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14th out of 49 books
—
87 voters
The Translator
American readers were introduced to the award-winning Sudanese author Leila Aboulela with Minaret, a delicate tale of a privileged young African Muslim woman adjusting to her new life as a maid in London. Now, for the first time in North America, we step back to her extraordinarily assured debut about a widowed Muslim mother living in Aberdeen who falls in love with a Scot...more
Paperback, 208 pages
Published
September 14th 2006
by Grove Press, Black Cat
(first published 1999)
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I was both absorbed by and ambivalent about this book - which is an oddity, because I wouldn't have thought it was possible to be both at once. But here I am - absorbed and ambivalent - having wanted very much to see where the story would go, and yet not really finding Aboulela's writing particularly compelling.
The Translator focuses on the life of Summar, a young, Sudanese widow in Aberdeen, who translates Arabic texts for a department at the local university. There she meets Rae, an Islamic sc...more
The Translator focuses on the life of Summar, a young, Sudanese widow in Aberdeen, who translates Arabic texts for a department at the local university. There she meets Rae, an Islamic sc...more
This is undoubtedly one of the best books I've had the opportunity to read. The characters make your heart soar, the dialogues, images, themes are all profoundly moving. I have not had such an emotional response to a piece of fiction in a long time. I learned many things from this book: I remembered prayer, I thought of loss, and love and the pervasive nature of love that allows you to conquer fear and stigma. I learned about the beauty of the human spirit to persevere, to hold onto love despite...more
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This is a wonderful book in every way - well written, true to life. The central character is a Muslim woman of Sudanese origin,Sammar, living in Scotland. She falls in love with a Scot secular Islamic scholar and goes through the agony of loving him but knowing that she has to keep her Islamic distance from him. Finally she pleads with him to take the Shahadah so they can marry. He refuses because he isn't sure that he believes. Since it is a 'romance' it ends happily when he accept Islam in his...more
The story of (oddly enough) a translator:) This is about a Sudanese widow who has embraced her Islamic religion. She is living in Scotland when she start working as an Arabic translator for an Islamic scholar who is not a believer. After they fall in love she must decide what is stronger, her love or her faith. What this novel explores with great finesse is the true nature of faith. What it means to be faithful and what it means to give your life over to that. The language in this novel is a joy...more
The Translator is about Sammar, a Muslim widow, who moves to Scotland with her husband before he dies in a car accident. Its a moving and accurate tale about a demographic that is inexplicable to most Westerners: the Muslim woman. The tale starts with Sammar translating a document sent by a terrorist group. She notes how rife with spelling mistakes it is, how pathetic and instantly creates a barrier between Muslims like her, and uneducated extremists like them, fighting against a force they don'...more
من اروع ما قرأت علي الاطلاق ..
ليلي ابوالعلا كاتبه سودانيه-بريطانيه .. لطالما وددت ان يتحدث سوداني عن وطنه ولكن بهرتني في هذه الروايه بأن الذي يشدها ليست القوميه ولكنه الدين
تتحدث الروايه بأختصار عن ارمله شابه فقدت زوجها اثر حادث سير مما اصابها حاله من الاكتئاب وتخلت عن الجميع حتي ابنها ورضيت بالعزله في استكلندا حيث فارقت زوجها .. احبت رئيسها في العمل الذي يعمل كباحث في الشؤون الاسلاميه وهو كذلك ,ولكن فرق الديانات كان له اثر في تباعدهما
تتحول الروايه من الحنين الي الزوج والي الماضي الي التوق للمست...more
ليلي ابوالعلا كاتبه سودانيه-بريطانيه .. لطالما وددت ان يتحدث سوداني عن وطنه ولكن بهرتني في هذه الروايه بأن الذي يشدها ليست القوميه ولكنه الدين
تتحدث الروايه بأختصار عن ارمله شابه فقدت زوجها اثر حادث سير مما اصابها حاله من الاكتئاب وتخلت عن الجميع حتي ابنها ورضيت بالعزله في استكلندا حيث فارقت زوجها .. احبت رئيسها في العمل الذي يعمل كباحث في الشؤون الاسلاميه وهو كذلك ,ولكن فرق الديانات كان له اثر في تباعدهما
تتحول الروايه من الحنين الي الزوج والي الماضي الي التوق للمست...more
Aberdeen, Scotland and Khartoum, Sudan, cities more dissimilar than one could imagine, form the backdrop to this finely crafted, tender cross-cultural love story. They are intimately connected through the main character, Sammar, as she experiences the stark contrasts of culture, history and climate. Yet, she remains very much attached to both places. Leila Aboulela builds on her own experience to create the very personal associations between place and character. The author's brief, yet rich, nov...more
I started out the story not liking Sammar, as she is not the world's best mother, and she is a bit selfish in general. As the story unfolded, though, I found myself drawn in by the love story of her and Rae. She seems unaware of how much she affects him, and her self-consciousness is endearing in that it helps the reader sympathize with her a bit (at least it did for me). Sammar seems willing to forgo her requirement that her husband share her religious beliefs because her love for Rae is so str...more
This book was well-written, but for the first 100 pages it felt like my eyes were trudging through molasses. I appreciated the story and the interesting prospective of a Muslim author discussing the trials and tribulations of a Muslim living and working in Europe, feeling alienated and restricted by her religion. I thought the love story that developed throughout the novel was adorable until page 198 where the main character, Sammar, says "If I was someone else, someone strong and independent I...more
I liked this better than The Minaret because the characters are more rounded and complex. You really get inside the head of the heroine and feel what it's like to experience bereavement in exile. She finally shows the reader that she's strong enough to set free the man she loves , only for him to return to her as a Muslim. This part was a bit sentimental I suppose and predictable, but the girl deserves some happiness!!!
