Middle East/North African Lit discussion

Dear All,
I hope this finds you well. I'm opening this discussion thread for anyone who wants to join in reading and sharing thoughts about The Djinn's Apple (Arabic تفاح الجن) by Jamila Mourani. English translation by Sawad Hussain. I haven't really started it yet, but I'm looking forward to it!

I would definitely like to read this! My library doesn’t have it, so I have requested they purchase a copy

I have a copy, I will start soon.

I've started and will probably have some thoughts to share before long...

Sometimes I feel bad for getting books from the library instead of buying them, but in this case I feel a little better because I requested my library buy this book and they agreed!
I’m looking forward to reading it, but don’t know how long it will take to arrive

Jalilah wrote: "Sometimes I feel bad for getting books from the library instead of buying them, but in this case I feel a little better because I requested my library buy this book and they agreed!
I’m looking fo..."

It's cool your library will have it now- hopefully it'll reach more people who it wouldn't have otherwise now :)

Jen wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "Sometimes I feel bad for getting books from the library instead of buying them, but in this case I feel a little better because I requested my library buy this book and they agreed!...
“It's cool your library will have it now- hopefully it'll reach more people who it wouldn't have otherwise now :)”

Yes, they have been very good about this! This year alone they purchased The Djinn's Apple, Every Rising Sun, The Book Censor's Library and The Jinn Daughter upon my suggestions. I’m very lucky!

I like the novella so far, fast to read a nice writing style. I did know about the historical background about my reading so I had to search more.

Great! I think I just have the Epilogue left to read and my notes to sum up. More later... :)

I finished it and liked it, I wouldn't say that I expected the twist at the end, but I was not surprised either.
l loved the author writing style. l loved being introduced to another glimpse of Haroon Al Rasheed era.

I finished too. Glad you liked it, Niledaughter! I didn't love or hate it. I'm glad I read it. It's a historical novel with a focus on the medical milieu in the Abbasid era (Harun al-Rashid specifically, as the ruler of the time). I think it could appeal to people who like any of the following (and vice versa): The Name of the Rose; Granada: The Complete Trilogy; Zayni Barakat; historical fiction by Reem Bassiouney; and books by Ahmed Toufiq, especially Abu Musa's Women Neighbors.

This book is notable for the main character being a woman (and the author as well). It complements the trend in historical fiction to recover women from history. Although the protagonist is not based on a historical figure, to my knowledge, her family history is not made up. The Baramika really were eliminated in a dramatic and horrible episode of royal court intrigue.

I finally got a copy of The Djinn's Apple and look forward to reading it!

Great! Feel free to share your thoughts here :)

Melanie wrote: "Great! Feel free to share your thoughts here :)"
I’m really liking it! It’s highly readable and doesn’t have all the stereotypical YA tropes that can be annoying. It seems more like a coming of age story. It’s perfect for me because I recently finished Granada: The Complete Trilogy and Every Rising Sun, so am in the mood to stay in the Islamic Golden age period

Niledaughter wrote: "I finished it and liked it, I wouldn't say that I expected the twist at the end, but I was not surprised either.
l loved the author writing style. l loved being introduced to another glimpse of Har...".

I definitely did not expect the twist at the end! It came as such a surprise! (view spoiler)[that her mentor was the murderer. I was actually hoping for the love interest part (hide spoiler)]
I liked this book very much!
I had heard stories about the Barmika before but not in this way.
I read in the authors bio that she also wrote a novel set in Kazakhstan. I’d love to read it too, but it hadn’t been translated yet.

Glad you liked it Jalilah! Maybe the other book will be translated someday. There were times when it seemed unlikely that Radwa Ashour’s trilogy would ever be all translated, but it can happen!