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vorpalblad's review against another edition
5.0
In 1527 the Narvaez expedition, numbering about 600, left Spain to explore and settle "La Florida" in the new world. In 1536 the four survivors of the expedition walked into Mexico City. One of these survivors, Cabeza de Vaca, would write about the journey, leaving this single line about the one enslaved, non-Spaniard to survive: "The fourth [survivor] is Estevanico, an Arab Negro from Azamor." And it is from this single line that Lalami imagines an entire fictionalized history for this little remembered explorer.
The Moor's Account is a gripping tale of adventure, and stupidity. Narvaez's group met with ill-luck in the form of storms and desertions, but many of the troubles they brought on themselves through mismanagement and poor judgement. If we didn't have the history to compare it to, it would seem almost unbelievable that Narvaez would make so many disastrous decisions. Once Estebanico and the few survivors finally integrate with the native people, the story becomes one of the shifting alliances and views of the men, where Estebanico is no longer treated as a slave, but as an equal, while on their return to the Spanish outpost, he finds himself once again relegated to his former position.
The story took me a few chapters to get into, but once it started moving, the plot was interesting and well-paced, and the shifting relationships of the characters were fascinating. I would highly recommend if you are a fan of historical fiction or adventure stories in general.
The Moor's Account is a gripping tale of adventure, and stupidity. Narvaez's group met with ill-luck in the form of storms and desertions, but many of the troubles they brought on themselves through mismanagement and poor judgement. If we didn't have the history to compare it to, it would seem almost unbelievable that Narvaez would make so many disastrous decisions. Once Estebanico and the few survivors finally integrate with the native people, the story becomes one of the shifting alliances and views of the men, where Estebanico is no longer treated as a slave, but as an equal, while on their return to the Spanish outpost, he finds himself once again relegated to his former position.
The story took me a few chapters to get into, but once it started moving, the plot was interesting and well-paced, and the shifting relationships of the characters were fascinating. I would highly recommend if you are a fan of historical fiction or adventure stories in general.
megklaughtland's review
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
stormblessed4's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
kaoutarchkd's review against another edition
4.0
رواية جميلة و لكن النهاية لم تعجبني كان المفروض ان يعود مصطفى الى ازمور
dazuli's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
ktoumajian's review
4.0
"Maybe there is no true story; only imagined stories, vague reflections of what we saw and what we heard, what we felt and what we thought. Maybe if our experiences, in all of their glorious, magnificent colors, were somehow added up, they would lead us to the blinding light of truth." (p. 321)
Lalami is an adept storyteller who brings the story of a Moroccan slave--the 4th survivor of the Narvaez Expedition to La Florida--to the forefront of Cabeza de Vaca's account of the shipwreck and subsequent wanderings of 3 Castilian soldiers and one slave in southern Texas and northern Mexico and the many native peoples they encountered. Lalami vividly surrounds you with the sights and sounds of the Gulf of Mexico, the incessant marching, the pestering mosquitos, the quick snap of a croc that takes down a soldier, the variety of native tribes' dwellings, foods, patterns, etc...and once fully immersed you, like the dwindling Castilian survivors (disease! shipwreck! attacks! slave labor! did I mention the crocs!) begin to see the importance of Estebanico's unique perspective and his skill as a storyteller.
When the expedition first arrives at the first of many native villages, Estebanico observes: "I know now that these conquerors, like many others before them, and no doubt like others after, gave speeches not to voice the truth, but to create it." (10) The Castilians whole-heartedly believe in the myth that there is gold and wealth to be had in the New World, and the commanders are constantly searching for the elusive answer of where it is, beating it out of any native they can find. As an outsider Estebanico sees very plainly the absurdity of what is taking place around him, and there is an on-going motif of the importance of story-telling throughout the narrative. Estebanico reiterates often that he is telling this story because he believes it truer than the official record that the Castilians, namely de Vaca, took back with them to Spain. Storytelling is also an important part of self-creation and self-preservation throughout the narrative; he relies on the stories that is mother told him as a little boy to help him survive the monotony of the expedition and later, his ability to tell a good story helps him earn the trust of the native chiefs with whom he and the other survivors seek shelter, and eventually he uses stories to soothe and heal the native peoples he encounters, which also contributes to his survival. It is interesting to watch the changes of the 4 men while they live and work together to help one another survive...the divisions between them melt away as they begin to, ironically, follow the Moor's lead who more readily takes to the languages and customs of the their native hosts. But then when they eventually come into contact with the conquerors of Mexico and the official Castilian rhetoric once again, the Moor finds himself pushed aside as in the beginning and the story of his 8 years in the Land of Corn with the natives he befriended twisted and compromised; he says, "The only thing at once more precious and more fragile than a true story is a free life...I realized with a start that once again I was living in a world where written records were synonymous with power" (286-7). So... in the end he must create a story that allows him to gain his freedom for good.
A complicated and remarkable account of one version of the Spanish Conquest of the southwest which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Lalami is an adept storyteller who brings the story of a Moroccan slave--the 4th survivor of the Narvaez Expedition to La Florida--to the forefront of Cabeza de Vaca's account of the shipwreck and subsequent wanderings of 3 Castilian soldiers and one slave in southern Texas and northern Mexico and the many native peoples they encountered. Lalami vividly surrounds you with the sights and sounds of the Gulf of Mexico, the incessant marching, the pestering mosquitos, the quick snap of a croc that takes down a soldier, the variety of native tribes' dwellings, foods, patterns, etc...and once fully immersed you, like the dwindling Castilian survivors (disease! shipwreck! attacks! slave labor! did I mention the crocs!) begin to see the importance of Estebanico's unique perspective and his skill as a storyteller.