لقد أمتعتني الكاتبة بهذه الرواية المميزة جداً والتي تستحق الجائزة التي حصلت عليها
هي شرف لنا كمسلمة وروائية واقعية
. ليلى كاتبة متمكنة ورائعة ومؤثرة كم أعجبنتي القصة خصوصا حين أخذت الأحداث مجراها في السودان . مميزة بحق
بداية الرواية حتى منتصفها ممل بعض الشيء ولكن
ماأن تتفجر الأحداث في المنتصف حتى تصبح جذابة جداً
تتناول حياة أرملة كانت تعمل في مكتب
تتعلق بصاحبه وتتمنى أن ترتبط به ولكن هناك أزمات هناك فرق في الديانة وفي أمور كثيرة
تركت الغربة وعادت إلى بلدها " السودان " لتواجه مواقف مختلفه مع عائلته...more
هي شرف لنا كمسلمة وروائية واقعية
. ليلى كاتبة متمكنة ورائعة ومؤثرة كم أعجبنتي القصة خصوصا حين أخذت الأحداث مجراها في السودان . مميزة بحق
بداية الرواية حتى منتصفها ممل بعض الشيء ولكن
ماأن تتفجر الأحداث في المنتصف حتى تصبح جذابة جداً
تتناول حياة أرملة كانت تعمل في مكتب
تتعلق بصاحبه وتتمنى أن ترتبط به ولكن هناك أزمات هناك فرق في الديانة وفي أمور كثيرة
تركت الغربة وعادت إلى بلدها " السودان " لتواجه مواقف مختلفه مع عائلته...more
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المترجمة ، رواية برائحة السودان وأسكتلندا معاً ، تحكي فيها الكاتبة ليلى أبو العلا تفاصيل حياة سمر الفتاة السودانية المقيمة في أبردين والتي تعمل في الجامعة كمترجمة من العربية إلى الإنجليزية في قسم الدراسات المتعلقة بالشرق الأوسط ، ترسم الكاتبة تفاصيل شخصية سمر ورغباتها وطموحاتها مروراً بهروبها من ماضٍ حزين بدأ بوفاة زوجها وصولاً عند تعلقها بأستاذٍ جامعي تحيل بينها وبينه عوائق كثيرة أكبرها الديانة ، تتوالى الأحداث بأسلوبٍ سردي جميل ولغة بسيطة خالية من التعابير الوصفية المذهلة وأظن ذلك يرجع لكونها...more
Aug 12, 2010
ضحى
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
للي قرا "موسم الهجرة إلى الشمال " للأرتباط اللي بينهم
Recommended to ضحى by:
لا احد ..من تلقاء نفسي
من تعليق سابق:
(الخميس 6-4-30 بدأت في قراءة روايه ),في نظرتي الاولى لها ومن على رفوف المكتبه لم يكن الغلاف جذاباً ولم تكن الكاتبه مشهوره,ولكن بتصفحها سريعاً احسست انها تأخذني الى روايه اخرى بحثت عنها مطولا ولم اجدها وهي " موسم الهجره الى الشمال " .. التشابه الاوليّ بينهم ان كلا الكاتبين من السودان,وان كلاهما يصور الاحداث في الغربه.فرحت لهذا التشابه ومضيت بمقولة " العوض ولا الحريمه"!
ولأني مذ ان كنت صغيره اكره الروايات!ولم تكن من الكتب المفظله لدي,حتى اذا وجدت قريباتي ينشغلن بروايات "عبير" كنت اضحك...more
(الخميس 6-4-30 بدأت في قراءة روايه ),في نظرتي الاولى لها ومن على رفوف المكتبه لم يكن الغلاف جذاباً ولم تكن الكاتبه مشهوره,ولكن بتصفحها سريعاً احسست انها تأخذني الى روايه اخرى بحثت عنها مطولا ولم اجدها وهي " موسم الهجره الى الشمال " .. التشابه الاوليّ بينهم ان كلا الكاتبين من السودان,وان كلاهما يصور الاحداث في الغربه.فرحت لهذا التشابه ومضيت بمقولة " العوض ولا الحريمه"!
