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Selamlik
An unflinching story about Arab masculinity and homoeroticism Furat, a Syrian in his early 20s, visits Sibki Park in Damascus, one of the city’s most popular cruising areas. There he learns about the hammams, secret meeting places for gay men located throughout the old city. Inside these public baths, the air is thick with the scent of bay laurel soap, and naked men hide in the steam. Furat faces sometimes violent disapproval from all levels of society—regime, religion, the man in the street—and yet he manages to find the love he’s been seeking just before his world collapses and he’s forced to flee. Selamlik is the story of Furat’s journey, along with that of other refugees. It’s a journey in which they face physical and economic hardship, draconian migration laws, and the unwelcome grief, shame, and hatred they’ve carried with them from their ever more distant pasts. Despite everything, Furat remains steadfast in his pursuit of passion, pleasure, and love.
197 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 2, 2024
46 people are currently reading
1807 people want to read
About the author
Khaled Alesmael
3 books83 followersAward-winning writer and former journalist, born in Syria to a Turkish mother and Syrian father. A Swedish citizen, he now lives and writes between London and Barcelona. He writes in Arabic and English.
His writing style is compared to that of Jean Genet.
He worked for several media houses in major cities in MENA and Europe. Recognized for his journalistic achievements, Khaled was honored with the International Visitor Program to the US as an environmental journalist in 2009.
His writing style is compared to that of Jean Genet.
He worked for several media houses in major cities in MENA and Europe. Recognized for his journalistic achievements, Khaled was honored with the International Visitor Program to the US as an environmental journalist in 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
February 10, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and World Editions for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
- I'd been wanting to get my hands on the English version of this since I saw it pop up in my Goodreads feed!
A refugee tale told from a different perspective, focused on Furat, a gay Syrian who we meet at various points in his life, in Syria, Sweden, and Turkey. We see romance, discrimination, violence, war, and family all through Furat's lens, as he struggles for acceptance.
So, that's the brief synopsis. What did I think?
To start with, the good: I loved the perspective this is told from, and the humanity the story lends to refugees, particularly with certain parts of the media hung up on demonising refugees, in particularly those from the Middle East. As a gay man, I also understood elements of Furat's growing up, and felt that the erotic scenes were mostly well-written (I'd love to find a real-life Ali...) Furat's feeling of isolation among groups of heterosexual men, his fumbling to speak to Ali, and his feeling of alienation in a completely new home while reliant on others were all relatable to me (however for me, the latter through personal choice - moving overseas for work - not fleeing war).
Where this didn't quite hit the mark for me was the structure. Part of me wonders if this was the point - it felt fragmented, perhaps reflective of Furat's life and experiences. Chronologically, I felt it would have been better with more cohesive flashbacks - one chapter could contain several time periods, for example. Also, I wish there'd been more focus on the love interests - Alesmael writes these so well, and I was dying to see , along with a couple of others. Again perhaps this is emblematic of the difficulty of maintaining a homosexual relationship in the Middle East, but I found myself wanting to know more about Furat's relationships, his desires. Instead, I feel Alesmael tried to cram everything into one novel and had it lose focus, rather than explore more deeply. I wanted to know about Furat's relationships with his Mother, his Aunt, his elder brother, with Ali, but wasn't taken there.
Anything bad? Bad, no, but peculiar, yes. There was a bizarre scene and a couple of moments where the writing felt like 'Tension 101' (repeated sentences that get shorter each time). However these were minor, and not enough to wreck the novel.
Overall I did enjoy this, and would read another novel by Alesmael as his words are eminently readable - I blasted through this in just a couple of days - but next time, I'd love more of a deeper insight into characters and events, rather than a probing overview. A solid 3.5 stars, that I would round up to 4.
A refugee tale told from a different perspective, focused on Furat, a gay Syrian who we meet at various points in his life, in Syria, Sweden, and Turkey. We see romance, discrimination, violence, war, and family all through Furat's lens, as he struggles for acceptance.
So, that's the brief synopsis. What did I think?
To start with, the good: I loved the perspective this is told from, and the humanity the story lends to refugees, particularly with certain parts of the media hung up on demonising refugees, in particularly those from the Middle East. As a gay man, I also understood elements of Furat's growing up, and felt that the erotic scenes were mostly well-written (I'd love to find a real-life Ali...) Furat's feeling of isolation among groups of heterosexual men, his fumbling to speak to Ali, and his feeling of alienation in a completely new home while reliant on others were all relatable to me (however for me, the latter through personal choice - moving overseas for work - not fleeing war).
Where this didn't quite hit the mark for me was the structure. Part of me wonders if this was the point - it felt fragmented, perhaps reflective of Furat's life and experiences. Chronologically, I felt it would have been better with more cohesive flashbacks - one chapter could contain several time periods, for example. Also, I wish there'd been more focus on the love interests - Alesmael writes these so well, and I was dying to see , along with a couple of others. Again perhaps this is emblematic of the difficulty of maintaining a homosexual relationship in the Middle East, but I found myself wanting to know more about Furat's relationships, his desires. Instead, I feel Alesmael tried to cram everything into one novel and had it lose focus, rather than explore more deeply. I wanted to know about Furat's relationships with his Mother, his Aunt, his elder brother, with Ali, but wasn't taken there.
Anything bad? Bad, no, but peculiar, yes. There was a bizarre scene and a couple of moments where the writing felt like 'Tension 101' (repeated sentences that get shorter each time). However these were minor, and not enough to wreck the novel.
Overall I did enjoy this, and would read another novel by Alesmael as his words are eminently readable - I blasted through this in just a couple of days - but next time, I'd love more of a deeper insight into characters and events, rather than a probing overview. A solid 3.5 stars, that I would round up to 4.
December 27, 2024
I found this to be an incredibly entertaining and very, fun, filthy novel to read. Perhaps there are others out there who thought it to be a deep work of art that is making commentary on the plight of gay men who are persecuted in Syria, but I couldn’t think of this book more than what it is: a work of glossy, glorious smut.
I was on an airplane reading this and I gleefully was able to get families with children recoil with shock as they saw a hairy shirtless man on the cover of this book. I had a mother ask me to put the book away and I said and oh mother, this is decent exposure!
I was on an airplane reading this and I gleefully was able to get families with children recoil with shock as they saw a hairy shirtless man on the cover of this book. I had a mother ask me to put the book away and I said and oh mother, this is decent exposure!
July 24, 2024
Things I enjoyed: the remote, in fact exotic perspective on a wide array of topics; the direct, authentic prose; the time jumping, which worked well for this book of recollections; the occasional exploration of gay cruising grounds and sauna etiquette from elsewhere, delivered plainly but captivatingly; that favourite chapter of mine that broke down into contextualized stories about every piece of clothing the author was wearing; the candor that went into describing how it feels to move from Syria to Sweden, making great use of mundane moments and surroundings in expressing humanity; the author’s erotic memories, and sometimes daydreams, when our respective triggers happened to align.