When the expedition first arrives at the first of many native villages, Estebanico observes: "I know now that these conquerors, like many others before them, and no doubt like others after, gave speeches not to voice the truth, but to create it." (10) The Castilians whole-heartedly believe in the myth that there is gold and wealth to be had in the New World, and the commanders are constantly searching for the elusive answer of where it is, beating it out of any native they can find. As an outsider Estebanico sees very plainly the absurdity of what is taking place around him, and there is an on-going motif of the importance of story-telling throughout the narrative. Estebanico reiterates often that he is telling this story because he believes it truer than the official record that the Castilians, namely de Vaca, took back with them to Spain. Storytelling is also an important part of self-creation and self-preservation throughout the narrative; he relies on the stories that is mother told him as a little boy to help him survive the monotony of the expedition and later, his ability to tell a good story helps him earn the trust of the native chiefs with whom he and the other survivors seek shelter, and eventually he uses stories to soothe and heal the native peoples he encounters, which also contributes to his survival. It is interesting to watch the changes of the 4 men while they live and work together to help one another survive...the divisions between them melt away as they begin to, ironically, follow the Moor's lead who more readily takes to the languages and customs of the their native hosts. But then when they eventually come into contact with the conquerors of Mexico and the official Castilian rhetoric once again, the Moor finds himself pushed aside as in the beginning and the story of his 8 years in the Land of Corn with the natives he befriended twisted and compromised; he says, "The only thing at once more precious and more fragile than a true story is a free life...I realized with a start that once again I was living in a world where written records were synonymous with power" (286-7). So... in the end he must create a story that allows him to gain his freedom for good.
A complicated and remarkable account of one version of the Spanish Conquest of the southwest which I thoroughly enjoyed.
scarletohhara's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyed reading Estebanico’s adventures as the first non-European to have traveled in the Americas. Lalami does a great job in retelling this story, based on a true story, and includes great details on how native Americans of that time lived.
lindsayb's review against another edition
3.0
It seems to me a pretty difficult task to create an original story out of a documented historical event, so I commend Lalami for tackling the totally intriguing topic that is the first African/African American to explore America. That said, the narration felt uneven throughout some of the novel. Alternating chapters between Mustafa's life in Morocco (then Spain) and his present situation in La Florida was really interesting. I enjoyed learning about his life and just how the plot would twist to his eventual enslavement--seeing as I tend to read more about stories from West Africa, it was interesting to see the differences in a North African perspective. Lalami also captures well the bewilderment, depravity, and horrifically misguided leadership of European explorers in the Americas. I often found myself upset when a chapter ended because I wasn't ready to bounce to the other time period, which is probably a good sign.
However, I was confused when the author ceased with the split narration halfway through the book, concentrating only on the present, and ending with the initial embarkation for America, totally eschewing what seems like a tumultuous voyage just to get to La Espaniola and Cuba (thanks, Wikipedia). A lot happened, and Mustafa certainly explored the psyches of his captors, both Spanish and Indian, but still, the novel seemed a little lacking in character development. A lot of "well, I did these really bad things back home in Azemmur, but these are REALLY bad." This is also what I mean per my initial statement--it's like the Titanic. You know it's going to sink, so you better make the story as fresh as possible. In many ways, this was. But having to keep within the strict, if vague, parameters of the story--that one of the four surviving men was a Moorish slave--it was at times difficult for Lalami to get me to understand just why Mustafa put up with some of the things he did for as long as he did. I get that survival in such a harsh landscape is one thing, but otherwise it just kind of seemed like Stockholm Syndrome.
These are my nit-picky qualms, but otherwise, seriously, this was a pretty interesting book, especially after having read Empire of the Summer Moon and Memory of Fire: Genesis within the last year. I really loved getting a new perspective to a lesser known Spanish expedition, in general, and the theoretical voice of one of the millions history has silenced.
******
Counting, too, as my Read Harder "African author" criteria.
However, I was confused when the author ceased with the split narration halfway through the book, concentrating only on the present, and ending with the initial embarkation for America, totally eschewing what seems like a tumultuous voyage just to get to La Espaniola and Cuba (thanks, Wikipedia). A lot happened, and Mustafa certainly explored the psyches of his captors, both Spanish and Indian, but still, the novel seemed a little lacking in character development. A lot of "well, I did these really bad things back home in Azemmur, but these are REALLY bad." This is also what I mean per my initial statement--it's like the Titanic. You know it's going to sink, so you better make the story as fresh as possible. In many ways, this was. But having to keep within the strict, if vague, parameters of the story--that one of the four surviving men was a Moorish slave--it was at times difficult for Lalami to get me to understand just why Mustafa put up with some of the things he did for as long as he did. I get that survival in such a harsh landscape is one thing, but otherwise it just kind of seemed like Stockholm Syndrome.
These are my nit-picky qualms, but otherwise, seriously, this was a pretty interesting book, especially after having read Empire of the Summer Moon and Memory of Fire: Genesis within the last year. I really loved getting a new perspective to a lesser known Spanish expedition, in general, and the theoretical voice of one of the millions history has silenced.
******
Counting, too, as my Read Harder "African author" criteria.