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A review by waniasajid
The Tale of Princess Fatima, Warrior Woman: The Arabic Epic of Dhat Al-Himma by Melanie Magidow
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The Tale of Princess Fatima, Warrior Woman is a captivating epic, which standing alone would have probably received 4 stars. I've given it 3 stars due to some issues I hold with this abridged translation.
The narrative itself is a refreshing departure from other epics, such as the Iliad, wherein women remain largely voiceless and passive to their fates, often including rape. Fatima is an incredibly captivating character, a fearsome warrior who far surpasses any man and is delightfully strong-willed. I loved that she was a devout Muslim, whose beliefs neither oppressed not limited her freedoms. In fact, she isn't the only strong female character within the epic, there are several warrior princesses throughout, and not once are they criticised for their conduct, rather they are renowned for it.
Of course, being both set and written in heavily patriarchal societies, The Tale of Princess Fatima, Warrior Woman isn't without its depictions of misogyny and the struggles of being a woman. When Fatima is born, her father is initially in favour of infanticide in order to be spared the shame of having a daughter. However, he grows to love his daughter and respect her autonomy, allowing her to explore and refusing to force her marriage with Walid. There are some parts of the text which are a little uncomfortable, such as her father's dismissal of Walid's marital rape, and the pseudoscientific reason for her child being born black. The plights of being a woman, from constant threats of assault to men's desire to control, is maddening, and the timelessness of such issues really shines through.
Plot aside, the translation has notable drawbacks. It is a little disappointing that the 6,000 page source material was abridged to less than 160 pages, especially when it is the only English translation available to date. It means a lot of the characterisation of the eponymous character is lost, as she doesn't feature prominently in a handful of the tales included. The language also doesn't flow very well, with abrupt shifts between the formal language traditional for an epic, followed by a sentence like "What a creep!" It's almost as if Magidow was unsure of whether she wanted this to be a lofty translation, or a YA adaptation. My bigger gripe with the translation is the liberties it takes. For example, Magidow makes the choice to downplay religious references, deeming them distracting. However, these references are integral to understanding Fatima's character and the cultural context of the narrative.
I look forward to reading a full translation of the epic, should it be published, as it really does have the potential to cement itself into the literary canon.
The narrative itself is a refreshing departure from other epics, such as the Iliad, wherein women remain largely voiceless and passive to their fates, often including rape. Fatima is an incredibly captivating character, a fearsome warrior who far surpasses any man and is delightfully strong-willed. I loved that she was a devout Muslim, whose beliefs neither oppressed not limited her freedoms. In fact, she isn't the only strong female character within the epic, there are several warrior princesses throughout, and not once are they criticised for their conduct, rather they are renowned for it.
Of course, being both set and written in heavily patriarchal societies, The Tale of Princess Fatima, Warrior Woman isn't without its depictions of misogyny and the struggles of being a woman. When Fatima is born, her father is initially in favour of infanticide in order to be spared the shame of having a daughter. However, he grows to love his daughter and respect her autonomy, allowing her to explore and refusing to force her marriage with Walid. There are some parts of the text which are a little uncomfortable, such as her father's dismissal of Walid's marital rape, and the pseudoscientific reason for her child being born black. The plights of being a woman, from constant threats of assault to men's desire to control, is maddening, and the timelessness of such issues really shines through.
Plot aside, the translation has notable drawbacks. It is a little disappointing that the 6,000 page source material was abridged to less than 160 pages, especially when it is the only English translation available to date. It means a lot of the characterisation of the eponymous character is lost, as she doesn't feature prominently in a handful of the tales included. The language also doesn't flow very well, with abrupt shifts between the formal language traditional for an epic, followed by a sentence like "What a creep!" It's almost as if Magidow was unsure of whether she wanted this to be a lofty translation, or a YA adaptation. My bigger gripe with the translation is the liberties it takes. For example, Magidow makes the choice to downplay religious references, deeming them distracting. However, these references are integral to understanding Fatima's character and the cultural context of the narrative.
I look forward to reading a full translation of the epic, should it be published, as it really does have the potential to cement itself into the literary canon.