Things I enjoyed less: the uneven prose and tone that marred a few chapters, though a minority of them, and the first and last chapters in particular did the rest a disservice, in my opinion. But then, I’ve read another review where someone DNF’d this book after chapter one because the writing suddenly changed, so everyone’s a critic, really.
All in all, this felt like reading a horny Alexander Chee. Yes, that’s a compliment. What didn’t always feel groundbreaking or lyrical mostly felt competent and earnest, and five or ten years from now I’m curious to see where Alesmael will have taken his stories.
Things I enjoyed less: the uneven prose and tone that marred a few chapters, though a minority of them, and the first and last chapters in particular did the rest a disservice, in my opinion. But then, I’ve read another review where someone DNF’d this book after chapter one because the writing suddenly changed, so everyone’s a critic, really.
All in all, this felt like reading a horny Alexander Chee. Yes, that’s a compliment. What didn’t always feel groundbreaking or lyrical mostly felt competent and earnest, and five or ten years from now I’m curious to see where Alesmael will have taken his stories.
January 18, 2024
3-3.5 stars. The outstanding part of this book was its exploration of immigrant/refugee/asylum seeker experiences. The main character is a gay man who escapes the civil war in Syria and who eventually ends up in Sweden, but even though the author lifts from his own specific experiences, the story is also universal enough for the reader to learn about the struggles and losses of anyone who has to leave their homeland.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.
January 21, 2025
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with a copy of this book.
I finished reading this book a month ago, and on account of my lack of time due to a tight work schedule, I had to postpone this review for a while. But sometimes it is a good thing to keep away from the book to have a fairer idea of it, not only based on its impact at the moment we finish it. Selamlik keeps giving me a good feeling.
This is a kind of memoir by a Syrian young gay man, though the author uses the name Furat. It is mixed with some erotic fantasies and a painful account of his homeland's destruction due to its dictator's efforts to maintain power at all costs. It is also an account of the hardships a gay man has to endure to fulfill his innermost desires for love and a freer life, without the fear of being killed at any given chance. Though homosexuality is forbidden in most (if not all) muslin countries, it thrives in the shadows and the alleyways.
Reading how Syria was slowly destroyed by Bashar al-Assad's army, the revolutionaries, and the EIIS (the Islamic State in Syria) was so painful because here, it is a sad account of how power of any kind is usually taken as priority over the population's tiniest idea of survival. It is the desire of one or of a group over the desires of millions. It is an account of how humanity doesn't mean a thing to those who want to keep power at all costs.
Selamlik is also an account of how freedom has to be fought on daily basis. Furat finds this out in Sweden, having to keep his sexuality to himself in the Refugees' building, but also by the situation he finds in that country of asylum, no paradise on Earth to foreigners, treated with a sense of being given more than he deserves by the refugees' officials.
All in all, it is also a poignant story of survival and search for freedom and the erotic fantasies we find along with the book give it a sense of surrealism of life itself, so many times necessary to take us away from a sense of losing ourselves in this crazy world we call home.
I finished reading this book a month ago, and on account of my lack of time due to a tight work schedule, I had to postpone this review for a while. But sometimes it is a good thing to keep away from the book to have a fairer idea of it, not only based on its impact at the moment we finish it. Selamlik keeps giving me a good feeling.
This is a kind of memoir by a Syrian young gay man, though the author uses the name Furat. It is mixed with some erotic fantasies and a painful account of his homeland's destruction due to its dictator's efforts to maintain power at all costs. It is also an account of the hardships a gay man has to endure to fulfill his innermost desires for love and a freer life, without the fear of being killed at any given chance. Though homosexuality is forbidden in most (if not all) muslin countries, it thrives in the shadows and the alleyways.
Reading how Syria was slowly destroyed by Bashar al-Assad's army, the revolutionaries, and the EIIS (the Islamic State in Syria) was so painful because here, it is a sad account of how power of any kind is usually taken as priority over the population's tiniest idea of survival. It is the desire of one or of a group over the desires of millions. It is an account of how humanity doesn't mean a thing to those who want to keep power at all costs.
Selamlik is also an account of how freedom has to be fought on daily basis. Furat finds this out in Sweden, having to keep his sexuality to himself in the Refugees' building, but also by the situation he finds in that country of asylum, no paradise on Earth to foreigners, treated with a sense of being given more than he deserves by the refugees' officials.
All in all, it is also a poignant story of survival and search for freedom and the erotic fantasies we find along with the book give it a sense of surrealism of life itself, so many times necessary to take us away from a sense of losing ourselves in this crazy world we call home.
March 26, 2024
Khaled Alesmael is a queer man, born and raised in Syria where he was a journalist and cofounded a radio station; he became a refugee, made it to Sweden, and is now based in London. "Selamlik" defines its title as "a palace where men could be free with their conversations, their ideas, and their bodies." A kind of Eden, maybe?
This is billed as a novel, but it's hard to resist the sense that its narrative runs close to Alesmael's own life story, given that its narrator and protagonist, Furat, is a gay Syrian who becomes a refugee in Sweden, and given the disorienting, fragmented manner in which it's told. Disorienting maybe especially for a white, queer cis woman born and raised in the US -- though my parents were war refugees, so that Furat's experiences of state violence resonated with my family history, as did the incomplete and broken-off way Furat / Alesmael tells his story. Language breaks down for him at several points, also a phenomenon I'm familiar with from my parents' infrequent attempts to recount their histories.
I might have expected "Selamlik"'s accounts of queer men's life in Syria to be the most remote from my own life, but to my surprise I was reminded of another history familiar to me: the orgiastic bathhouses and backrooms where many of my male friends enjoyed themselves in the days before HIV. So much was the same, right down to the threat of police raids and violence. There's something nostalgic about Furat / Alesmael's hammam memories, not only because the places where he came into his own as a gay Syrian man have been bombed to rubble but also because he seems to have found, in Sweden, a certain more domesticated form of queer male sexuality. HIV brought that domestication with it in the US -- not universally, especially now that we have PREP, but ... Queer civil rights and "good gays" often seem to go hand in hand, too.
(Speaking of HIV, it's something of a shock that "Selamlik" makes no mention of it, or of safer sex practices. Something I'd like to know more about: it's hard to believe, if the way Furat conducts his sex life is anything like typical, that sexually transmitted infections aren't widespread among Syrian men who have sex with men. And of course among their wives.)
To Sweden, then, where the other Syrian male refugees hate queers, and many (most? I don't know) Swedes are suspicious, at best, of brown people. I don't know where I got the idea that Sweden was generous with its housing and financial provisions for refugees, but -- assuming, as there's no reason not to, that "Selamlik"'s account is accurate -- nope. Sometimes I think I'm through being naive, but apparently there's always another cherished fantasy to shatter.
