An Unnecessary Woman is a 2014 novel by the Lebanese American writer Rabih Alameddine. The book was nominated for the National Book Award for Fiction.[1] The novel focuses on the experiences of an isolated 72-year-old widow, Aaliya Saleh, who is a shut-in in Beirut. She reads widely and deeply, translates favorite novels, and has a rich inner life to explore daily events.[1]
Themes
editSaleh secretly translates Western literature, such as Anna Karenina and Austerlitz, into Arabic. She repeated refers to such contemporary authors as Italo Calvino.[2] Within this context the novel focuses on the role of the reader in engaging and examining literature.[2] As The Independent describes, "Aaliyah keeps company with her writers – living and dead" instead of people.[3] The Washington Post said, "Literature is Aaliya's religion and much of the wonderful humor in 'An Unnecessary Woman' comes from her pithy contempt for those who fail to live up to its sacred precepts."[2]
Reception
editThe novel's reception was generally very positive.[4] The NPR critic noted that the plot is relatively limited, but praised the writing, stating that, "I can't remember the last time I was so gripped simply by a novel's voice."[1]
The Guardian's reviewer, American novelist Claire Messud, similarly highlighted how the novel has a very "elastic" voice, as the author narrates the novel with both interior dialogue and other narrative strategies.[5] The Guardian concludes positively, writing that, "precisely in its strangeness, a genuine literary pleasure: a complicated one."[5]
Open Letters Monthly reviewer Steve Donoghue described the novel as "infinitely strange" but "smarter and more assured" than Alameddine's last novel The Hakawati.[6] The Washington Post reviewer said the novel was as "epic as its predecessor".[2] The Independent gave the novel a very positive review concluding, "read it once, read it twice, read other books for a decade or so, and then pick it up and read it anew. This one’s a keeper."[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c Baldwin, Rosecrans. "A Widow's Quiet Life Leaves Room For Sex, Guns And Literature". NPR.org. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
- ^ a b c d Smith, Wendy (2014-03-20). "'An Unnecessary Woman,' a piercing study of detachment and devotion". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
- ^ a b "An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine, book review: A world". The Independent. 21 February 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-10-24. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
- ^ "Book Marks reviews of An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine". Book Marks. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
- ^ a b Messud, Claire (2015-01-28). "An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine review – 'a complicated literary pleasure'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
- ^ "Book Review: An Unnecessary Woman | Open Letters Monthly - an Arts and Literature Review". www.openlettersmonthly.com. Archived from the original on 2019-05-30. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
External links
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