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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
I was sent this book for review and I am happy to say that I loved reading it (this book is also very pretty).
The book tells the story of Hakawati, an elderly man telling stories to his dying partner in an effort to keep him alive. Through these stories, he reflects on his childhood, sexuality, the events of the Syrian Civil War, his relationship with his partner, and life in Vancouver.
Ramadan writes with immense clarity, I was impressed by how some chapters seamlessly interwove descriptions of the present, conversations with Death, fairy tales, and memories. I would set out to read a chapter and would find myself sucked in by the next story. The reader is never told what to think and I will enjoy ruminating on elements of the story in weeks to come.
l think this book does a great job of exploring ideas of leaving and being left behind, as well as that of isolation, be it because of culture, sexuality, or within a romantic relationship. The portrayal of falling in love, which never felt whimsical or romanticized, is some of the most accurate I have read in a long time. The descriptions of childhood and the scenes between Hakawati and his mother were my favourites and I enjoyed seeing her transformed from someone frightening to a character I cared about.
My only issue with the book was how it portrayed the future. Hakawati was born sometime in the late 1980s and in the prologue, he claims to be nearing the age of 80, which means that the story probably takes place in the 2050s. The scenes with him as an old man contain descriptions about Facebook and tapping credit cards to pay which made the 2050s seem exactly like the 2010s. If the representation of this future had been strikingly different from the present, the loss of Hakawati’s lover and the world they used to know would be even more poignant. That said I think this is an excellent book and I will definitely pick up anything Ramadan writes in the future.
The book tells the story of Hakawati, an elderly man telling stories to his dying partner in an effort to keep him alive. Through these stories, he reflects on his childhood, sexuality, the events of the Syrian Civil War, his relationship with his partner, and life in Vancouver.
Ramadan writes with immense clarity, I was impressed by how some chapters seamlessly interwove descriptions of the present, conversations with Death, fairy tales, and memories. I would set out to read a chapter and would find myself sucked in by the next story. The reader is never told what to think and I will enjoy ruminating on elements of the story in weeks to come.
l think this book does a great job of exploring ideas of leaving and being left behind, as well as that of isolation, be it because of culture, sexuality, or within a romantic relationship. The portrayal of falling in love, which never felt whimsical or romanticized, is some of the most accurate I have read in a long time. The descriptions of childhood and the scenes between Hakawati and his mother were my favourites and I enjoyed seeing her transformed from someone frightening to a character I cared about.
My only issue with the book was how it portrayed the future. Hakawati was born sometime in the late 1980s and in the prologue, he claims to be nearing the age of 80, which means that the story probably takes place in the 2050s. The scenes with him as an old man contain descriptions about Facebook and tapping credit cards to pay which made the 2050s seem exactly like the 2010s. If the representation of this future had been strikingly different from the present, the loss of Hakawati’s lover and the world they used to know would be even more poignant. That said I think this is an excellent book and I will definitely pick up anything Ramadan writes in the future.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Violence
Moderate: Child abuse
I'm having a hard time reviewing this one, mostly because many people seem to utterly adore it, and also because I know it's largely a (clearly very personal) memoir pretending to be a work of fiction - so it hurts my heart a bit that I didn't appreciate it more. It's a book residing at a somewhat lonely intersection of experiences - it's not easy finding literature about queer refugees - and it has many wonderful ideas: I enjoyed Death being present as a roommate immensely, the non-linear arrangement of the self-contained stories , the slight twist on the Scheherazade thing: here, the stories are told to keep someone else alive, not this particular story's hakawati, as he calls himself .
My problem with it boils down to the writing itself: it has loads of good ideas wrapped up in prose that could've used a more ruthless editor. I can only assume it would've flowed better in Arabic, which is the author's first language, but in English, it feels cheesy to the point that I frequently found myself rolling my eyes at the writing choices. If you're wholly uncynical, have a tolerance for really flowery writing, or just don't care about metaphors and whatnot: good for you, you might enjoy this. I really want to say it's a worthwhile read, but I struggled to finish it.
My problem with it boils down to the writing itself: it has loads of good ideas wrapped up in prose that could've used a more ruthless editor. I can only assume it would've flowed better in Arabic, which is the author's first language, but in English, it feels cheesy to the point that I frequently found myself rolling my eyes at the writing choices. If you're wholly uncynical, have a tolerance for really flowery writing, or just don't care about metaphors and whatnot: good for you, you might enjoy this. I really want to say it's a worthwhile read, but I struggled to finish it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime
Beautiful, beautiful book that could have used some tighter editing. But then I question whether I should punish this book for wandering around a bit when that's part of why it's lovely. I read this in the middle of reading a bunch of plot driven page turners, which may be clouding my judgement, but I had to push myself to get through the last 100 pages. But, obviously, when I did get through, I felt a lot of sad and beautiful things.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence
I don't have enough superlatives for this beautiful love letter told in stories. It loops in and out of time and place and magic and reality, and it all hangs together so beautifully. What a gift Danny Ramadan has given us.
Every once in a while a book comes along that feels so personal, that the authour has laid so much bare, the it's beyond review; that was my experience with this book. In reading The Clothesline Swing, I couldn't help but feel that I was taking a peek into Ahmad Danny Ramadan's life in Syria that was never meant to be for me, but that he felt compelled to share. I don't know how much of this book is true or what was embellished, but it's clear that these stories were inspired by truths: in his acknowledgements, Ramadan thanks those who have shared their "happiness and sorrow" with him. I highly recommend watching Ramadan's TED Talk after reading this book - you'll fall in love with him.
The format is unique: two lovers reminisce over their youth in Syria through fables and memories - there are stories within stories. Death, a surprisingly welcome character, joins the men as Hakawati comforts his aging partner with stories of his childhood. Death lingers on the sidelines, providing occasional commentary, waiting for his final breath.
This book is heavy, both in content and in prose, but also descriptive and beautiful, and so worth the effort. Readers should take this book slowly, absorb every word, and appreciate the education that Ramadan provides. We learn not only about life for gay youth in Damascus and Aleppo, but about the beauty that Syria has to offer. And yes, we learn about the war. For anyone ready to open their minds and enjoy a beautifully told narrative, do yourself a favour a pick this one up.
The format is unique: two lovers reminisce over their youth in Syria through fables and memories - there are stories within stories. Death, a surprisingly welcome character, joins the men as Hakawati comforts his aging partner with stories of his childhood. Death lingers on the sidelines, providing occasional commentary, waiting for his final breath.
This book is heavy, both in content and in prose, but also descriptive and beautiful, and so worth the effort. Readers should take this book slowly, absorb every word, and appreciate the education that Ramadan provides. We learn not only about life for gay youth in Damascus and Aleppo, but about the beauty that Syria has to offer. And yes, we learn about the war. For anyone ready to open their minds and enjoy a beautifully told narrative, do yourself a favour a pick this one up.
This book broke my heart. I sobbed while reading certain parts of it. It's very beautiful, and the story is incredibly engaging. I picked this off of a display in the library - I recognized the title but did not know anything about it, including the fact that it's a queer love story.