A review by ageorge1877
The Queue by Basma Abdel Aziz

3.0

A novel which asks the terrifying question: what if LUSU ran the country? It's a pretty grim and disheartening exploration into how endless bureaucracy (eSPECially in a totalitarian regime) gradually saps the life out of people. We basically follow a big group of characters all on their different journeys towards giving up. Its p bleak and it's interesting how, despite it being so obvious from the start that things aren't gonna work out, it remains very readable and page-turning. Not all the characters are as fleshed out as they could be which becomes a problem when the pov keeps changing and you cant remember exactly what everyones deal is. Also the whole 'it's a totalitarian state they control everything bro' element is a bit laboured and a bit on the nose, although maybe that's the point. It's an Egyptian author and I may not know enough about the Egyptian regime its parodying to be able to fully engage with everything it has to say. Good story though and thoughts to be had.