Granada

Granada Trilogy #1

by Radwa Ashour, William Granara (Translator)

Radwa Ashour skillfully weaves a history of Granadan rule and an Arabic world into a novel that evokes cultural loss and the disappearance of a vanquished population. The novel follows the family of Abu Jaafar, the bookbinder, his wife, widowed daughter-in-law, her two children, and his two apprentices as they witness Christopher Columbus and his entourage in a triumphant parade featuring exotic plants and animals and human captives from the New World. Embedded in the narrative is the preparation for the marriage of Saad, one of the apprentices, and Saleema, Abu Jaafar's granddaughter -- a scenario that is elegantly revealed in a number of parallel scenes.

As the new rulers of Granada confiscate books and officials burn the collected volumes, Abu Jaafur quietly moves his rich library out of town. Persecuted Muslims fight to form an independent government, but increasing economic and cultural pressures on the Arabs of Spain and Christian rulers culminate in Christian conversions and Muslim uprisings.

A tale that is both vigorous and heartbreaking, this novel will appeal to general readers of Spanish and Arabic literature as well as anyone interested in Christian-Muslim relations.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Spain, Egypt, Middle East, Islam, Literature

229 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2003

About the author

Radwa Ashour (Arabic: رضوى عاشور) was an Egyptian writer and scholar.
Ashour had published 7 novels, an autobiographical work, 2 collections of short stories and 5 criticism books. Part I of her Granada Trilogy won the Cairo International Book Fair “1994 Book of the Year Award.” The Trilogy won the First Prize of the First Arab Woman Book Fair (Cairo, Nov. 1995). The Granada Trilogy was translated into Spanish; part I of the Trilogy was translated into English. Siraaj, An Arab Tale was published in English translation, and Atyaaf was published in Italian. Her short stories have been translated into English, French, Italian, German and Spanish.
Ashour has co-edited a major 4-volume work on Arab women writers (2004); The English translation: Arab Women Writings: A Critical Reference Guide: 1873-1999 is an abridged edition of the Arabic original.
As a translator Ashour has co-translated, supervised and edited the Arabic translation of Vol. 9 of The Cambridge History of Literary Criticism.
In 2007 Ashour was awarded the 2007 Constantine Cavafy Prize for Literature.
She was married to the Palestinian author Mourid Bargouthi & a mother of Tameem who's also a poet.
Ashour was professor of English and Comparative Literature, Ain Shams University, Cairo.
she died on 30 November 2014

See alo:
Radvâ Âşûr

Reviews

[Huda Aweys · Rating 3 out of 5]

1/December/2014
و رحلت رضوى عاشور ..، رحلت ساكنة .. و مليكة أدب المرأة العربية فى وطننا العربي اليوم

و لا وحشة .. فى قبر رضوى عاشور .. :) <3
*****

January/2014
لاوحشة في قبر مريمة :) <3
لاوحشة في قبر محمد الدرة :) <3
لا وحشة في قبر أسماء البلتاجى :) <3

[Danny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel tells the story of an Arab family living in Granada, Spain when this city falls to the Catholic Monarchs, ending the 700 year Muslim rule in that country. This is a deeply moving historical novel that brings the devastation of the Reconquest and Spanish Inquisition to life. Read from today's perspective of the confrontation between Christians and Muslims, the novel leaves you with a sense of the tremendous loss suffered by both Islamic societies and the world in general that came at the end of that fecund period in Islamic history. Like all really good historical novels, Granada does this by telling the story of people you come to care about and their fates. After putting down Granada you are left with a glimmering sense of what could have been, and of course the sad reality that the beauty, peace and unique human mixture of that period may never be again.

[Zanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second Ashour and takes its place beside The Woman from Tantoura as one of my favourite books. Once again, the author deals with tantalising and difficult material with poetic and thematic subtlety and affectionate warmth for her characters.

It opens with a woman's ghost, naked and free, walking towards Abu Jaafar. This man we know first by his vision and second through the brief flashback of his young assistant, a refugee taken in and apprenticed by the elderly book-maker. Abu Jaafar goes out to hear the news on the streets of Albaicin, a Muslim neighbourhood of Granada, where he hears rumours and, days later, the town crier, all in this flowing sequence than unfurls like a banner, carrying us deep, deep, deep into the world of this history, as if we are diving, diving, diving through air, seeing the land and all its spirits spread around, rising towards us, details blooming one by one from the background, literary sorcery.

I would like to humbly suggest that Radwa Ashour creates in this novel a vision of Al-Andalus, Muslim-Arab Spain, as a radically open society. The Muslim-Arab population of Granada is living under Castillian occupation and increasingly draconian Catholic rule. Their rights to freedom of religion, association and property, initially upheld, are soon revoked and they are presented with the choice of conversion or exile. Those who stay and pretend to convert are ruthlessly persecuted for displaying any sign of their identity as Arab or Muslim, books are confiscated and burned, the bathhouses are closed (the Castilians, it seems, do not bathe). It is a genocide. So, what do I mean by open?

