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Lädt ... A Land without Jasmine (Original 2008; 2012. Auflage)von Wajdi al-Ahdal (Autor), William Maynard Hutchins (Übersetzer)
Werk-InformationenA Land without Jasmine von Wajdi al-Ahdal (2008)
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Melde dich bei LibraryThing an um herauszufinden, ob du dieses Buch mögen würdest. Keine aktuelle Diskussion zu diesem Buch. I feel like something was lost in translation between me and this book. The blurb described it as a "satirical detective novel", but I think it really helps if you know in advance that it totally subverts the genre Aside from that, though, this is a novella with a social conscience, more a critique of Yemeni society than really a detective novel. I enjoyed it. Zeige 3 von 3 keine Rezensionen | Rezension hinzufügen
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A Land without Jasmine is a sexy, satirical detective story about the sudden disappearance of a young female student from Yemen's Sanaa University. Each chapter is narrated by a different character beginning with Jasmine herself. The mystery surrounding her disappearance comes into clearer focus with each self-serving and idiosyncratic account provided by an acquaintance, family member, or detective. As the details surrounding her sudden disappearance emerge the mystery deepens. Sexual depravity, honour, obsession; the motives are numerous and the suspects plentiful. It seems that everyone wants a piece of the charming young student. Family, friends, fellow students and nosey neighbours are quick to make their own judgements on the case, but the truth may be far stranger than anyone anticipates. This short novel has echoes of both the Sherlock Holmes stories and The Catcher in the Rye, as in addition to the mystery and a murder, the novel contains candid discussions of coming of age in a land of sexual repression. Wajdi al-Ahdal is a satirical author with a fresh and provocative voice and an excellent eye for telling the details of his world. Keine Bibliotheksbeschreibungen gefunden. |
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Google Books — Lädt ... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)892.7Literature Literature of other languages Middle Eastern languages Arabic (Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan)Klassifikation der Library of Congress [LCC] (USA)BewertungDurchschnitt:
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Land Without Jasmine is a short mystery story set in Yemen by award-winning Yemeni novelist Wajdi al-Ahdal. The story involves the disappearance of beautiful university student Jasmine. Each chapter has a different narrator, beginning with Jasmine herself and includes family members, witnesses and police investigators. At the start Jasmine complains of the harassment she receives daily at the hands of lecherous males. “I consider this mass gaze, which comes from all directions, to be a noxious type of male violence.” “I used to ignore these fleeting touches, thinking them a kind of tax exacted from every girl who ventures out on our repressed streets.” After her disappearance different people shift into the position of suspect but the tribe metes out its own justice to her most ardent admirer, a love-struck teen, who is devastated by her disappearance. The later part of the book moves into magical realism with talk of jinn and dreams, the ending left inconclusive.
I found this both a courageous and disturbing book. Courageous, as the author has already had death threats relating to his work. The book is highly sexualised and I found the creepy attitude to women frightening and disturbing. al-Adhal obviously also finds this behaviour repulsive and indirectly condemns it in his work. I found the ending somewhat abrupt and unsatisfying. Overall, while on one level I admire what the author has done, this story doesn’t leave a good taste in my mouth. ( )