Book Review
Jul. 12th, 2024 08:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariShadows of the Pomegranate Tree
by Tariq Ali
This historical novel is set outside of Granada, Spain, at the cusp of the 16th century. It is the time of the Reconquista when Christian forces are violently taking control of Spain from the Muslims who had ruled it for centuries. The novel follows the Banu Hudayl family as they navigate their lives while their society and culture are killed off. It's a sad and lovely story. Each member of the family finds themselves at various crossroads, deciding between conversion, resistance, and flight. It is an inevitably tragic tale.
I really liked Ali's approach, focusing on individual choices and the details of life in late Muslim Spain rather than major events. The Banu Hudayl family is so alive and beautifully ordinary that their doom is that much more heartbreaking. I especially liked Yazid, the youngest son, and Hind, the younger and more outspoken daughter.
by Tariq Ali
This historical novel is set outside of Granada, Spain, at the cusp of the 16th century. It is the time of the Reconquista when Christian forces are violently taking control of Spain from the Muslims who had ruled it for centuries. The novel follows the Banu Hudayl family as they navigate their lives while their society and culture are killed off. It's a sad and lovely story. Each member of the family finds themselves at various crossroads, deciding between conversion, resistance, and flight. It is an inevitably tragic tale.
I really liked Ali's approach, focusing on individual choices and the details of life in late Muslim Spain rather than major events. The Banu Hudayl family is so alive and beautifully ordinary that their doom is that much more heartbreaking. I especially liked Yazid, the youngest son, and Hind, the younger and more outspoken daughter.