"My head is a graveyard, and the past sleeps there forever," Furat says at one point. I said that "Selamlik"'s narrative is fragmented and disorienting -- disorienting in the way it loops back on itself, from Syria to Sweden to Turkey and around again. There might not be any other way to tell the story of a life shattering. By the end of "Selamlik," Furat's life hasn't yet been rebuilt.
Thanks to World Editions, the author, and NetGalley for the ARC.
This is billed as a novel, but it's hard to resist the sense that its narrative runs close to Alesmael's own life story, given that its narrator and protagonist, Furat, is a gay Syrian who becomes a refugee in Sweden, and given the disorienting, fragmented manner in which it's told. Disorienting maybe especially for a white, queer cis woman born and raised in the US -- though my parents were war refugees, so that Furat's experiences of state violence resonated with my family history, as did the incomplete and broken-off way Furat / Alesmael tells his story. Language breaks down for him at several points, also a phenomenon I'm familiar with from my parents' infrequent attempts to recount their histories.
I might have expected "Selamlik"'s accounts of queer men's life in Syria to be the most remote from my own life, but to my surprise I was reminded of another history familiar to me: the orgiastic bathhouses and backrooms where many of my male friends enjoyed themselves in the days before HIV. So much was the same, right down to the threat of police raids and violence. There's something nostalgic about Furat / Alesmael's hammam memories, not only because the places where he came into his own as a gay Syrian man have been bombed to rubble but also because he seems to have found, in Sweden, a certain more domesticated form of queer male sexuality. HIV brought that domestication with it in the US -- not universally, especially now that we have PREP, but ... Queer civil rights and "good gays" often seem to go hand in hand, too.
(Speaking of HIV, it's something of a shock that "Selamlik" makes no mention of it, or of safer sex practices. Something I'd like to know more about: it's hard to believe, if the way Furat conducts his sex life is anything like typical, that sexually transmitted infections aren't widespread among Syrian men who have sex with men. And of course among their wives.)
To Sweden, then, where the other Syrian male refugees hate queers, and many (most? I don't know) Swedes are suspicious, at best, of brown people. I don't know where I got the idea that Sweden was generous with its housing and financial provisions for refugees, but -- assuming, as there's no reason not to, that "Selamlik"'s account is accurate -- nope. Sometimes I think I'm through being naive, but apparently there's always another cherished fantasy to shatter.
"My head is a graveyard, and the past sleeps there forever," Furat says at one point. I said that "Selamlik"'s narrative is fragmented and disorienting -- disorienting in the way it loops back on itself, from Syria to Sweden to Turkey and around again. There might not be any other way to tell the story of a life shattering. By the end of "Selamlik," Furat's life hasn't yet been rebuilt.
Thanks to World Editions, the author, and NetGalley for the ARC.
November 28, 2020
Eine wichtige Neuerscheinung ist der biographisch gefärbte Roman „Selamlik“ des aus Syrien geflüchteten schwulen Autors Khaled Alesmael, der 2014 in Schweden Asyl beantragt und mittlerweile die Schwedische Staatsbürgerschaft hat. Der Roman gibt unter anderem spannende Einblicke in das Leben der Gay-Community in einem vom Islam geprägten Land, das mittlerweile durch eine jahrelange zermürbende Revolution in weiten Teilen vollends zerstört ist.
Stellenweise sehr explizit schildert der Autor ausschweifendes schwules Leben seiner Figur Furat, sowohl in Damaskus, als auch auf den Stationen seiner Flucht, wie etwa in Istanbul. Für die Hetero-Welt mag das stellenweise etwas schockierend sein, aus schwuler Sicht ist es eine absolut realistische Schilderung – offen, ehrlich, lebensnah, lebensbejahend. Auf den ersten Blick zeigt sich kein sehr grosser Unterschied zur westlichen Subkultur, jedoch ist die Verfolgung, Diffamierung, die akute Lebensgefahr allzeit präsent, ein offen Schwules Leben unmöglich, Man trifft sich heimlich und im Verborgenen, lebt in der Angst vor Denunziation, Verhaftung und Ächtung – die Geheimpolizei ist immer in der Nähe.
Collagenartig und mit verschiedenen Zeit-Ebenen erzählt Alesmael (*1979) diese Geschichte, die wohl nah an seiner eigenen Biographie sein dürfte. Die Homophobie geht weiter, auch auf den Stationen seiner Flucht und in seinem Zielland Schweden in den Asylzentren. Wichtig an diesem Roman ist die Sichtbarkeit von LGBTQI-Flüchtlingen, die in der offiziellen Berichterstattung selten oder gar nicht vorkommen. Lässt man sich auf dieses „Zeitdokument“ der grossen Flüchtlingskrise ein, erfährt man viel Interessantes über Schwules Leben, das so anders ist, als wir es im Westen kennen. Allgegenwärtig im Roman die aufgeladene Sexualität und spontane Geilheit, aber auch das Fremdartige, ja fast schon Exotische, das neugierig macht, man aber leider nur von erschreckenden Meldungen aus den Nachrichten kennt.
Stellenweise sehr explizit schildert der Autor ausschweifendes schwules Leben seiner Figur Furat, sowohl in Damaskus, als auch auf den Stationen seiner Flucht, wie etwa in Istanbul. Für die Hetero-Welt mag das stellenweise etwas schockierend sein, aus schwuler Sicht ist es eine absolut realistische Schilderung – offen, ehrlich, lebensnah, lebensbejahend. Auf den ersten Blick zeigt sich kein sehr grosser Unterschied zur westlichen Subkultur, jedoch ist die Verfolgung, Diffamierung, die akute Lebensgefahr allzeit präsent, ein offen Schwules Leben unmöglich, Man trifft sich heimlich und im Verborgenen, lebt in der Angst vor Denunziation, Verhaftung und Ächtung – die Geheimpolizei ist immer in der Nähe.
Collagenartig und mit verschiedenen Zeit-Ebenen erzählt Alesmael (*1979) diese Geschichte, die wohl nah an seiner eigenen Biographie sein dürfte. Die Homophobie geht weiter, auch auf den Stationen seiner Flucht und in seinem Zielland Schweden in den Asylzentren. Wichtig an diesem Roman ist die Sichtbarkeit von LGBTQI-Flüchtlingen, die in der offiziellen Berichterstattung selten oder gar nicht vorkommen. Lässt man sich auf dieses „Zeitdokument“ der grossen Flüchtlingskrise ein, erfährt man viel Interessantes über Schwules Leben, das so anders ist, als wir es im Westen kennen. Allgegenwärtig im Roman die aufgeladene Sexualität und spontane Geilheit, aber auch das Fremdartige, ja fast schon Exotische, das neugierig macht, man aber leider nur von erschreckenden Meldungen aus den Nachrichten kennt.
