A review by amrsalehduat
Daughters of the Lamp by Nedda Lewers

5.0

I’m in my late 20s, so I’m definitely not the intended audience for this book. But my god, Daughters of the Lamp made me feel like a kid again. As the son of Egyptian immigrants myself, there was so much in this book that resonated with me on a very deep level. The question of identity is something children in general have to answer early on in their lives, but it gets more complicated if you are a child of immigrants. Do you belong to the place your parents came from or the place where you grew up? Sahara’s words, “In the US I’m Egyptian and in Egypt I’m American,” are definitely something I said multiple times growing up. 

 

I also think choosing an Egyptian wedding to showcase Egyptian culture was a smart choice by the author since there are so many traditions connected to that event, from Henna Night to Sharbat and the Zaffa. Even uncomfortable topics, such as prejudices connected to social class differences. It all just feels very authentically Egyptian. 

 

But the heart of this story is the family. Egyptian society is very communal (sometimes aggressively so), so it was incredibly fun seeing Sahara and her dad reconnect with their family back in Cairo. It was exactly the same way I personally experienced it: initial shock that gets shattered by the unexpected amount of warmth, hospitality, and unconditional love Egyptian families love to shower their members with. Everyone is also always too loud. I appreciated that the volume of the aunts and uncles got a mention. 

 

Another thing I appreciated about Daughters of the Lamp is the portrayal of Egypt and Egyptian culture. It felt so new and unique compared to other books. You won’t find the stereotypical Egypt of the pyramids and the mummies here. Ancient Egypt is present, of course, but it’s woven into the fabric of the wider culture the way it truly is in real life. Like with the Henna Night before the wedding and how its roots are connected to the myth of Isis and Osiris. I simply adored how Cairo, the city that never sleeps, came to life in the story and how it felt like its own character, as it usually is. But I also appreciated all the cultural references like for example the mentioning of Nagib Mahfuz who is one of my favorite authors and ironically is known for creating settings that feel like their own characters just like in Lewers’s book. 

 

Daughters of the Lamp is an incredible debut by Nedda Lewers. I loved seeing Egypt through Sahara’s eyes and being introduced to its people with all of their fun quirks, the same way I used to feel whenever I visited my family and friends back in Cairo. I am definitely going to share this book with all the Egyptian parents I know in Germany because I know it would have helped me a lot if I could have read this growing up. If you are looking for a fun and unique adventure, wish to experience Egyptian folklore in a new way, or want a story that deals with the important question of 'What is home?' I can’t recommend Daughters of the Lamp enough.