I mean that among the Muslim people, nothing is felt to be prescribed or prohibited. If I had been in the habit of considering religious practice as a combination of these two aspects, I can see from Ashour's Granada that this conception is inadequate. I do not consider the society 'permissive' since permission is given by authority, rather the mode is affirmative; tradition and custom are structures that affirm and provide vehicles for personal freedom under occupation, and deviations from discernable norms transgress only occupier ideology and regulation.

The occupiers prescribe Catholic practice and prohibit Muslim/Arab traditions, but the identity of the people is intact, is maintained in their hearts. Anxious Hasan, trying to persuade his friend Saad not to join the bands of freedom fighters in the mountains, produces a fatwa he has obtained from Morocco that it is allowed to pretend to be a Christian and give every outward show of it 'if they force you to insult the Prophet, do so with the devil in your mind'. The Muslims lead a double life, one language and religion outdoors, and another in the (increasingly invaded and policed) private spaces of the home and in the mind and heart. Thus, freedom is the inner space and the local and wider faith community (they have hopes of support from North Africa and Ottoman Turkey, and many flee across the sea to Fez, leaving the land of many generations of their families). Hasan is arguing that it is not necessary to risk one's life fighting for freedom since it is preserved in this inner space Saad's reply is illuminating: 'this is a fatwa about something else'. He hears no prohibition in the sheikh's words against his choice to fight, just as Hasan is soothed in his own commitment to protect his family by affecting to follow the edicts of the Castilians.

Hasan's behaviour is treated with authorial understanding, but, I think, subtle criticism. The society of Albaicin is non-materialistic from my perspective. People delight in the beauty of objects, but this relationship is not a proprietary one: it is about memory, identity and sensation as pleasure. This is evident in at least three cases, firstly with the books Abu Jaafar makes and his granddaughter buys, which are clearly aesthetic objects as well as revered carriers of knowledge and culture. Secondly, there is Maryama's chest, an ancient object treasured by generations of her family for its artistry and utility. Thirdly, there is Abu Mansour's bathhouse, a labour of love for his ancestors and himself, deeply tied to his sense of self, his place in his historical family and his living community. Hasan's employers from Valencia are different; they are wealthy and concerned with preserving their status. When Hasan comes to agree with them that the freedom fighters are a hindrance to Arab prosperity and safety, I feel that Ashour has gently placed him on the other side to her own allegiance. On two occasions the narrative suggests that there is no finer gift than a dance.

The radical openness/affirmation I discern is most interestingly explored in the character of Saleema, Abu Jaafar's granddaughter. She is extremely intelligent, disposed to academic study and strong willed. After marrying and devastated by the death of a child, she devotes her time to the study of medical science, brewing medicines and tonics, testing them, drawing on folk wisdom as well as the renowned works of Avicenna and other stars of the field from the Muslim/Arab worlds. This both-and open-mindedness is mirrored by the acceptance of her involvement by the fields themselves, particularly the local community which values her work. Saleema's mother, Umm Hasan, is highly critical of her daughter's preoccupations and condemns her for abandoning her husband and her gender role, but there is no suggestion that religious framing underlies this attack (and Umm Hasan is generally cast as a difficult, censorious person). When at the end of the novel Saleema compares people to books and considers herself as a text, it is as if the open literary and scientific tradition she has steeped herself in welcomes her as a star in its firmament, riding Ashour's writing of her into eternity.

If Ashour affirms Saleema's academic intelligence, she is no less energetic in her praise of the more practical genius of her sister-in-law Maryama, whose inspiration and vivacity are 'famous' in the community and often save the day. Umm Hasan is dissatisfied with her daughter-in-law, but Ashour endows her with the crucial quality of generous compassion as well as cleverness, capacity for affection and homemaking skills making her unassailable as one of the warmest places in the novel's heart.

Faith under pressure is a key theme from the beginning, and its centre is Umm Jaafar, who must bear the pressure of Abu Jaafar's loss of faith as well as the weight of occupation and her place as a pillar of peace and faith in her family and community. Maryama to some extent takes on her role, or at least takes the weight off her, and it is through Maryama that Ashour points out that Islam contains a loving and affirmative narrative of christ as a prophet of god. In the church services they are forced to attend, the 'converts' are connecting with a tiny, potentially consoling part of their true faith. Islam is thus presented again as a larger, more accommodating space, capable of peaceful coexistence with other faiths, in contrast to the Castilians' inflexible, restrictive and invasive religious governance.

My favourite theme of all is the decolonial one, begun when Columbus and his crowd parade their plunder from the 'new world' including captured natives, through the streets of Granada. Saleema is only eight years old, but she rationally rejects the premises of imperialism: 'it's not a new world, just a different one' and the entire crowd is left depressed and haunted by the sight of chained prisoners in the parade. Naeem, one of the trio of men at the centre of the story, is so struck by the sight of a young girl in chains in the parade that he cannot think of any other woman. Amazingly, Ashour later has him travel across the Atlantic with his Castilian employer, and meet another native woman, with whom he exchanges love and gifts, she of language, he of a dance. Indeed, nothing could be finer.

[Irwan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember those long walks I took, traversing the narrow street of Albaicin. Once in the heat of the midsummer. Once at night after an outdoor flamenco performance in Sacro Monte over looking the Alhambra Palace. Once in a quiet morning the day before the celebration of 2nd January, the Festival of the Reconquest of Granada by the Catholic monarch. I remember listening to my own footsteps on the stoned street, looking at small windows and doors of the ancient looking houses. I was so curious to know what was behind those closed doors and windows. I realize now that I am more curious about what happened behind those doors and windows hundreds of years ago. And I found a creative answer to those curiosities in this book.

