A review by christar_123
The Map of Love by Ahdaf Soueif

3.0

In some ways, I enjoyed this book, because the author loves Egypt but still tried to present it in realistic way - it was less glossed over than I had expected it would be. I really disliked one of the main characters - Isabel - which made the modern-day part of the story less enjoyable. The idea, of a contemporary woman learning about her ancestors, was nothing that unique but the setting and the events made it more interesting. There were some nice parallels between the old and the new, and the way Soueif shows the long-lasting effects of colonialism was really good. The main criticism was with Isabel.

Spoiler

I had the feeling she was supposed to be this modern, brave, smart woman, but, honestly, she just seemed kind of stupid. I didn't like the underlying theme that she needed to have a child to feel complete or that she had to force herself into a relationship with a person who wasn't interested. She seemed shallow, and it made me kind of sad to read about her ancestors, who had worked so hard for Egypt, went through so much and then we have her now.