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A review by booksbythewindow
Thirteen Months of Sunrise by Rania Mamoun, Elisabeth Jaquette
informative
reflective
For Full Review: Thirteen Months of Sunrise – Books by the Window (wordpress.com)
Summary: Thirteen Months of Sunrise is a short fiction collection depicting snapshots of everyday life in Sudan. From a short-lived cross-cultural relationship, to a homeless woman outside a mosque, to a grieving daughter, to a father starting a new job, Mamoun explores the lives and struggles of ordinary people, with a particular focus on those who are struggling to make ends meet. Of the collection, ‘Passing’, ‘Doors’, and ‘A Woman Asleep on Her Bundle’ stood out to me the most: ‘Passing’ is the moving story of a daughter’s complicated relationship with her father and her grief over his death; ‘Doors’ is the engaging story of a father, full of hope, on the way to what he thinks is the first day of his new job; and ‘A Woman Asleep on Her Bundle’ tells the story of a homeless woman living outside a mosque.
Overall Thoughts: Despite the short length of each story, Mamoun manages to create memorable and engaging characters as they face struggles in their everyday lives. As someone who has not been to Sudan, Mamoun’s writing was incredibly evocative and I found it easy to imagine the streets and landscapes of each setting. For the reader, Mamoun is able to showcase the cities and views of Sudan with ease, adding a further depth of realism to the stories. Mamoun’s background is in journalism and her attention to detail really comes through in her ability to evoke an atmosphere and setting through small details. This was an enjoyable collection of short stories with a strong character-focus that particularly appealed to me. I would definitely recommend it to anyone, especially since it should only take a short time to read.
Summary: Thirteen Months of Sunrise is a short fiction collection depicting snapshots of everyday life in Sudan. From a short-lived cross-cultural relationship, to a homeless woman outside a mosque, to a grieving daughter, to a father starting a new job, Mamoun explores the lives and struggles of ordinary people, with a particular focus on those who are struggling to make ends meet. Of the collection, ‘Passing’, ‘Doors’, and ‘A Woman Asleep on Her Bundle’ stood out to me the most: ‘Passing’ is the moving story of a daughter’s complicated relationship with her father and her grief over his death; ‘Doors’ is the engaging story of a father, full of hope, on the way to what he thinks is the first day of his new job; and ‘A Woman Asleep on Her Bundle’ tells the story of a homeless woman living outside a mosque.
Overall Thoughts: Despite the short length of each story, Mamoun manages to create memorable and engaging characters as they face struggles in their everyday lives. As someone who has not been to Sudan, Mamoun’s writing was incredibly evocative and I found it easy to imagine the streets and landscapes of each setting. For the reader, Mamoun is able to showcase the cities and views of Sudan with ease, adding a further depth of realism to the stories. Mamoun’s background is in journalism and her attention to detail really comes through in her ability to evoke an atmosphere and setting through small details. This was an enjoyable collection of short stories with a strong character-focus that particularly appealed to me. I would definitely recommend it to anyone, especially since it should only take a short time to read.