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Title: In the Eye of the Sun by Ahdaf Soueif, Ahdaf Soueif ISBN: 0-385-72037-8 Publisher: Angel Sales Pub. Date: 03 April, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $17.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.77 (22 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A BEAUTIFUL INSIGHT TO EGYPTIAN CULTURE
Comment: I found myself caught up in this work from the very begining. Soueif's beautiful writing made it very easy to work my way though nearly 800 pages with ease.
As a woman who is involved with an Egyptian, this book shed light on the complicated personality of an Egyptian man which can be so foreign to a western woman. There were parts of this book which were so painful I could barley stand to read them. The author "takes you there" and you feel the agony and pain which comes from a dissolving marrage. I felt trapped along with Asya as she was dealing with that idiot Gerald. I was always saying to myself 'Get out!!! what are you doing with this guy?'
I love Ahdaf Soueif's writing had have also read "The Map of Love"
Rating: 5
Summary: Fantastic book ..great details full of culture & history
Comment: This was the second of Four Souief Books and her first full-length work. It is a real treat, very well conceived and written. It is an excellent portrayal of Egyptian society and the various conflicting influences affecting the Egyptian character.
Ahdaf Souif paints each and every character in the novel in a "real" fashion, they are all very plausible in their strength, peculiarities and humanities; the goodies and the "badies" alike, are all well rounded. This does not only apply to Asya, Seif, Crissie and the other main personalities, but to the many minor ones too. No cardboard here!
In part this is a story of young idealistic Egyptian girl, Asya, growing up in the quasi-socialist days of Nasser. Ahdaf Souief paints a remarkably accurate picture of life in Cairo during that era. The 1967 Six days war takes place, dreams are shattered and many lives are torn, but largely life goes on. Asya's love story in Egypt moves with her abroad as she goes to the North of England for post Graduate education. Again Souief paints a remarkable detailed and accurate picture of life in the North of England in that era. Asya struggles and adapts with life in the west. She is so very firmly anchored in her roots, upbringing, and culture; yet she still wades into The West.
Asya strengths and weaknesses as a human being dominate much of the second half of the book, all written in a gripping language that makes you feel you are right there, part of the scene. At times I wanted to shout out "leave him.. throw him out .. he's no good ..don't you see ..." or "call him ..tell him ... don't put up with that .."
Souif painted an outstandingly accurate picture of how a wedding, a funeral, school life and even war and politics feel like in Egypt. Souif was specially masterful at the way she weaved the funeral scene, with her superb translation of the Quran. I could actually picture myself in Etba in Cairo receiving the mourners.
Ahdaf Souif's mastery of both English and Arabic comes across in every word in the book. She loves both languages and takes and gives joy in illustrating their beauty without losing the theme of the book.
The book shed a great deal of light on how Egyptian view not only themselves but also how they view the west, the Arabs and also Israel. It provides a very realistic look on how integrated Moslems and Christians are in City life in Cairo. (at least used to be , not really sure about now)
Aisha and Sandpiper are 2 other outstanding books by AS, if you enjoy this book, you will certainly like these 2. In a funny way, some of the stories from these 2 books are intertwined with In the Eye of the Sun. You will appreciate these 2 shorter books many times more after you have read this one.
The Map of Love, her most recent book 1999, was short listed for the Booker prize (and should have won it over Disgrace which is also a fantastic book with great insight on life at the other end of the Africa) , is an excellent book but not half as good or real as this book, In The Eye Of The Sun is a real treat. I was depressed when I finished it, I wanted more!
Rating: 5
Summary: An insightful look into another world
Comment: As a typical mid-American with no background into modern Egyptian history, I found this book a great insight into a far different world than what I was living during the 1970's. Almost as much as reading the book, I have enjoyed reading the reviews of this book especially from those who can relate so well. While the details were just overwhelming in places for me, they were the essence of the novel for others. There truly is a different way of viewing the world from the East and from the West. This book has helped me understand a bit more.
And although it was an insight into the modern Eastern woman's world, it was also so universal in theme. I could see so much of my husband of 30+ years in Saif. Maybe men are men whether they are from the mid-west or from the Middle East.
I would love to read more of Soueif's works (I did read Map of Love -- and thought it was wonderful) especially in light of what is happening in the Mid East today; the change in culture from the time Asya left Egypt to the time she returned was interesting to me. I want to know how a character like Asya is doing now in Egypt.
Thanks the the author for writing a insightful, interesting, and complex work, and thanks for those who from Asya's world who have written reviews. I appreciated reading your comments in order to verify what I thought I was getting from the book.
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Title: The Map of Love : A Novel by Ahdaf Soueif ISBN: 0385720114 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 12 September, 2000 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: Women of Sand and Myrrh : A Novel by Hanan Al-Shaykh, Catherine Cobham ISBN: 0385423586 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 01 July, 1992 List Price(USD): $11.95 |
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Title: A Border Passage: From Cairo to America-A Woman's Journey by Leila Ahmed ISBN: 0140291830 Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: 05 June, 2000 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: I Saw Ramallah by Mourid Barghouti, Edward W. Said, Ahdaf Soueif ISBN: 1400032660 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 13 May, 2003 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
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Title: Only in London by Hanan Al-Shaykh ISBN: 0385721218 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 08 October, 2002 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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