl Who Played Go|92315|The Girl Who Played Go|Shan Sa|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320427070l/92315._SX50_.jpg|2126470]) in the way the romantic relationship serves as a metaphor for a cultural, political and/or historical conflict.
For me this novel was quite challenging because I didn't know much of both Caucasia history and Shiite Muslim religion. Even if I've learned a lot, in this end I still feel like I couldn't wholly appreciate this book and for that I think it would be interesting for me to read it again after some more learning.