This story is centered around a family of Arab descents who lived around the period of the reconquest of Granada, the same festival I saw being celebrated. Religions have a long history of being the drive of so many conflicts, wars, power games in which some groups dominating others. This time is the Catholic monarch's turn. Burning of books, forced conversion, language and cultural imposition are some of the humiliation that the dominated groups have to endure. Saleema bint Jaafar was baptized to be Gloria Alvarez, her husband Saad al-Malaqi becomes Carlos Manuel. And they continued their life in this dualism. For survival. I would imagine this transformation would be like the feeling I had when entering the Mosque/Cathedral in Cordoba. The main architectural structure was loudly saying that it was a mosque, although denied by the existence of a large cross at the main embedded altar, smaller crosses scattered in many places, and corners turned into chapels dedicated to different saints. No matter what your religious perspective is, you can't deny the humiliation.

My heart goes to Saleema. She was the jewel of her grandfather's heart, the bookbinder. He taught her to read and write. He wanted her to be a scholar, despite his wife's worry that she would not fit to be a serving wife. That is a modern point of view. And Saleema did grow to her grandfather's wish in spite of some personal tragedies along the way. She became curious with death, both philosophically and biologically, after the death of her gazelle pet - a romantic gift from Saad, and the premature death of her baby. In sadness she sought refuge in reading and reading. Among others, books about medicine by Andalusian scholars, like Avicenna. She had to do it secretly because Arabic books were banned, like anything else Arabic. She ended up a self-taught healers with all the experiments with herbs and medicine. She helped people too with that knowledge. She had the scholar aura in her, determined, logical and less emotional. In modern times this is nothing extraordinary. But somehow the Spanish Inquisition managed to find an angle that she was a witch. Surprise, surprise!

The discussion of the inquisitors at her trial especially sickens me. They were men of authority and high education. But the religious reasonings mixed in the practical matters was just plain silly. With a horrific conclusion: death by fire! However, unfortunately this way of reasoning still survive to this day.

That was just one aspect portrayed in the story. The other Jaafar family members portrays different aspects of the life under the reconquest. When I go on the long walk in Granada again, I will be more equipped with what I would want to "see" behind those closed doors and windows in the narrow streets of Albaicin, or the glorious rooms of Alhambra Palace. I long to hear, see and smell more of the past where two civilizations clashed. And what it meant to ordinary people like the Jaafar family. Or the ordinary Catholic Castilian families for that matters.

A beautiful book!

[ReemK10 (Paper Pills) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found Radwa Ashour's Granada to be a nice introduction to the rich history of Al Andalus and better suited to a younger audience.

The magical city of Granada has the same name as the Pomegranate.



The pomegranate theme in Granada: https://thesecretgardenatlas.files.wo...

[Bobbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ashour gives a stunning account of several Muslim characters during the Spanish Inquisition in Granada. The city Granada is reflected in this historical fiction through the eyes of those who were forced to either convert or leave. Each of the characters is based on important historical situations at the time and become methods of personalising a historical narrative through their individual experiences. Many of the other reviews have mentioned the lack of general plot, disturbing situations or flat characters, but Ashour continues this series as a trilogy that reflects more on how politics can affect communities of people. Originally, the author was inspired to write the story through the events of the Gulf War and how those political policies changed the lives of many Muslims. This redefinition of an entire community of people is something that can be found through the history of Granada.

The book is short, and the other two versions haven't been published in English as of yet, but with history repeating itself in the form of political policies on an ever-increasing basis, it might be interesting to see the entire trilogy and how a modern public reacts to these books.

[Irma Sincera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Koks nuostabus kūrinys! Kaip gaila, kad tokia literatūra nepasiekia masių. Granada yra pirmoji trilogijos dalis ir vienintelė išversta į anglų kalbą, todėl pati jos tęsti negalėsiu, bet vyras skaito kartu arabiškai ir galėsiu sužinoti, kur ši istorija veda toliau.
1492m. Granda buvo priversta pasiduoti Ispanijos monarchams ir tai pažymėjo vieno tamsiausio miesto periodo pradžią. Granada buvo ilgiausiai atsilaikęs miestas ir paskutinis užkariautas Ispanijos. Čia taikiai gyvenę musulmonai ir žydai buvo priversti atsisakyti savo tradicijų, kalbos. Buvo deginamos arabiškos knygos, mečetės virto bažnyčiomis. Priverstinis krikštas, ispaniškų vardų suteikimas, inkvizicijos persekiojimas, trėmimai ir žudymai. Visas šis siaubas buvo taip meistriškai perteiktas knygoje.
Istorija sukasi apie vieną šeimą, kuri nebūtinai yra jungiama kraujo ryšių, bet begalinės meilės ir pasiaukojimo. Kiekvienas personažas buvo savitas, artimas, o visų jų likimai tokie skirtingi ir persipynę. Knyga buvo labai informatyvi, sužinojau tiek daug apie šį periodą ir norisi, kad kuo daugiau žmonių išgirstų apie šiuos įvykius.
Kartu su personažais pergyvenau visus įverstus pokyčius po pralaimėto karo, kurie vis griežtėjo ir žiaurėjo ir piktinausi, kad iš tų žmonių buvo atimta viskas. Dar labiau pikta, kad Ispanija iki šiol nepripažino ir neatsiprašė už šiuos žiaurumus arabų (tačiau sąlyginai neseniai atsiprašė žydų, nes gi tai daug populiaresnis sprendimas).
Praeitais metais teko keliauti po Pietų Ispaniją ir Granada paliko didžiausią įspūdį. Skaitant knygą atpažinau aprašomas vietas, vaizdus, tai tik dar labiau suteikė istorijai gyvybės. Vaikštant po Albacin, Granados rajoną, kuriame ir vykstą pagrindinis veiksmas, gali pajusti, kad čia netvyro ispaniška dvasia. Čia kvepia smilkalais, groja arabiška muzika, durys išmargintos tradiciniais raštais ir nei inkvizicijai, nei laikui, nepavyko ištrinti tų istorijų iš miesto sienų.

