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A review by readingwithathena96
If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English by Noor Naga
4.0
If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English is a short novel about the relationship between two (mostly) unnamed characters. The Boy from Shobrakheit arrived in Cairo from a small village just in time for the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. The American Girl has recently arrived in Cairo and is coming to terms with the privilege she carries as a wealthy Egyptian-American in the city. The two are thrown together, and their relationship rapidly escalates.
This is the kind of book that you could probably read in an afternoon. The chapters are quick and alternate between the two main characters. In Part One, each chapter begins with a philosophical question (including the titular question- If an Egyptian cannot speak English, who is telling his story?) which acts as a sort of guide to the story itself. On paper this story is relatively straightforward- two people from different worlds collide- but in under 200 pages it digs deep at questions of class and privilege.
I think for a lot of people, Part Three will either make or break the entire novel. For me, this section really solidified the overarching theme. While I don’t think this book is necessarily for everyone, it’s one that’ll stick with me for a very long time
This is the kind of book that you could probably read in an afternoon. The chapters are quick and alternate between the two main characters. In Part One, each chapter begins with a philosophical question (including the titular question- If an Egyptian cannot speak English, who is telling his story?) which acts as a sort of guide to the story itself. On paper this story is relatively straightforward- two people from different worlds collide- but in under 200 pages it digs deep at questions of class and privilege.
I think for a lot of people, Part Three will either make or break the entire novel. For me, this section really solidified the overarching theme. While I don’t think this book is necessarily for everyone, it’s one that’ll stick with me for a very long time