February 15, 2024
Many Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This novel is a brilliant juxtaposition of the pre-war Syrian gay bathhouse scene and the trials, tribulations, and horrors of wartime refugees. Our protagonist alternates his narrative between his childhood to early adulthood in Syria, and his post-war adulthood seeking asylum in Sweden. This novel is very dreamlike, with the narrator constantly pulled into fantasies and memories of both his sexual exploits and his wartime experiences. You can expect sexy, terrifying, enlightening, educational, brutal, and then sexy again. The whiplash lends such a real and human feeling to the reading experience.
This novel is an instant addition to the canon of Gay Literature, and is reminiscent in parts of Andrew Holleran's Dancer from the Dance and many other gay classics. I would love to read this novel in the original Arabic; I thought the style and prose was nice, although I do not really take translation into account for my rating.
This novel is a brilliant juxtaposition of the pre-war Syrian gay bathhouse scene and the trials, tribulations, and horrors of wartime refugees. Our protagonist alternates his narrative between his childhood to early adulthood in Syria, and his post-war adulthood seeking asylum in Sweden. This novel is very dreamlike, with the narrator constantly pulled into fantasies and memories of both his sexual exploits and his wartime experiences. You can expect sexy, terrifying, enlightening, educational, brutal, and then sexy again. The whiplash lends such a real and human feeling to the reading experience.
This novel is an instant addition to the canon of Gay Literature, and is reminiscent in parts of Andrew Holleran's Dancer from the Dance and many other gay classics. I would love to read this novel in the original Arabic; I thought the style and prose was nice, although I do not really take translation into account for my rating.
March 14, 2025
The way we get to know Furat through his travels is beautifully done. He never changes who he is, but there are moments when he hides his sexuality—heartbreaking yet necessary for survival, even in places where he believes he is safe.
I really enjoyed the writing style—at times poetic, at times raw. The book moves back and forth in time, weaving together moments from Syria, Sweden, and the spaces in between. While this nonlinear structure made it a bit challenging to follow at times, I found it easier to embrace the chapters as fragments of a larger Story (if that makes sense?!).
Furat is a character you truly feel for and relate to. His world is turned upside down, and all he longs for is safety and freedom. He comes across as a kind, warm person who finds joy in even the smallest things—something I deeply admire.
Narratives like Selamlik have the power to open both eyes and hearts, reminding us that, at our core, we all seek the same things—safety, acceptance, and love.
I really enjoyed the writing style—at times poetic, at times raw. The book moves back and forth in time, weaving together moments from Syria, Sweden, and the spaces in between. While this nonlinear structure made it a bit challenging to follow at times, I found it easier to embrace the chapters as fragments of a larger Story (if that makes sense?!).
Furat is a character you truly feel for and relate to. His world is turned upside down, and all he longs for is safety and freedom. He comes across as a kind, warm person who finds joy in even the smallest things—something I deeply admire.
Narratives like Selamlik have the power to open both eyes and hearts, reminding us that, at our core, we all seek the same things—safety, acceptance, and love.
January 9, 2024
The best aspect of this novel for me was learning about pre-war Syrian "gay" scene. I put gay in scare quotes intentionally and especially because Alesmael lacks any critical distance from the Western identity model of same-sex desire. So much so that some pages are written like little political messages to his fellow Syrians to "raise their awareness" and "become more tolerant" of "gays". I also wanted to know more about the French colonial legacy when it comes to the conceptualisation and experience of same-sex desire. On the other hand, it gave me a better understanding of what was happening politically before and after the outbreak of the war in Syria (note to self: find a decent book about the history of the region). It also made me mourn the fact that I or anyone else will never visit the (in)famous Damascene hammams ever again, but at least we have this trace to remember them by.
January 26, 2019
3,5 ⭐️
Realistiskt om identitet och sex. En hommage till den håriga manskroppen. Spännande språk. Händelserik.
Realistiskt om identitet och sex. En hommage till den håriga manskroppen. Spännande språk. Händelserik.
February 1, 2024
When the Syrian gay Furat falls in love with his roommate Ali in the student dormitory in Aleppo, it is the day before the president's death in June 2000. Both are unsure how to navigate their feelings in a country teetering on the edge. Outside, students are embroiled in a struggle for the next president, while the secret police orchestrates virtual funerals. Despite the turmoil, Furat and Ali choose to hide in their room, discovering the sweetness of forbidden love in a country that criminalizes homosexuality.
The story unfolds as a tale of love, loss, and hope. Furat eventually succeeds in completing his book, submitting it to a Swedish publisher. I love this bright end although I was'nt prepared for the end.
I was captivated by the lyrical language, finding it truly something
We weeped because we're alive
It is a story of survival, and I hope that Selamlik becomes a classic. I've read the Swedish version in 2018 and the English translation from NetGalley in 2024. The English translation stayed with me more, perhaps because Swedish is my third language.
As a Kurdish woman, I appreciate the storyline of Laila, Furat's cousin, and her disbelief in the death of her child. The book is heartbreaking but powerful. Despite the challenges, I love the sense of hope that prevails in the end.
The story unfolds as a tale of love, loss, and hope. Furat eventually succeeds in completing his book, submitting it to a Swedish publisher. I love this bright end although I was'nt prepared for the end.
I was captivated by the lyrical language, finding it truly something
We weeped because we're alive
It is a story of survival, and I hope that Selamlik becomes a classic. I've read the Swedish version in 2018 and the English translation from NetGalley in 2024. The English translation stayed with me more, perhaps because Swedish is my third language.
As a Kurdish woman, I appreciate the storyline of Laila, Furat's cousin, and her disbelief in the death of her child. The book is heartbreaking but powerful. Despite the challenges, I love the sense of hope that prevails in the end.
August 12, 2019
"Vi gråter för Damaskus, vi gråter för al-Ghouta, vi gråter för Deir Ezzour, vi gråter för Aleppo. Vi gråter för våra gator, för Tjuvarnas marknad, vi gråter för hammamerna, vi gråter för lagertvålen, vi gråter för fruktträdgårdarna. Vi gråter för vår egen undergång, vi gråter för vårt ursprung, vi gråter för havet, för jorden. Vi gråter för skuggan av aprikosträden, vi gråter för smaken av apelsin, vi gråter för högarna av melon. Vi gråter för fattigdomen, vi gråter för förtrycket, vi gråter för vår svaghet, vi gråter för al-Thawragatan. Vi gråter för revolutionen, vi gråter för kriget, vi gråter för skammen, vi gråter för nederlaget, vi gråter för att vi är syrier. Vi gråter för spillrorna av vår identitet, vi gråter för vårt språk, vi gråter för våra döda, vi gråter för våra mödrar, våra fäder, våra syskon. Vi gråter för det förflutna, vi gråter för nuet, vi gråter för framtiden. Vi gråter för rädslan, förtvivlan, ensamheten. Vi gråter för våra dörrar, våra hem, våra sängar, vi gråter för våra kuddar, vi gråter för avstånden. Vi gråter för att vi fortfarande är vid liv. Vi gråter för att vi är döda."