[mikhail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminded me of the intergenerational colonial struggle in One Hundred Years of Solitude. Granada gives a bit less magical realism but no less in moving storytelling.

[Brett Bosley · Rating 4 out of 5]

First in a trilogy of historical novels following an Arab family in post-Reconquista Granada. Confusing at first, sans protagonist, but a chilling depiction of life under (real) religious oppression.

[Tim New · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting account of the Spanish Inquisition as it affected Muslims living in 16th Century Spain.

[Ramzeen · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the Finest Book,

[Samma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could have read this book in Arabic , so much meaning is lost in translating Arabic to English :(

I liked the history of this book but it was hard to feel for and understand the characters.

Quotes I liked :
“ Spanish is the language of the future , and their will be no financial rewards for knowing Arabic “(Granada 35). The language of the future is changing and knowledge is power

“ the three of them went to the the Albanian mosque, which was now called the church of San Salvador “ ( Granada 38) I wanna visit here

“ she would have guessed that he insulted her or mistreated her the way some husbands do early in the marriage in order to assert their authority and assure absolute obedience “( Granada 77) men suck

“ he spoke of malaga , which lies between the seas and the mountains “ ( Granada 79)


“ how can their minds be so corrupted and their behaviors be so erratic “ ( Granada 99)

“ it was widely believed among the Muslims of Spain and North Africa at the time that the ottoman Turks would defeat the Christians and bring al andalus back to islamdom “ ( Granada 135)

“She was depressed just thinking about the miserable times in which she lived , when buying books is a punishable crime, where studying demanded caution and secrecy “ ( Granada 140)

“ instead he though how gracious god was to their mothers in letting them be hanged before their children “ ( Granada 163)

[Saneaah :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, to stroll the streets of Andalusia (Al-Andalus) before the minarets were muted. Insightful historical fiction.

“I'll never leave because the tongue doesn't disown its own language and the face its features.”

“It is that without which I cannot do, not for a single moment, and to which I attribute my first emanation.” Epistle of Hayy Ibn Yaqzhan

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novel follows the fate of a Muslim family living in Granada, Spain, during the Inquisition. Readers see the conflict in the Catholic and Muslim cultures. Many books are banned, and it is almost impossible to be a practicing Muslim in the Catholic culture of the day. While the book is very well-written, I just did not enjoy it that much. (3.5 stars)

[Amina (aminasbookshelf) · Rating 3 out of 5]

RATING: This novel was slow to start so I’m giving it three stars. A sprawling historical novel with an epic scope, once it got going there was a convincing narrative, which pulled me in. Winner of the first Women’s Arab Book Fair in 1996, this work of translated fiction is a huge achievement and well worth a read if you want to learn more about this era. The first volume in a trilogy, sadly the rest of the novels have not yet been translated into English from Arabic.

GOOD BITS: I started to enjoy this novel once I became familiar with the characters. After I got through the multiple weddings, each couple came into their own and a consistent storyline pulled them together. For example, I loved the character of Maryama, who was introduced later in the story because she marries Abu Jaafar’s grandson. Maryama was such a likeable character, with a lot of humour, warmth and realism. Similarly, I came to love Saleema (Abu Jaafar’s granddaughter), who tries to be a learned woman against the church’s rules, and her husband Saad, who fights for the rights of Muslims.

NOT SO GOOD BITS: I couldn’t get into the first few chapters and had to try hard to persevere. I didn’t know which characters to focus on and there was too much historical detail. I’ve pinpointed the problem as ‘moving too quickly’. In the first few pages, we jolt between Abu Jafaar’s “vision”, to a flashback with Naeem’s memories, to a confusing account of political intrigues. This could have been solved with a clearer set up – starting with a full chapter in Abu Jafaar’s point of view, getting used to his domestic life and becoming endeared with his character. Then, the following chapter could’ve contained the catalyst of the Castilians entering the city and ensuing political chaos.

