A review by mazloum
A Hologram for the King by Dave Eggers

4.0

This was a nice surprise. I walked into Hologram not knowing what to expect, the title seemed a bit on the sci-fi side, and the synopsis was intentionally vague. So, I started reading it, and it seemed to be one of the most honest works of fiction in recent memory. Eggers lays out the protagonist Alan Clay bare to the reader; his feelings, his thoughts and all his weaknesses and loathsome character traits. They're all there for you to see and feel, and it's done wonderfully through concise prose that feels familiar and inviting. Even the other characters are seen through his eyes.

I would also be wrong to fail to mention the other star of this novel: Saudi Arabia. Having spent some time there myself, I found the cultural references and implications to be largely true, and the novel manages to be honest, lacking the whole 'Westerner in the land of arabs' angle. I found myself curious to know more about Youssef and his guitar-strumming friend, a testament to the novel's well-developed characters.

So, pick this up sometime. It's a lot of fun.