February 28, 2021
En viktig bok, som ger mig inte bara ett utan två perspektiv jag inte stöter på ofta... det från en syriansk homosexuell man och de svårigheter, och njutningar, det innebär i såväl Syrien som Sverige är mig främmande, och det berikar att läsa, få en inblick, bjudas in bakom kulissen.
Det från en asylsökande till Sverige är mig mer välbekant som God Man till ensamkommande från 2015, men likförbaskat oerhört viktigt och oerhört ovanligt att läsa, fiktion eller icke-fiktion...
Tyckte om boken, och fann två partier som var outsägligt vackra och sorgsna på en och samma gång:
... överväldigad av levande minnen från ett liv begravt i spillror. (Sidan 31)
Jag vill fly världens mörker till mitt eget inre mörker. Det förra är jag rädd för och det senare finner jag vilsamt. Gränsen mellan dem är min egen hud. Mitt inre mörker är vidsträckt som havet, dess ljus är lätt och dess skönhet ljuv. (Sidan 92)
Det från en asylsökande till Sverige är mig mer välbekant som God Man till ensamkommande från 2015, men likförbaskat oerhört viktigt och oerhört ovanligt att läsa, fiktion eller icke-fiktion...
Tyckte om boken, och fann två partier som var outsägligt vackra och sorgsna på en och samma gång:
... överväldigad av levande minnen från ett liv begravt i spillror. (Sidan 31)
Jag vill fly världens mörker till mitt eget inre mörker. Det förra är jag rädd för och det senare finner jag vilsamt. Gränsen mellan dem är min egen hud. Mitt inre mörker är vidsträckt som havet, dess ljus är lätt och dess skönhet ljuv. (Sidan 92)
October 3, 2024
This is a gentle exploration of humanity and home. The real question that Alesmael seems to be exploring is what does asylum, or safety, really feel like. Not just asylum from a dictator, from a government or military, but asylum from a world that repeatedly tells you that your existence is a sin. How can our bodies, and the bodies of others that we fleetingly share, become a sort of asylum, a personal safety that allows for distance from external violence and chaos? The writing is both direct and dreamy, with a really beautiful sense of place, a texture that lets you really feel as if you’re there. It is imbued with an almost tactile sense of longing, but one that isn’t just for flesh, and it isn’t just for safety, either. It is a longing for home, for the Syria that the protagonist loves and remembers, for the freedom and joy of his youth as his mother and brothers weave him a world of compassion and play, but for that home, that safety, to embrace and hold his queerness, too. He is constantly pulled between the past and the future, and the story highlights that by going back and forth between his life in Syria and his arrival in Sweden seeking asylum.
The novel reads more like a memoir than a novel, in my opinion. For some that may be appealing, and it does allow us to get a really good sense of time and place, it makes Damascus and other parts of the Syria where he lived feel real. But for me it made the story a little less compelling. I didn’t feel like there was any strong propulsion, because my investment in his experiences in Sweden were literally framed as devices for him to remember his life in Syria. So while I had the chance to explore this ethereal idea of safety, of wanting to finally be free in your skin and your love, the story itself didn’t pull me along. It was a bunch of vignettes pieced together, so I had a hard time going on a journey with the protagonist.
I enjoyed reading it, both for the language and for the inviting way it opened up for me cultures and places that I would never the chance to experience on my own. I also think the ideas of safety, of belonging, of constantly longing for something that would let you feel truly you but is always just out of reach. And the writing had a dreamlike quality that made it seem like we were viewing everything through a scrim, through a lens that had been dabbed with Vaseline, and that felt appropriate given how unrooted our protagonist is. Still I would have liked there to be something more propelling, something in the present-day storyline, at least, to show growth and change and emotional development. The memoir-vibe just didn’t excite me as much as other possibilities this story could have taken, but your mileage will vary. I am glad I had the chance to experience this, and it definitely makes me interested to see what else Alesmael will write.
(I suppose I should add that this English translation was done by Leri Price, and while I obviously cannot compare it to the original I thought it was great.)
I want to thank the author, the publisher World Editions, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The novel reads more like a memoir than a novel, in my opinion. For some that may be appealing, and it does allow us to get a really good sense of time and place, it makes Damascus and other parts of the Syria where he lived feel real. But for me it made the story a little less compelling. I didn’t feel like there was any strong propulsion, because my investment in his experiences in Sweden were literally framed as devices for him to remember his life in Syria. So while I had the chance to explore this ethereal idea of safety, of wanting to finally be free in your skin and your love, the story itself didn’t pull me along. It was a bunch of vignettes pieced together, so I had a hard time going on a journey with the protagonist.
I enjoyed reading it, both for the language and for the inviting way it opened up for me cultures and places that I would never the chance to experience on my own. I also think the ideas of safety, of belonging, of constantly longing for something that would let you feel truly you but is always just out of reach. And the writing had a dreamlike quality that made it seem like we were viewing everything through a scrim, through a lens that had been dabbed with Vaseline, and that felt appropriate given how unrooted our protagonist is. Still I would have liked there to be something more propelling, something in the present-day storyline, at least, to show growth and change and emotional development. The memoir-vibe just didn’t excite me as much as other possibilities this story could have taken, but your mileage will vary. I am glad I had the chance to experience this, and it definitely makes me interested to see what else Alesmael will write.
(I suppose I should add that this English translation was done by Leri Price, and while I obviously cannot compare it to the original I thought it was great.)
I want to thank the author, the publisher World Editions, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 18, 2024
Selamlik is a male only area in a palace. In the novel, this is widened to include any segregated space: the male only university dormitory where Furat is studying English literature, the haraam where he cruises, the Swedish hostel where he escapes to, as a refugee, and ultimately the male world in which he seeks an open identity.
The novel is a series of vignettes that shift between the present, Furat's life in Sweden, and his past in Syria. These episodes vary in quality: some are finely narrated and others are raw and rather clumsy. The novel lurches between sections that are exquisite short stories, such as "The Graveyard of Aseda" and others that are simply sensationalist, "Tattoo." The quieter the writing is the more successful it becomes. When Alasmael's tone borders on memoir, he is evocative, moving, and memorable.
A major problem with Selamlik is how it fails to counter misogyny. This male world in which Furat's life unfolds is all male and women are flat characters sometimes put on the same level as animals. Probably, this is a true representation of Furat's life, but the women-hating makes unpalatable reading on many occasions. Ultimately, the fractured nature of the novel left me feeling that the novel was imbalanced -- too much Syria, not enough Sweden, here and there with a key part missing: the refugee's crossing of Europe.