Additionally, there were a lot of early scenes about falling in love and marriage. Although the descriptions of medieval Arabic wedding customs were interesting, they became tiresome because the details didn’t serve the plot. This also led into some questionable descriptions of women. As a female author, I was surprise Ashour spent so much time describing the bodies of young girls and women sexually. We need to accept the historical context – girls were married young back in the day – but there were some uncomfortable descriptions of a nine-year-old girl getting attention from a 13-year-old boy.

If we set this in its historical context, previously I haven’t complained about similar issues in other modern novels about the same time period. For example, Philippa Gregory writes about Margaret Beaufort, Henry Tudor’s mother, who was married in 1455 at age twelve. However, novelists like Philippa Gregory subtly highlight the uncomfortable issues with child marriage. Whereas, I felt like Ashour paints it too positively, which made me feel a little icky.

OVERALL: I’d recommend this book to lovers of medieval historical fiction. If you love learning about the Tudors, this provides another perspective to that era – and there’s a nice link to the parents of Catherine of Aragon, Isabella and Ferdinand, as well as the Spanish colonisation of the Americas. I feel like historical fiction often perpetuates a pervading England-centric portrayal of medieval history (due to the legacy of the British Empire). So, this is great opportunity to diversify your reading and knowledge, while supporting a female Egyptian author and a work of translated fiction. However, if you already struggle with historical fiction and need strong characters and plot from the start, this book isn’t for you.

[Olivia's Bookish Places & Spaces · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. I did. I really did.

I have always been interested in the culture of Spain, particularly southern Spain and the Arab rule. When I heard that this book was about the Hispanization of southern Spain I was so excited to read it.

The first part of the book "introduces" the main characters in a village that are living in a time of great change. The beginning starts out slow in order to really show the reader what life was like back then. I had no problem with that - it was the lack of character development. The author introduces so many characters at once that it really makes it hard to "meet" them. She has certain characters talk for pages and pages that I sometimes forgot who was speaking (and why I cared). Others, she only briefly mentions and has them randomly "pop" back into the story in no way that advances the plot. There are several intermarriages that occur but because of the poor plot lines, it quickly becomes very confusing. This caused me to have to write out a character list and (attempt to) draw this messed up family tree.

The second part of the book shows the arrival of the Castilians (Spaniards) and how they made great efforts to destroy the Arab culture such as banning the Arabic language, converting them to Roman Catholicism, forcing them to speak Spanish and destroying any Arabic books in an effort to erase their history. This did make me sympathize with the characters in that I believe that every culture is beautiful and has something to offer the world.

What really surprised me was that while this was going on, several characters use this as an excuse to beat their wives and create family drama such as in-laws constantly bickering (was this really the time to do that? Not like anything was going on around them).

Following the arrival of the Spaniards, the book takes another completely random direction in which one of the characters, Neem was asked to accompany some of the explorers to the New World (the Americas) in an effort to convert the natives. (Another stupid subplot was Neem arriving in the New World and hooking up with one of the natives in which the author felt needed 10 pages at a time to describe.)

Back in Spain, at this point nearly everyone has converted and speaks Spanish as their mother tongue (only a few secretly speak in Arabic every now and then). The Spanish section of the Church is now on the hunt for anyone they believe is practicing witchcraft. Many of the trials of the people are explained in (painstakingly) great detail and torture methods are frequently discussed (some of them more than graphic). Without giving anything away, the ending is extremely graphic and depressing. This gave me nightmares (note: I haven't had a nightmare from reading a book since elementary school so this is obviously saying something) and made me question why I even bothered to read this book (come to think of it, it may be because I hate to leave books unfinished).

On the whole, the author managed to take an interesting subject and make it as dull as possible through poor (and often random) plot lines, lack of character development and giving graphic details of things that are better left unsaid. Just think of it this way - I read this book (if we can even call it that) so that you my friends don't have to. De nada!

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“What kind of student is this whose reading list includes only a handful of books? she thought over and over again with bitterness and annoyance. She resorted to consoling herself with the thought that among her books was a book worth a hundred volumes, penned by the most eminent of scholars and philosophers, Avicenna, and that she studied his great medical treatise, the Qanun, as though under his direct tutelage. But however fanciful the thought, she was depressed just to think about the miserable times in which she lived, when buying books is a punishable crime, where studying demanded caution and secrecy, not only from the prying eyes of the stranger lurking about, but from acquaintances as well. She couldn’t read in the daytime and have Hasan, her mother, and the children all watching her as she put on the glasses she had taken from Naeem. She waited until the dark of night when everyone went to bed to light the lantern and read. And the narrow confines of her prison would gradually expand, and the iron bars of her cell would be pried open to the sunlight that shone from the book and from her mind. What kind of student is this whose reading list includes a handful of books? Saleema repeated the question in her mind resentfully as she recollected the good old days when people could pick up any book from any shelf in one of the great libraries, when a wise mentor gave guidance, and when travel to study at the feet of an illustrious scholar in Egypt or Syria satisfied the heart’s desire. Whether you stay or travel, in both cases the points of light from a thousand books are your lessons and your teachers. How is it possible from the confines of her Castilian prison to discover the secret of that bird that departs on the order of an inscrutable God?”

