Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
I think my actual rating for this is more of a 3.5-there were just several parts that I didn’t care for much.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is one of my long-time absolute favourite books and a frequent reread. The interweaving narratives are enchanting: a man at his difficult father’s hospice bedside; his beloved grandfather’s life as a young storyteller during the Lebanese civil war; and the stories themselves, Arabian Nights tales that the grandfather performed for family as well as in public venues. The overall novel is an absolute masterpiece and a tremendously rewarding read.
The Hakawait was a welcome discovery, because it can now be shelved with some of my favorite stories: The House of the Spirits, Midnight's Children, and East of Eden.
Here, the common denominator is something I have no better term for other than: a lifetime family story. Salman Rushdie said it best: "To understand one life, you have to swallow the world."
These stories stem from a protagonist who is both the kernel of the story, yet remains outside of it as the narrator. In The Hakawati, the fictional account of the al-Kharrat family is interwoven with vignettes from many sources of Middle Eastern origin. My one quip about this novel is it felt too long, so I was for a very long time tempted to give it four stars. Ironically, it ended at a point where I longed for it to continue, and eventually just had to admit an admiration toward this carefully woven collection.
In the acknowledgements, the author explains how with the Lebanese, he didn't have to ask for the stories, they simply came to him once word spread. There is something very close to home in this behavior, and I can guarantee you'll find some of the same spirit in the similar novels mentioned above.
Here, the common denominator is something I have no better term for other than: a lifetime family story. Salman Rushdie said it best: "To understand one life, you have to swallow the world."
These stories stem from a protagonist who is both the kernel of the story, yet remains outside of it as the narrator. In The Hakawati, the fictional account of the al-Kharrat family is interwoven with vignettes from many sources of Middle Eastern origin. My one quip about this novel is it felt too long, so I was for a very long time tempted to give it four stars. Ironically, it ended at a point where I longed for it to continue, and eventually just had to admit an admiration toward this carefully woven collection.
In the acknowledgements, the author explains how with the Lebanese, he didn't have to ask for the stories, they simply came to him once word spread. There is something very close to home in this behavior, and I can guarantee you'll find some of the same spirit in the similar novels mentioned above.