Mai Al-Nakib

4.5⭐️

“Once upon a time, I dreamed of being unbound. I wanted to be free but couldn’t manage it. My brother could. My mother could not. My father could. My grandmothers could not.”

In 2013 forty-one-year-old Sara Tarek Al-Ameed, a professor of Philosophy at Kuwait University is accused of blasphemy and arrested. A female student had recorded one of her lectures on Nietzsche and reported her - a part of said lecture perceived as offensive and blasphemous. A recent amendment to existing law has branded blasphemy a capital crime that is punishable by execution. Eleven years ago, following her mother's death in Kuwait , Sara had returned from Berkeley after resigning from a tenure-track position. She lives with Lola her cat, her grandmother's pet parrot Bebe Mitu, her childhood ayah Maria who she considers her second mother and has been with the family since before she was born, and Aasif her Indian cook. Her brother Karim lives and works in the United States. After Sara is released from prison pending trial her lawyer informs her that formally retracting her statement could lead to an exoneration but as her petitions for relaxing imposed travel restrictions and dismissal of her case are rejected and the date of trial is delayed, her concerns over her fate are compounded.

“To proceed forward requires periodic turns back, even if those turns are denied, even if they hurt like hell.”

An Unlasting Home By Mai Al-Nakib is a powerful, moving and insightful novel that revolves around a cast of strong and resilient women and their acts of kindness, sacrifice, compromise and survival in a society that has not been partial to their will or choices. The narrative switches between the current timeline of Sara’s arrest and preparation for defense as she awaits trial and the past that covers the history of her family through chapters devoted to the lives of the women of Sara’s family who preceded her – her grandmothers- Mama Yasmine and Mama Lulwa, her mother Noura and her ayah, Maria. There are a lot of characters to keep track of but the family trees provided at the beginning of this novel are a great help. Their stories, ranging from the 1920s to the current track traverses countries and continents - from Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Kuwait, India, and the U.S. and not only give us an in-depth look into Sara's family history but also paint a picture of the changing political and societal landscape of Kuwait and the surrounding region through the years. The author’s characterizations of the women in this novel are superb. The prose is elegant and though the pace does waver in places, the narrative hooked me in from the very first page. A running theme in this novel is how the definition of home changes over time. Our characters move across countries and continents for reasons varying from political unrest to personal reasons such as marriage, academic and professional pursuits and/or familial obligations. These migrations often result in a feeling of detachment and we see our characters questioning themselves, their life choices, their triumphs and failures and struggles with reconciling with their feelings of regret, guilt or discontent that often rise to the surface in the face of adverse situations. As Sarah contemplates her life and how her education and experiences in the West and Kuwait have shaped her, she feels “bifurcated” – having to balance the values, beliefs and behaviors that are often conflicting in nature, motivation and intent. I am aware that the detailed descriptive writing might not appeal to everyone but the author does a wonderful job of depicting the historical, political and societal factors that shaped the generations of women in Sarah’s periphery and how these influences leave their mark over time - the similarities and dissimilarities among these women and the legacy that Sara carries with her irrespective of where she may be – a fact that Sara realizes and acknowledges. Overall this novel is an absorbing read and a brilliant debut. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

“If they knew my story, the women who made me, they wouldn’t be disappointed. They would gather me into their generous arms, and then they would release me.”

I won an ARC of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway and would like to thank the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review the same. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.… (mehr)

I tend to enjoy multigenerational sagas, and this one did not disappoint. Another plus, I enjoy books set in the Middle East. This beautifully written book follows the lives of three generations of Arab women. Over the years, the story takes us through the transformations not only of the women but of the country itself.

Present-day Sara has moved from Berkely and is now a philosophy professor at Kuwait University. As the story opens, she finds herself being arrested on a charge of blasphemy.

It is Sara who narrates the stories of her grandmothers. Lulwa was perhaps my favorite. She was born into a poor family in Kuwait and was sold to the son of a wealthy merchant who took her to India. Lulwa knew her intended husband and was happy with the arrangement. However, the economy was about to change. And Lulwa’s mother becomes bitterly manipulative.

Yasmine, born in Lebanon, is intelligent, beautiful, and stubborn. She becomes a teacher in Baghdad and falls in love with an Iraqi. Within a couple of years, she will regret her decision to marry him. I enjoyed reading of the friendship between Yasmine and Lulwa.

Noura, born in India, loves books and dreams of a life in America. She also feels a compulsion to tackle the serious political issues confronting Kuwait and the Middle East in general as the region goes through a major transformation.

Maria, also born in India, lives in poverty after the death of her husband. Out of desperation, she accepts the job of caring for Noura’s children. Thus, she leaves behind her children and goes to Kuwait. Her salary there will ensure her children’s education.

I enjoyed the perspective Al-Nakib gave of the Arab women’s lives. I think women everywhere can relate to certain aspects of their stories. These are strong, intelligent women who yearn to belong someplace but just not sure where that place is.

I had some difficulty fitting together the pieces of timelines and the alternating characters. I had to make notes to keep them all straight. The story is also a slow build, so be patient.… (mehr)

Wow! I am so glad I won this book in the Goodreads giveaway.

The Hidden Light of Objects is a beautifully written collection of short stories set for the most part in the Middle East. Many of the stories are connected. Sometimes it is a familial connection that spans several decades and other times it is through shared references to mundane objects that hold memories and secrets. There is a pervasive sense of loneliness and loss through many of the stories and you are kept aware of the underlying unrest in that area of the world. But for all of the sadness there is hope and beauty as well.

I think what I most enjoyed about this book was the language. Al-Nakib is wonderfully adept at describing people, nature, emotions and smells. Her words flow poetically and you are instantly transported wherever she wants the stories to take you. I found myself re-reading many of the passages just to savor the combinations of words and the emotions they evoke.… (mehr)