Description
Book SynopsisBodour, a distinguished literary critic and university professor, carries with her a dark secret. As a young university student she gives birth to an illegitimate daughter, Zeina, who she abandons. Zeina grows up to become one of Egypt's most beloved entertainers, whilst Bodour turns to writing. Can mother and daughter be reunited?
Trade Review'Read this novel to grasp the bravery of El Saadawi's activism in Egypt or to learn more about her country than we saw on our TV screens this spring.' Guardian; 'An uncompromising attack on patriarchy, power and hypocrisy in modern-day Egypt.' The Times; `More than any other woman, El Saadawi has come to embody the trials of Arab feminism.’ San Francisco Chronicle; `El Saadawi writes with directness and passion.’ The New York Times; 'A poignant and brave writer.' Marie Claire; 'The latest from El Saadawi (Woman at Point Zero), seamlessly translated by Nowaira, will haunt readers with its beautiful prose and harsh depiction of women's lives in Cairo...The shifting time line will keep readers guessing as to what happens next, and what is real versus imagined.' Publishers Weekly; 'The mistakes of the past may not be such mistakes after all. Zeina tells of a famed Egyptian entertainer in the title, who finds her roots in being abandoned. Her lost mother grows to regret her decision to abandon her daughter. Years later as the revolution in Cairo begins to gain fire, the estranged mother and daughter may find what they've been looking for all this time. A tale of regret written by an Egyptian who understands the loss and challenge that the modern Egyptian faces...' The Mid West Book Review