ولأني مذ ان كنت صغيره اكره الروايات!ولم تكن من الكتب المفظله لدي,حتى اذا وجدت قريباتي ينشغلن بروايات "عبير" كنت اضحك...more
Cerita tentang seorang janda yang setelah empat tahun hidup sendiri di Aberdeen, Skotlandia, sejak kematian suaminya, meninggalkan anaknya bersama mertua, yang juga bibinya, kini merasakan lagi perasaan suka dan perhatian seorang lelaki. Si janda adalah muslimah yang taat, sementara si lelaki adalah seorang profesor politik negara Islam yang memiliki pengetahuan luas tentang Islam, tapi bukan Muslim.
Kisah dibagi menjadi dua bagian. Bagian pertama berlatarkan Aberdeen dan dipenuhi kesan sunyi. B...more
Kisah dibagi menjadi dua bagian. Bagian pertama berlatarkan Aberdeen dan dipenuhi kesan sunyi. B...more
There is something just stunning about Aboulela's description of a world so unseen by most Westerners. I have always been at great pains to try to explain the beauty and the strength of Muslim women to those with no inside insight. If you're searching for that -- as you should -- you ought to read this book. The down fall is the end, with its dull romance and great white man.
Jun 21, 2012
Tyler Stoffel
added it
The story was good, though it was told through a bit of a haze. Personally, I did not like that Rae converted because I don't believe in conversion. I believe religion is a part of one's culture and heritage, not a personal choice. However, if the choice were to be made, the only reason I would accept for converting would be love.
Aboulela focused more on the love between the characters and faith than the love between the characters. The two leads were well developed, deep characters with pasts....more
Aboulela focused more on the love between the characters and faith than the love between the characters. The two leads were well developed, deep characters with pasts....more
Jujur saja ini novel yang tidak mudah untuk dibaca. Leila Aboulela, penulis yang telaten. Ia seolah-olah mengukir kata, memikirkan ulang setiap kalimat yang ditulisnya, menjadikannya kalimat-kalimat yang puitik dan sangat deskriptif.
Segera saja saya mengubah strategi pembacaaan saya terhadap novel ini. Saya memilih untuk bersabar atas kelambanan alurnya. Sayangnya novel ini tidak menarik dalam membawakan tema dan subnya. Novel ini cenderung satu dimensi. Pembaca hanya dibawa untuk menikmati kis...more
Segera saja saya mengubah strategi pembacaaan saya terhadap novel ini. Saya memilih untuk bersabar atas kelambanan alurnya. Sayangnya novel ini tidak menarik dalam membawakan tema dan subnya. Novel ini cenderung satu dimensi. Pembaca hanya dibawa untuk menikmati kis...more
Akhirnya selesai juga baca buku iniiiiii *sujud syukur*
Saya beli buku ini karena promosinya Gramedia. Dan saya pikir, biasanya penerbit GPU cukup bagus untuk masalah translasi bahasa. Selainitu, sampulnya menarik bagi saya. Biruuuuu :D. Baca sinopsis di belakangnya, hmmm... looks interesting. Jadilah saya beli.
Jadi begini, there is this woman, Sammar, yang bekerja sebagai penerjemah bahasa Arab di Skotlandia. Salah satu atasan dia, Rae, seorang profesor, adalah peneliti bidang politik Islam *or...more
Saya beli buku ini karena promosinya Gramedia. Dan saya pikir, biasanya penerbit GPU cukup bagus untuk masalah translasi bahasa. Selainitu, sampulnya menarik bagi saya. Biruuuuu :D. Baca sinopsis di belakangnya, hmmm... looks interesting. Jadilah saya beli.
Jadi begini, there is this woman, Sammar, yang bekerja sebagai penerjemah bahasa Arab di Skotlandia. Salah satu atasan dia, Rae, seorang profesor, adalah peneliti bidang politik Islam *or...more
Good one about love in different cultures and religions. I loved how the author described how the main character looked at everything as she came out of a long grieving period in her life. How things slowly but surely life became brighter with hope.
I really enjoyed this novel - its so refreshing to read a book by a Muslim woman writing about Muslim women that does not fall into the expected tropes about Muslim women! Its well-written, touching, and a good, enjoyable read.
Refreshing, serene, and honest. I think this is one of the first books I've read either about or by a Muslim woman that didn't make me want to bang my head against the wall.