The novel is a series of vignettes that shift between the present, Furat's life in Sweden, and his past in Syria. These episodes vary in quality: some are finely narrated and others are raw and rather clumsy. The novel lurches between sections that are exquisite short stories, such as "The Graveyard of Aseda" and others that are simply sensationalist, "Tattoo." The quieter the writing is the more successful it becomes. When Alasmael's tone borders on memoir, he is evocative, moving, and memorable.
A major problem with Selamlik is how it fails to counter misogyny. This male world in which Furat's life unfolds is all male and women are flat characters sometimes put on the same level as animals. Probably, this is a true representation of Furat's life, but the women-hating makes unpalatable reading on many occasions. Ultimately, the fractured nature of the novel left me feeling that the novel was imbalanced -- too much Syria, not enough Sweden, here and there with a key part missing: the refugee's crossing of Europe.
November 23, 2020
Om inte en av de bästa så i alla fall en av de viktigaste böcker jag läst i år. En inblick i en annan värld som bygger broar till min egen. Språket är lätt och ledigt utan att bli färglöst, vilket tyder på en bra översättning. Om boken bara hade handlat om livet i Syrien hade jag gett boken en femma, men även de andra delarna var viktiga och intressanta på sitt sätt.
February 13, 2021
Kanske inte nåt litterärt mästerverk direkt, men viktig. Känns realistisk. Väldigt lättläst. Utmanade en del av mina fördomar. Absolut läsvärd.
February 4, 2025
what a singular story and perspective. i loved learning about queer culture in a pre-war syria and the unique perspective of fleeing and being a refugee while being a gay man. well written, entertaining and in many cases soft and beautiful. there is a lot of gay sex and group sex in this book, so if you're sensitive to that kind of thing maybe this isn't for you.
January 30, 2024
After fleeing war torn Syria, Furat is trying to settle in Sweden with many other Middle Eastern men who are also fleeing various wars.
Told as almost a diary, Selamlik (a male only dormitory) follows Furat as a young gay man on his journey growing up in Syria. Living life closeted, but a part of the underground gay scene. He tells the sorry lovers, of visits to hammams with other closeted men, of country torn apart in a way that he doesn’t recognise it as the country of his youth, and the journey he takes to escape. His dreams of seeking asylum in Sweden come with one reason: to live as an out gay man. But is this be possible when he is surrounded by men whose views remain in their homeland?
This was a great read. The writing was almost poetic and very visual to me. As a @netgalley pick, I must admit the cover drew me in 😅 but once I started reading I couldn’t put it down.
The life of a gay man in a country where being gay isn’t accepted was super interesting to me in the ways that they build connections and find each other. Of course the way they get to fulfil their needs also plays a part here, from the bathhouses to the parks, from word of mouth, to the straights who just don’t care as long as they get their rocks off.
On the other hand, it was heartbreaking to read of the difficulties Furat faced settling in Sweden. The unknown aspects of his time in Sweden, his inability to love his authentic self due to the homophobia he experiences from the other asylum seekers, it makes you wonder if he feels the struggle of the journey was worth it, as he was having more men in Syria than Sweden, which leads him to fantasise about the other men he loves with. Some of these fantasies written in such beautiful detail.
Selamlik was originally published in 2018, but the English translation is out April 2 2024.
Told as almost a diary, Selamlik (a male only dormitory) follows Furat as a young gay man on his journey growing up in Syria. Living life closeted, but a part of the underground gay scene. He tells the sorry lovers, of visits to hammams with other closeted men, of country torn apart in a way that he doesn’t recognise it as the country of his youth, and the journey he takes to escape. His dreams of seeking asylum in Sweden come with one reason: to live as an out gay man. But is this be possible when he is surrounded by men whose views remain in their homeland?
This was a great read. The writing was almost poetic and very visual to me. As a @netgalley pick, I must admit the cover drew me in 😅 but once I started reading I couldn’t put it down.
The life of a gay man in a country where being gay isn’t accepted was super interesting to me in the ways that they build connections and find each other. Of course the way they get to fulfil their needs also plays a part here, from the bathhouses to the parks, from word of mouth, to the straights who just don’t care as long as they get their rocks off.
On the other hand, it was heartbreaking to read of the difficulties Furat faced settling in Sweden. The unknown aspects of his time in Sweden, his inability to love his authentic self due to the homophobia he experiences from the other asylum seekers, it makes you wonder if he feels the struggle of the journey was worth it, as he was having more men in Syria than Sweden, which leads him to fantasise about the other men he loves with. Some of these fantasies written in such beautiful detail.
Selamlik was originally published in 2018, but the English translation is out April 2 2024.
February 12, 2024
Khaled Alesmael’s debut novel ‘Selamlik’ is an important, heartbreakingly brutal, yet beautifully honest semi-autobiographical account depicting life for Arab gay men in both Syria and Sweden during the early 2000s.
Furat, named after the Euphrates River, is a gay Syrian man trying to find love in a country that does not accept him or others like him. He escapes to Sweden in the hope of living a better life as his true self, only to discover the harsh reality of what it means to be a gay, Arab immigrant in a white-dominated European country.
As we follow Furat on his journey for love and acceptance, the book describes in horrific detail the political climate in Syria and the persecution suffered by the LGBTQ+ community. And it’s this detail which sets this book apart from its peers.
As mentioned, the story switches between Syria and Sweden at various points in Furat’s life. We’d hope that Sweden would offer refuge and acceptance, but sadly at best he’s seen as an erotic novelty, only to be discarded and disregarded once he’s had his use. He finds more love in a country that prohibits it and carries a jail sentence, than in what we would all perceive as a progressive and open country. In Sweden he faces nothing but exclusion and discrimination.
It’s a harrowing and difficult read in places, and that’s exactly as it should be. We do not have nearly enough accounts in Western literature of life for queer Arab people. So writers such as Alesmael need to be read and heard. Outstanding.
Thank you to NetGalley and World Editions for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Furat, named after the Euphrates River, is a gay Syrian man trying to find love in a country that does not accept him or others like him. He escapes to Sweden in the hope of living a better life as his true self, only to discover the harsh reality of what it means to be a gay, Arab immigrant in a white-dominated European country.
As we follow Furat on his journey for love and acceptance, the book describes in horrific detail the political climate in Syria and the persecution suffered by the LGBTQ+ community. And it’s this detail which sets this book apart from its peers.
As mentioned, the story switches between Syria and Sweden at various points in Furat’s life. We’d hope that Sweden would offer refuge and acceptance, but sadly at best he’s seen as an erotic novelty, only to be discarded and disregarded once he’s had his use. He finds more love in a country that prohibits it and carries a jail sentence, than in what we would all perceive as a progressive and open country. In Sweden he faces nothing but exclusion and discrimination.
