Scan barcode
A review by rakoerose
Minaret by Leila Aboulela
3.0
This was an interesting read, with intriguing choices in the execution of themes and plot.
If I feel young it is because I have done so little. What happened stunted me.
I can definitely see the merits of Najwa’s experiences, how her naivety undercuts the harsh truths she had to be exposed to as a young woman. How her faith morphs and changes as she ages, as her concept of reality changes. And yet we see how she remains incredibly superficial even as an older adult, constantly obsessed with her outward appearance and what others think of her, instead of how she wants to view herself. A complex image of a woman who is, altogether, both likeable and unlikable in stride.
Yet, I also found myself questioning certain choices. Tamer, Najwa’s “love interest” for a portion of this novel, is over a decade younger than her, a college student and, in my opinion, not someone she should view as a romantic interest. The gap is too wide. And her other love interest, Anwar, is so self-absorbed and doesn’t care at all for her feelings. Bulldozing her every choice and desire. I’m saddened that Najwa never got anything better, but perhaps this narrative is meant to show the extremes? How her oscillation between identities has led to men of opposites? I don’t know.
I do like how much emphasis there was on the appreciation of your fellow women within the Muslim culture as Najwa attended events at the Mosque. I appreciate when women are not always pitted against each other but celebrate one another, help one another, protect one another.
All this being said, please take my opinions with a grain of salt! I am not part of any community mentioned within these pages, and as a white individual I could be missing a lot. I’ll be reading some other reviews here too to see what I may be ignorant to.
In the end, as I said, very interesting! I would love to read more novels incorporating Sudanese history or Muslim influences in the future, to broaden my understanding even more.
If I feel young it is because I have done so little. What happened stunted me.
I can definitely see the merits of Najwa’s experiences, how her naivety undercuts the harsh truths she had to be exposed to as a young woman. How her faith morphs and changes as she ages, as her concept of reality changes. And yet we see how she remains incredibly superficial even as an older adult, constantly obsessed with her outward appearance and what others think of her, instead of how she wants to view herself. A complex image of a woman who is, altogether, both likeable and unlikable in stride.
Yet, I also found myself questioning certain choices. Tamer, Najwa’s “love interest” for a portion of this novel, is over a decade younger than her, a college student and, in my opinion, not someone she should view as a romantic interest. The gap is too wide. And her other love interest, Anwar, is so self-absorbed and doesn’t care at all for her feelings. Bulldozing her every choice and desire. I’m saddened that Najwa never got anything better, but perhaps this narrative is meant to show the extremes? How her oscillation between identities has led to men of opposites? I don’t know.
I do like how much emphasis there was on the appreciation of your fellow women within the Muslim culture as Najwa attended events at the Mosque. I appreciate when women are not always pitted against each other but celebrate one another, help one another, protect one another.
All this being said, please take my opinions with a grain of salt! I am not part of any community mentioned within these pages, and as a white individual I could be missing a lot. I’ll be reading some other reviews here too to see what I may be ignorant to.
In the end, as I said, very interesting! I would love to read more novels incorporating Sudanese history or Muslim influences in the future, to broaden my understanding even more.