*

“Maryama did exactly what Hasan wanted her to do in raising the children. At home they spoke Arabic and they lived their daily lives as their fathers and grandfathers had lived. But on the street and in school they spoke Spanish, and they conducted themselves in the manner prescribed by the authorities and the Office of Inquisition. This is what Hasan wanted, and this is what Maryama carried out, but in her own way.

‘Whoever speaks Spanish at home or does what the Castilians do will turn into a baboon.’

‘Has any child ever been turned into a baboon before, Mummy?’

‘Many have. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the market and show you the baboons and how their owners make money off of them. The poor things, they used to be children each with a face like the moon, then they all turned into baboons.’

‘And those who speak Arabic outside the house?’

‘Whoever speaks Arabic outside or reveals one word of what goes on inside the house will be lost on the street, and won’t be able to find his way home. He’ll wander from one neighborhood to the other unable to find his house, as though it vanished into thin air.’”

[Rahmadiyanti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ada suatu masa di Semenanjung Iberia yang saat ini dikenal sebagai Spanyol & Portugal, Islam berjaya. Melahirkan peradaban cemerlang, dengan ilmuwan, cendekia, dan seniman-budayawan masyhur. Namun petaka datang, ketika hubbud dunya menerpa sebagian pemimpinnya, dan di sisi eksternal, manusia-manusia haus kekuasaan merongrong.

Perlahan, cahaya Islam meredup. Puncaknya pada 1492 M, ketika sepotong sisa kecil kekuasaan, Granada, diserahkan pada Ferdinand & Isabella, penguasa Castille dan Aragorn. Sejak itu, sang penguasa menerapkan beragam kebijakan agar Islam enyah dari jazirah Al-Andalus.

1499 M: Dikeluarkan aturan menjatuhkan hukuman dan penganiayaan bagi Muslim yang tidak berpindah keyakinan.
1502 M: Pemberontakan Muslim yang dapat dipadamkan otoritas Castille. Meski sebagian Muslim berpindah keyakinan, mereka masih menjalankan ibadah secara diam-diam. Merekalah... Morisco.
1511 M: Pelarangan penyembelihan hewan menurut hukum Islam.
1513 M: Perempuan Muslim dilarang menutupi wajah mereka.
1523 M: Pakaian Muslim pada umumnya, dilarang. Dilarang menggunakan pemandian dan menutup pintu rumah pada hari Jum’at untuk memastikan bahwa tidak ada yang diam-diam mendirikan shalat. Pernikahan harus dihadiri otoritas setempat untuk memastikan mereka tidak mempraktikkan pernikahan Islam.
1526 M: Bahasa Arab resmi dilarang.
1609 M: Pengusir semua orang Morisco yang tersisa. (Meski ada laporan, sejumlah kecil Morisco entah bagaimana berhasil tetap tinggal di negeri tersebut. Mempraktikkan Islam secara rahasia selama berabad-abad.)

***

Novel ini sudah lama saya cari, hingga akhirnya seminggu lalu saya mendapatkannya. Buncah rasanya. Namun ekspektasi saya terlalu tinggi. Novel yang berkisah tentang Morisco, yang direpresentasikan melalui keluarga Abu Ja'far (Abu Ja'far, Ummu Hasan, Hasan, Saleemah, Naeem, Saad, Mariama), kurang terasa ruh-nya.

Fakta yang disodorkan penulis memang menarik, tapi sebagai sebuah karya fiksi, saya merasa plot dan rangkaian ceritanya terlalu datar. Kurang terasa sinergi antara unsur-unsur fiksi. Saya tidak memiliki ikatan emosional dengan karakter tokoh-tokohnya, padahal dengan materi cerita yang dahsyat, mestinya bisa. Ada sedikit ikatan emosional dengan karakter Abu Ja'far, sebagai seorang pemilik percetakan buku, tapi karakter Abu Ja'far kurang banyak muncul. Hanya di awal dan sesekali di beberapa bab.

Kadang ada adegan yang bikin saya bertanya-tanya karena tkurang memiliki kaitan dengan plot. Mungkin saya harus melanjutkan baca sekuelnya dulu, Mariama? Semoga bisa sedikit memuaskan dahaga saya terhadap karya fiksi berlatar Andalusia 600 tahun lalu dengan kaum Morisco sebagai penggerak cerita.

[Mariam · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favouite books which tells the story of a family living in Al Andalus, specifically Granda, the last city that the Muslims lost, in 1492.
It contains true historical facts and talks about the hard life that Muslims of that time went through in each of the fictional characters' lives... A truly touching, sad and thought provoking story that takes you to one of the toughest eras in Islamic history and makes you think of what once was the Golden Age of Islam and how it sadly came to an end.

[Diana Mackiewicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughtful approach to the time period of 1492. Useful information about how a Muslim family in Granada, Spain was forced to convert to Christian ways and beliefs or else. The final chapter was a big surprise and the book is number one in a trilogy. Excellent reading material for high school and underclassmen in college.

[George P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not a lively read, but a very interesting one- talk about books taking you to another time and place, it's definitely got that covered, and well-developed characters also.
If the second book of the trilogy were translated into English I think I would read it. I wish my Spanish were better, as it is available in Spanish translation.

[Pamela Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a family epic which follows a family through the "reconquest" of Granada, that is the end of Muslim rule in Spain. The novel begins in 1492, the final year of the military reconquest, and follows the family as they are forced to convert to Christianity in order to stay in the land that had been their home for centuries.

