Satin Island and Remainder by Tom McCarthy had me livid and apoplectic! His writing style is devoid of emotion which is what triggered that for me. I’m reading his current novel Making of Incarnation and it is similarly emotionless but I’m actually enjoying the technological themes and plot line, so there’s that. It can be a real effort to read his books, they’re not the most accessible.
The novel that touched me the most was Naguib Mahfouz “Cairo Trilogy”. It’s a family saga of an Egyptian family. I’m middle eastern (not Egyptian) so I could relate with all the characters and their lives. Plus, Mahfouz is a wonderful storyteller and can craft characters and stories so beautifully. I was in university when I first read the novels and remember I would have dreams with characters from the novel. No other novel really bore into my subconscious like that.
Most recently, this past year I read Omar El-Ekkad’s novel “what strange paradise”. This also impacted me since it concerns a small refugee boy from the Middle East. It’s a quick and accessible read.
The novel that touched me the most was Naguib Mahfouz “Cairo Trilogy”. It’s a family saga of an Egyptian family. I’m middle eastern (not Egyptian) so I could relate with all the characters and their lives. Plus, Mahfouz is a wonderful storyteller and can craft characters and stories so beautifully. I was in university when I first read the novels and remember I would have dreams with characters from the novel. No other novel really bore into my subconscious like that.
Most recently, this past year I read Omar El-Ekkad’s novel “what strange paradise”. This also impacted me since it concerns a small refugee boy from the Middle East. It’s a quick and accessible read.