It’s a harrowing and difficult read in places, and that’s exactly as it should be. We do not have nearly enough accounts in Western literature of life for queer Arab people. So writers such as Alesmael need to be read and heard. Outstanding.
Thank you to NetGalley and World Editions for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2024
A beautifully written book telling a nonlinear story about a gay man who flees Syria and immigrates to Sweden. The descriptions are lyrical, the details come alive, and he does a fantastic job of describing the feelings of gay men everywhere. Bravo to both the author and the translator.
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February 4, 2024i read this as an ARC from netgalley and i’m so glad i did. i learnt a lot about both gay syrian culture as well as the experience of syrian refugee seeking asylum. furat, the protagonist, awaits his fate in a house for asylum seekers, recounting his life and relationships in syria as well as reflecting on his experience in sweden. it’s harrowing at times, but also has an air of hope. if you get the chance to read this, do.
February 23, 2023
Eindrückliche und bewegende Fluchtgeschichte eines homosexuellen Syrers, der auch im vermeintlich sicheren Schweden noch unter Homophobie leidet.
Für meinen Geschmack jedoch in manchen Kapiteln zu pornografisch, bzw. der pornografische Aspekt erfüllt für mich keine ersichtliche Funktion im Erzählen und wirkt damit unpassend auf mich!
Für meinen Geschmack jedoch in manchen Kapiteln zu pornografisch, bzw. der pornografische Aspekt erfüllt für mich keine ersichtliche Funktion im Erzählen und wirkt damit unpassend auf mich!
April 16, 2025
a stimulating, heartbreaking, and homoerotic read. 4.5 stars.
this is such a singular story: a queer man’s escape from syria to sweden, dealing with loss of life & love, culture, damascus, childhood memories, family, refugee encampments, hammams, and lots of sex.
spoiler-y: cried at every mention of furat’s memories with his mother in it. especially her gifting him his childhood sock on his 30th birthday.
was going through a bit of reading block - would’ve devoured this book in 1-2 days otherwise. very short read.
this is such a singular story: a queer man’s escape from syria to sweden, dealing with loss of life & love, culture, damascus, childhood memories, family, refugee encampments, hammams, and lots of sex.
spoiler-y: cried at every mention of furat’s memories with his mother in it. especially her gifting him his childhood sock on his 30th birthday.
was going through a bit of reading block - would’ve devoured this book in 1-2 days otherwise. very short read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2025
In ‘Selamlik’, the narrator, Furat, flees Syria for Sweden. Here, In this unfamiliar, forested world, he reflects upon his homosexual awakening in his Arabic homeland—the underground gay scene of Damascene cruising and hookups in the hammams. The bookcover bespeaks erotica, and for sure this novel is as steamy as the bathhouses the protagonist patronises. However, after the author visited my bookclub and told us that the image was intentionally chosen to reflect the impression of masculinity many Middle Eastern men present to the world (at least on gay dating apps), this cover struck me as possessing a poignant depth I hadn’t before appreciated. This is true for the novel as a whole; beneath the fantasies and fucking is a moving exploration of the precarities of asylum seeking and difficulties of assimilation. These two things—the risqué and the realities of refugee experience—often sit incongruously, but brilliantly, side by side—an animal print jock strap on a perilous boat journey. Likewise, while it took be a bit of time to get into its flow, the retrospective non-linearity of the narration aroused a similarly jarring effect. Both the structure and the content, then, importantly challenged any broad-brush assumptions or perceived burden of representation I had prior.
February 2, 2024
The story of refugees that the news will never tell, or a Western author may not provide such profound insights. This novel, written in Arabic, boasts the uniqueness of its lyrical language, vivid descriptions, and an authentic voice. Translator Leri Price has done an excellent job, understanding the queer voice of the writer.
Furat, the protagonist, hails from a city devastated by war and ongoing conflicts. The writer opts to sidestep the conflicts covered by news channels, guiding us to a serene bank at the Euphrates. Here, he shares a story from his childhood, recounting his rebellion against the stern Imam, his mother's adoption of a puppy, and his admiration for bearded men at the neighborhood mosque.
The steamy, hot, and erotic language takes precedence over the bloody events of war. While Syria is recognized as a war-torn country, the revelation of two young lovers making passionate love under their bed in the suburbs in 2012 in Damascus .
The war thrusts Furat onto European shores after a BDSM night with an American tourist in Istanbul. Leaving a hotel bed, Furat joins 60 other refugees on a rubber boat. Surviving the death Mediterranean journey, Furat, clad in a jockstrap, cleverly defies refugee stereotypes. This chapter is left me like WOW.
One aspect I didn't like about this book is that it left me yearning for more.
In 2020, during her masterclass, Joyce Carol Oates mentioned that no one has written a novel composed of short stories, or short stories forming a novel. She should read this book, already published in 2018 but in Swedish and German. "Selamlik" is a novel composed of short stories, with each short story structured into brief chapters. The narrative is truly original and unique, I must say.
I anticipate this book to gain prominence in LGBTQ+ literature. Having read two books by different authors about gays in MENA but written in English, with an approach more tailored to please Western readers, this book stands out as authentic and well-written.
Furat, the protagonist, hails from a city devastated by war and ongoing conflicts. The writer opts to sidestep the conflicts covered by news channels, guiding us to a serene bank at the Euphrates. Here, he shares a story from his childhood, recounting his rebellion against the stern Imam, his mother's adoption of a puppy, and his admiration for bearded men at the neighborhood mosque.
The steamy, hot, and erotic language takes precedence over the bloody events of war. While Syria is recognized as a war-torn country, the revelation of two young lovers making passionate love under their bed in the suburbs in 2012 in Damascus .
The war thrusts Furat onto European shores after a BDSM night with an American tourist in Istanbul. Leaving a hotel bed, Furat joins 60 other refugees on a rubber boat. Surviving the death Mediterranean journey, Furat, clad in a jockstrap, cleverly defies refugee stereotypes. This chapter is left me like WOW.
One aspect I didn't like about this book is that it left me yearning for more.
In 2020, during her masterclass, Joyce Carol Oates mentioned that no one has written a novel composed of short stories, or short stories forming a novel. She should read this book, already published in 2018 but in Swedish and German. "Selamlik" is a novel composed of short stories, with each short story structured into brief chapters. The narrative is truly original and unique, I must say.
I anticipate this book to gain prominence in LGBTQ+ literature. Having read two books by different authors about gays in MENA but written in English, with an approach more tailored to please Western readers, this book stands out as authentic and well-written.
January 26, 2024
After fleeing war torn Syria, Furat is trying to settle in Sweden with many other Middle Eastern men who are also fleeing various wars.
