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shahittosarmat 's review for:
Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree
by Tariq Ali
An #ownvoices historical novel that takes place in the waning days of Muslim Spain, this historical novel follows the members of one family as they grapple with the changes to the political, socio-economic society that existed in Spain for over 700 years.
The novel is slighly under 300 pages, but so much ground is covered. Ali does a fantastic job in utilizing primary and secondary sources that existed on Islamic Spain and its civilization post the rise of the Inquisition and Isabelle and Ferdinand.
In the veins of Ken Follet, the novel weaves various POVs together, showing the various stratification of Spanish Moor society for men and women, religious and secular, young and old, and also did a great job of showing the complexities of the religious changes that were being made in the society with the advent of the rise of the inquisition.
I understand the negative criticism that comes with Ali and his writing style, especially when it comes to the religious practices and convicitions about the people that are surprisingly practicing in public but what they end up doing in private. It shouldn't be surprising to realize that how we are as an Islamic polity is far more conservative then our forefathers, particularly those that lived outside of the Islamic caliphate spehre.
I can't wait to read the next installment in this series.
The novel is slighly under 300 pages, but so much ground is covered. Ali does a fantastic job in utilizing primary and secondary sources that existed on Islamic Spain and its civilization post the rise of the Inquisition and Isabelle and Ferdinand.
In the veins of Ken Follet, the novel weaves various POVs together, showing the various stratification of Spanish Moor society for men and women, religious and secular, young and old, and also did a great job of showing the complexities of the religious changes that were being made in the society with the advent of the rise of the inquisition.
I understand the negative criticism that comes with Ali and his writing style, especially when it comes to the religious practices and convicitions about the people that are surprisingly practicing in public but what they end up doing in private. It shouldn't be surprising to realize that how we are as an Islamic polity is far more conservative then our forefathers, particularly those that lived outside of the Islamic caliphate spehre.
I can't wait to read the next installment in this series.