The two main characters--Rae and Sammar--are described so beautifully--and I enjoyed the simple way in which she described their budding relationship. The themes of love and loss, doubt and faith, prayer and patience, were beautifully navigated. One of my favorite lines was near the end, when Rae tells Sammar that what he re...more
The two main characters--Rae and Sammar--are described so beautifully--and I enjoyed the simple way in which she described their budding relationship. The themes of love and loss, doubt and faith, prayer and patience, were beautifully navigated. One of my favorite lines was near the end, when Rae tells Sammar that what he re...more
The story is about a Muslim widow falling in love with a Scottish expert on the Middle East, and her struggle between her faith and her love for him. The subject is very interesting and I enjoyed the poetic phrases. The ending was a bit different than I expected, in a nice way.
But I found the book a little difficult to parse. It often jumped between past, present and dreams with me struggling to figure out which it was, and some of the important scenes took place without actual dialogue - it wo...more
But I found the book a little difficult to parse. It often jumped between past, present and dreams with me struggling to figure out which it was, and some of the important scenes took place without actual dialogue - it wo...more
A thoughtful, well written book. Compassionate and moving, definitely worth reading.
Jul 28, 2011
Shirley Freeman
added it
I had never heard of this book, or the author, but wanted to read it when I noticed that the author was coming to the Festival of Faith and Writing in April. It's a short novel about a young Muslim widow living in Scotland who falls in love with the professor for whom she is translating. Her strong Muslim faith and his lack of faith are the complications around which the story unfolds. It was interesting to read a novel by a Sudanese author. While I didn't always understand the character's decis...more
من اجمل ما قرأت حقا...
رواية ممتعة لابعد حد...وجدتها بالصدفة في أرفف الجامعة و لم اكن ادري ما الذي تخبأه
كل شي فيها جميل للغاية بداية من الاسماء (سمر..امير..طارق..حنان)واحداثها جديدة لم تمر علي من قبل..ابدعت الكاتبة في كل شي..
و أجمل ما كان في الموضوع كان ذكر "ليبيا"في الرواية في اكثر من موضع ...هذا اسعدني جدا...
رواية حقيقة تستحق القراءة
رواية ممتعة لابعد حد...وجدتها بالصدفة في أرفف الجامعة و لم اكن ادري ما الذي تخبأه
كل شي فيها جميل للغاية بداية من الاسماء (سمر..امير..طارق..حنان)واحداثها جديدة لم تمر علي من قبل..ابدعت الكاتبة في كل شي..
و أجمل ما كان في الموضوع كان ذكر "ليبيا"في الرواية في اكثر من موضع ...هذا اسعدني جدا...
رواية حقيقة تستحق القراءة
Is it a tongue-in-cheek mockery of orientalist themes? Or does it buy into them? Is the main character a passive symbol of womanhood? Or a woman with the strength to challenge tradition to a staring contest--and win? Was the ending a triumphant seizure of the happiness that every woman deserves, reminiscent of Jane Eyre? Or was is a disappointing deus ex machina, pasted on at the last minute by an author desperate to give her characters a happy ending, no matter the literary consequences?
...I ha...more
...I ha...more
Rich, warm, worthwhile!
I really love Aboulela's writing style. In this novel, like her latter two, she has a precise yet lyrical writing style that really pulls the reader in. Aboulela can take the mundane and show just how special it really is. Whether it's the daily prayer that Muslims do, taking a child to school or sitting in an office and eating lunch with a co-worker, Aboulela manages to make these ordinary activities into something profound and meaningful with just a few words.
As with her other novels, Aboulela...more
As with her other novels, Aboulela...more
هذه الرواية كتبت بالانجليزية ثم ترجمت إلى العربية, ونسختها الأصلية فازت بجائزة البُكَر الأمريكية. الرواية تحمل مضمون يصب في عمق حوار الحضارات وتواصلها بصفة عامة, وحوار الإسلام مع ما حوله من ثقافات. تتمثل هذه الرسالة في شخصية الرواية الأساسية, سمر .. الأرملة السودانية التي تعمل مترجمة في سكوتلاندا, ثم عودتها الى وطنها السودان, وبين المكانين تتداعى ذكريات طفولتها والاشخاص من حولها .. زوجها الطبيب الشاب الراحل, عمتها ذات الشخصية القوية, ابنها أمير الطفل الجميل, ابناء حميها.
رصانة الرواية وسمّو أفكار...more
رصانة الرواية وسمّو أفكار...more
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Leila Aboulela grew up in Khartoum, Sudan where she attended the Khartoum American School and Sister School. She graduated from Khartoum University in 1985 with a degree in Economics and was awarded her Masters degree in statistics from the London School of Economics. She lived for many years in Aberdeen where she wrote most of her works while looking after her family; she currently lives and lect...more
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“This is the enemy, what is irreversible, what has already reached the farthest of places. There is no going back. They can bomb bus-loads of tourists, burn the American flag, but they are not shooting the enemy. It is already with them, inside them, what makes them resentful, defensive, what makes them no longer confident of their vision of the world.”
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