Unlike many family epics that follow so many generations and characters that the reader can't keep track, this one is fairly focused, and therefore allows one to become invested in the characters. There are births, deaths, marital spats--the whole works--but the real focus is, or rather should have been, the family's position in relation to the Castilians. It certainly heats up towards the end, but I feel that this context doesn't get its due in the beginning, especially since one of the first scenes is a parade (that includes Christopher Columbus; I doubt the historicity of this scene) meant to rub Castilian rule into the faces of the Muslim community. Clearly, Ashour wants to establish the family dynamics first, and she does so, but the novel doesn't seem to integrate the action with the characters; she takes one aspect at a time, deals with it, and moves on, rather than incorporating the historical context with the family dynamics.

I also found the writing a bit simplistic, but I cannot say if that's a matter of translation rather than style. I found this aspect disappointing; on the other hand, it's an easy read, and would therefore be a good text to introduce teenagers to this important moment in history. There are no excessively brutal scenes (there is definitely brutality, and it certainly verifies all that you've ever heard about the Inquisition), and no overtly sexual scenes; in fact, I do wonder if this was meant to be a young adult novel. As someone who has read a number of novels about the Muslim world, I find this one rather lightweight.

There are some loose ends, and while I don't expect everything to be tidied up at the end, I was especially disappointed to lose Naeem's story, which, given that it ends in the New World (the "conquest" of the New World is paralleled with the "re-conquest" of the Old), was one of the more interesting narrative threads. Also, given the position and importance of the Freedom Fighters (a important parallel with current events), I would have liked to have known more of Saad's activities. However, Ashour may have been trying to limit the length of the novel, which, again, makes it more appropriate for younger audiences.

The ending is not a surprise and that may be disappointing to some. What this novel does best, though, is provide a look at a moment of history as not "just" a moment in history, but an event that affected, quite profoundly, those involved in this moment. If one is familiar with this event, there is nothing really new here; however, if a reader is not familiar with the region and this moment in time, this is a good introduction.

This is the first in a trilogy; the next two novels will pick up where this one left off; I will read them eventually, but this one was not so exciting that I feel compelled to rush to the other two. Still, a good read and again, recommended for those who would like to learn more about this important moment in Spanish and Islamic history.

[Erin Crane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very mixed bag for me. I finished it partly because it was so short and a gift from a friend. I might have given up otherwise!

What I liked:
1) Really strong last few chapters. I thought it was moving, and Saleema felt close to the reader. There were some other moving moments as well, but I felt like those last few chapters were a highlight.
2) Great setting and choice of historical period. I came into this knowing nothing about Granada or the impact of the Inquisition on Arab populations, so I was learning while I read. It’s a period of dramatic transition, so that worked well.

What I didn’t like:
1) Very messy structure. For being 229 pages, it has an epic scope and not enough time (to me) to explore it. There are many characters and historical events covered very unevenly. It took the book 100 pages to feel like it found its focus.
2) Related to the first point, the transitions were so strange. A character gives birth and in the next sentence has 5 more babies, so I’m left like woah, ok, I guess 10 years or something have passed? Another example is when a character spoke, died, and was being washed for burial within 3 sentences. It was jarring and often left me confused about how old people were or how much time had passed.
3) This book was written in 1998, so perhaps it’s just dated, but there was some uncomfortable sexualization of young girls. Yes, they are getting married at a young age during this time, but I don’t know why the author needs to sexualize them from her omniscient 3rd person viewpoint. There’s also a romance between a male character and a “native” that felt very written-by-a-man but somehow wasn’t.
4) Lastly, the style here did not appeal to me. Most of the time there was a lot of distance between me and the characters, and events were summarized. I found the prose often quite awkward and dated. That I definitely want to blame on the translator, not Ashour.

My experience reading this was more like 2 stars. But I’m never sure with a book in translation how much of my dissatisfaction is from my ignorance, from the translation, or storytelling norm differences. So I gave this book 3 stars.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗯𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝗱𝘄𝗮 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿 🇪🇬
Published in Cairo in 1994, translated by William Granara in 2003.

The novel centers around an Arab Muslim family in Grenada, surviving the Spanish Reconquista. We follow members of Abu Jaafar's family and his apprentices as they navigate through the hostile world of forced conversions, book burning, and Inquisition.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴:
I found Ashour's writing to be enjoyable and captivating most of the time, however she is prone to those wrap-ups at the end of each chapter (quickly jamming in at least five pages of plot into a paragraph or two) which I dislike. Overall, the writing is a solid 4/5, as I enjoyed the landscape descriptions a lot.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘁:
Although Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree by Tariq Ali was published in 1992, and The Moor's Account by Laila Lalami in 2014, this novel seems to be the perfect combination of both. Main events described in Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree also appear in Ashour's Grenada (the fall of Granada, the arrival of Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, book burning). I really liked an event Ashour described, called the Christopher Columbus parade, where the Arabs of Granada saw Columbus up close, as he paraded new animals, plants, food, and Native Americans he brought as slaves. It was a brilliant way of tying the suffering of both people in one scene. Naeem, one of the characters, starts working for a Spanish priest and is sent to the New World (similar to The Moor's Account), where he witnesses mass plunder and rape committed by the Spanish against the Indigenous people. He falls in love with a Native American called Maya, and runs away with her. I loved the fact the author united the two against their oppressor, the Spanish.

