Egypt is described by the author during its Arab Spring revolution. The heroes find themselves confronted by the military dictatorship and the threat of another despotism, that of religion.
All the characters in this novel must be cautious and prudent. Censorship and State security are omnipresent, and an arrest is never trivial. This is a love novel where Alaa el Aswany describes the customs and traditions of Islam, where tolerance and intolerance blend harmoniously. It is forbidden to… But it is possible to…
A Western mind will have difficulty finding its way around. A bit like a tale from the Arabian Nights where love is ever-present. One must ask the religious authority whether the veil should be imposed or recommended.
Thus, we arrive at an absurd situation, not to say hypocritical, regarding the concept of what is forbidden and what is permitted. Adulterous relationships are not authorized but are tolerated. The Copts are Christians, and there are divergences with Muslims regarding sexual morality.
For Islam, the man is the master; the woman, whether she is his wife or his daughter, is subject to him. This novel also reveals the sentiment of social classes between the rich and the poor. Egypt, despite independence and several revolutions, remains a despotic State divided between the military and the religious. One day a general or a colonel, the next day after a riot, an imam.
But never freedom as it is understood in the West. A fascinating novel written like a poem to women and love. The numerous erotic scenes are never vulgar. We are on the banks of the Nile, and one can imagine Cleopatra emerging from behind a curtain to captivate us with her beauty. Making love might be the most beautiful poem, said an Epicurean.
Alaa el Aswany received the Jacques Audiberti Prize 2019 for his entire body of work.