Told as almost a diary, Selamlik (a male only dormitory) follows Furat as a young gay man on his journey growing up in Syria. Living life closeted, but a part of the underground gay scene. He tells the sorry lovers, of visits to hammams with other closeted men, of country torn apart in a way that he doesn’t recognise it as the country of his youth, and the journey he takes to escape. His dreams of seeking asylum in Sweden come with one reason: to live as an out gay man. But is this be possible when he is surrounded by men whose views remain in their homeland?
This was a great read. The writing was almost poetic and very visual to me. As a @netgalley pick, I must admit the cover drew me in 😅 but once I started reading I couldn’t put it down.
The life of a gay man in a country where being gay isn’t accepted was super interesting to me in the ways that they build connections and find each other. Of course the way they get to fulfil their needs also plays a part here, from the bathhouses to the parks, from word of mouth, to the straights who just don’t care as long as they get their rocks off.
On the other hand, it was heartbreaking to read of the difficulties Furat faced settling in Sweden. The unknown aspects of his time in Sweden, his inability to love his authentic self due to the homophobia he experiences from the other asylum seekers, it makes you wonder if he feels the struggle of the journey was worth it, as he was having more men in Syria than Sweden, which leads him to fantasise about the other men he loves with. Some of these fantasies written in such beautiful detail
Told as almost a diary, Selamlik (a male only dormitory) follows Furat as a young gay man on his journey growing up in Syria. Living life closeted, but a part of the underground gay scene. He tells the sorry lovers, of visits to hammams with other closeted men, of country torn apart in a way that he doesn’t recognise it as the country of his youth, and the journey he takes to escape. His dreams of seeking asylum in Sweden come with one reason: to live as an out gay man. But is this be possible when he is surrounded by men whose views remain in their homeland?
This was a great read. The writing was almost poetic and very visual to me. As a @netgalley pick, I must admit the cover drew me in 😅 but once I started reading I couldn’t put it down.
The life of a gay man in a country where being gay isn’t accepted was super interesting to me in the ways that they build connections and find each other. Of course the way they get to fulfil their needs also plays a part here, from the bathhouses to the parks, from word of mouth, to the straights who just don’t care as long as they get their rocks off.
On the other hand, it was heartbreaking to read of the difficulties Furat faced settling in Sweden. The unknown aspects of his time in Sweden, his inability to love his authentic self due to the homophobia he experiences from the other asylum seekers, it makes you wonder if he feels the struggle of the journey was worth it, as he was having more men in Syria than Sweden, which leads him to fantasise about the other men he loves with. Some of these fantasies written in such beautiful detail
April 16, 2024
This book was so interesting and worth a read for every gay guy out there.
With this book we get a look into the gay life of a Syrian refugee. This was a perspective I have never read anything about and it was great to be able to follow such a story. It gave me insights on things I haven't much thought about before. It was clear as well that this book was very rooted in reality and the authors own experiences in life.
This book was also extremely sexy in a way I'm not really used to. I read a lot of erotica, but it felt like the vibes of this book were very different from most I read. It didn't use the same stories as popular erotica is doing at the moment and that was a very fun fresh wind. Don't get me wrong, I love the way erotica is done in the moment by a lot of big indie names, but having totally different vibes to the story was very fun too.
The way the story is told with chapters that don't continue into each other was actually very enjoyable. I usually like linear stories a bit better as I'm easy to confuse things, but that was not the case for this book at all because every chapter felt very distinctive. There was a chapter centered around a cemetery that touched me deeply, but other chapters full of hot moments were a big favorite too. Honestly there wasn't a chapter I didn't find interesting or enjoyed.
All together this book is a must read in my opinion and I will be sure to recommend it to my friends.
4.75 stars rounded up
I received an eARC through Netgalley and this was my honest review.
With this book we get a look into the gay life of a Syrian refugee. This was a perspective I have never read anything about and it was great to be able to follow such a story. It gave me insights on things I haven't much thought about before. It was clear as well that this book was very rooted in reality and the authors own experiences in life.
This book was also extremely sexy in a way I'm not really used to. I read a lot of erotica, but it felt like the vibes of this book were very different from most I read. It didn't use the same stories as popular erotica is doing at the moment and that was a very fun fresh wind. Don't get me wrong, I love the way erotica is done in the moment by a lot of big indie names, but having totally different vibes to the story was very fun too.
The way the story is told with chapters that don't continue into each other was actually very enjoyable. I usually like linear stories a bit better as I'm easy to confuse things, but that was not the case for this book at all because every chapter felt very distinctive. There was a chapter centered around a cemetery that touched me deeply, but other chapters full of hot moments were a big favorite too. Honestly there wasn't a chapter I didn't find interesting or enjoyed.
All together this book is a must read in my opinion and I will be sure to recommend it to my friends.
4.75 stars rounded up
I received an eARC through Netgalley and this was my honest review.
January 23, 2024
This was such a heartwrenching read for me. The book is emotive, raw and takes the reader through some beautiful memories.
From the moment it starts, it follows Furat in pre-war Syria as he explores his homosexuality to the events that lead him to immigrating to Sweden. I think Alesmael's description of the experience of being an immigrant in Sweden and the complete shock to everything he knows is one that is sorely lacking from fiction books in general. The time jumps keeps the memories and the sense of who Furat was before and who he is now fresh in the mind of the reader and makes the juxtaposition even more tangible.
The description of Syria, and providing a different experience to life there is one that should not be understated. The gay scene in the Middle East is rarely ever described, nor given the proper room to portray the nuance and complexities of what it is like to be gay in Syria and broader in the Middle East. Reading Furat's experiences with other homosexual men and navigating these fleeting but impactful relationships made this book that much better.
The language Alesmael is poetic and lyrical which makes sense since Arabic is heavily predicated on poetry and lyricism, and I think the translator did a good job of translating the prose. I wish I had the book in Arabic so that I could compare and experience his use of words first hand.
So glad I read it, and I hope to see more of Khaled Alesmael in bookstores around the world.
From the moment it starts, it follows Furat in pre-war Syria as he explores his homosexuality to the events that lead him to immigrating to Sweden. I think Alesmael's description of the experience of being an immigrant in Sweden and the complete shock to everything he knows is one that is sorely lacking from fiction books in general. The time jumps keeps the memories and the sense of who Furat was before and who he is now fresh in the mind of the reader and makes the juxtaposition even more tangible.
The description of Syria, and providing a different experience to life there is one that should not be understated. The gay scene in the Middle East is rarely ever described, nor given the proper room to portray the nuance and complexities of what it is like to be gay in Syria and broader in the Middle East. Reading Furat's experiences with other homosexual men and navigating these fleeting but impactful relationships made this book that much better.
The language Alesmael is poetic and lyrical which makes sense since Arabic is heavily predicated on poetry and lyricism, and I think the translator did a good job of translating the prose. I wish I had the book in Arabic so that I could compare and experience his use of words first hand.
So glad I read it, and I hope to see more of Khaled Alesmael in bookstores around the world.
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