Overall, an interesting read full of hidden gems any reader familiar with the history of Al-Andalus would enjoy. Ashour's perspective, although familiar, is very rich in new details and perspectives.

[Nur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Granada oleh Radwa Ashour adalah sebuah novel sejarah yang menyentuh hati dan menggali kisah kaya serta tragis komuniti Muslim di Granada semasa kejatuhan Al-Andalus. Dalam prosa yang puitis, Ashour menyampaikan naratif yang mengungkap pengalaman emosi dan budaya watak-watak ketika mereka berhadapan dengan kompleksiti identiti, perpindahan, dan ketahanan.

Kisah ini mengikuti perjalanan sebuah keluarga melalui beberapa generasi, yang menghadapi pergolakan politik dan perubahan sosial akibat Reconquista. Naratif Ashour dipenuhi tema kehilangan, ingatan, serta kekuatan warisan budaya. Watak-watak dalam novel ini dikembangkan dengan teliti, mewakili pelbagai perspektif dalam komuniti Muslim ketika mereka bergelut dengan iman, tradisi, serta realiti keras pengusiran dan penganiayaan.

Terjemahan oleh Kamran Asad Irsyadi memastikan keindahan dan kedalaman teks asal Arab Ashour terpelihara, membolehkan pembaca merasai kekuatan penceritaan yang mengesankan. Novel ini bukan sahaja memberikan catatan sejarah, tetapi juga mencerminkan semangat abadi individu-individu yang berusaha mengekalkan identiti budaya mereka di tengah-tengah cabaran.

Secara keseluruhannya, Granada adalah sebuah karya yang ditulis dengan indah, menawarkan eksplorasi mendalam tentang sejarah, cinta, dan perjuangan sebuah komuniti yang menghadapi perubahan besar. Ia merupakan penghormatan kepada kemegahan yang hilang dari Sepanyol Muslim dan mengingatkan kita tentang pentingnya memelihara akar budaya kita. Novel ini sangat disyorkan kepada pembaca yang berminat dengan sejarah, budaya, dan pengalaman manusia dalam masa-masa pergolakan.

[Matt Nyman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very prettily written tragedy. Though it suffers a bit from the idealist view of what a family is like before and even during a tragedy, there is quite a bit more realism here than other such books I have read. I really appreciated the helplessness that is described here, as various characters attempt to deal with the massive change that comes from the Spanish takeover of southern Spain from the muslims. A powerless people really, truly is helpless when faced with a much stronger power, and I think this book does it incredibly well. The ongoing hope of multiple characters, all brutally crushed in the end, is awfully painful. And it is very well written in a simple gorgeous and restrained voice, not trying to say too much. It just tells a sad, sad story, with the survivors really left with so little.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I selected this little known (English translation) book for Women's Translation Month and to fulfill the "read an translated work by an Ahab author" prompt in the Reading Women Challenge. I'm glad I found this book that I would otherwise would not likely come across. I learned about a new era of history I had no previous knowledge of. This book follows a Muslim family and their community in 15th century Granada Spain under persecuation and eventual forced conversion to Christianity. Through the eyes of the characters we see the real historical struggle to leave a homeland of several centuries or revoke their sincere Muslin faith and pratices. Really glad I read this book and expanded my knowledge of Muslim history.

[Naman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written and translated work, this book provides a unique insight into Andalusian (Muslim Spain) life, through the lens of a Muslim family.
The narrative device of telling the story through the lens of different members of the family is both intimate yet omniscient. Books exploring intersections or periods of change have always fascinated me, so I enjoyed this thoroughly.
It also sparks a lot of discussion, especially as it shows, in unflinching detail, how an ideological shift in a country often leads to a cultural loss, and the choice of a book maker's family is particularly poignant.
I'd suggest this book to any history or theology nerds, especially those interested in that era, as well as anyone who appreciates a well-written, well-paced piece of literature.

[Akshara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The framing of this story is the best part of the writing by the author. While the context is clearly a turbulent time in the history of Granada, the author focuses on the people, specifically one family and how they change and are changed by the times. And family does not merely mean blood and marital ties alone - the story encompasses those who are dear to us and who we would worry about should something bad happen. And so much bad happens. I read this book while on vacation in Spain and I must say my appreciation for the history and culture was tempered by what happened and was done. The female characters come out the strongest and perhaps this is what makes this historical fiction so accurate.

[Simon B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A historical novel focused on the aftermath of the Castilian conquest of Granada, Spain's last Muslim kingdom, in 1492. First promised freedom of religion, the Arab citizens of Granada are steadily subjected to harsher laws, repeated confiscation and destruction of Arabic books and forced conversions to Christianity. Many fall victim to the tortures of the Inquisition. The story unfolds in the guise of a family drama, as various family members struggle to adapt, or refuse to accept, the new Granada. Significantly, Ashour's novel also draws parallels between the repression of Spain's Muslims and the (concurrent) Carribbean genocides associated with Spain's new conquests in the New World.