Celestial Bodies - Jokha Alharthi

I picked up Jokha Alharthi's 'Celestial Bodies' when I saw that it had won the Man Booker International prize for 2019, in addition to the fact that I've never read any Arabian literature before. Plus, the cover is gorgeous, so I couldn't pass it by. The novel has been translated by Marilyn Booth and the original title is Sayyidat al-qamar (literally translated as Ladies of the Moon - how beautiful is that?). This is far from anything I have read previously and as you can see from this blog, I love to read a vast range of different styles, genres and authors.

The story is set in the village of al-Awafi in Oman, and follows three sisters Mayya, Asma and Khawla who are each marrying for different reasons. Mayya marries after she has been heartbroken, Asma marries out of duty, and Khawla rejects many other suitors before marrying her childhood sweetheart who lives in Canada with another woman (teeny spoiler, sorry!). Much of the novel focuses on the tension between twentieth-century values modern behaviours, particularly regarding courtship and marriage.

The novel follows the family through the trials and tribulations of love, and paints a picture of what it is like to be an Omani woman. Yet despite its focus on the story's women, the book also paints a detailed picture of the men, including the character of Abdallah who challenge the norms of the Arabian husband and shows deep emotion in his narration. I was previously unaware of the history of Oman so to learn about this and about the culture was enlightening. Yet despite the 'elegance' of the novel, as many have described it, I found myself feeling distanced and not particularly attached to any of the characters. One thing I did like about the novel was the portrayal of its women, who were very well depicted by Alharthi. 

The novel is divided into many short chapters, of around four pages each. The narration alternates between the first-person narration of Abdallah (Mayya's husband, who has been somewhat shunned by her due to her lack of love), and the third-person, omniscient narration which encapsulates the voices of many of the other characters. The jumping around of narration does equate to a dynamic novel and one which keeps you on your toes throughout. 

The whole novel felt almost dream-like to me - it was almost mesmerising in its use of language and the fact that it depicted a life (or lives) so far from my own. I can't say that it left an overwhelming impression on me, but I am glad to have read some literature from this culture and enjoyed reading.