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The
Map of Love
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Reviewed
By Joanne McEwan
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17/07/2002
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 Author:
Ahdaf Soueif
Publisher:
Bloomsbury, 1999.
Pages:
529
The
cover of the book is like a dreamy ad for one of those discovery
holidays, “Sail a felucca on the Nile,”
advertised in the Sunday newspapers. The title is rather
non-descript and, sorry to say, faintly reminds me of one of
Danielle Steele’s bestsellers. In spite of that, this book is
captivating.
Short-listed for the 1999 Booker prize, The Map of Love was
voted the "best read". Ahdaf Soueif does more than keep
the reader in his/her chair. She employs the political reality and
historical truth into a moving piece of fiction, subtlety educating
and awakening the reader. Soueif writes in a tone and rhythm that is
mesmerizing.
The
Map of Love
is a love story set in two eras – the beginning and the end of the
twentieth century. In the 1990s, Isobel, an American journalist,
travels to
Egypt
and visits Amal, her distant relative. She leaves her an old trunk
belonging to her English great grandmother, Lady Anna, who made a
similar journey in 1900. Amal is set the task of piecing together
Anna’s letters, notes and journals, and the letters of her own
grandmother, Leila, to uncover a forgotten family history.
The
events of the two eras are cleverly told in parallel through
Anna’s writings and the present day lives of Amal and Isobel.
Through Amal’s own knowledge of the familial and political history
of that era, she muses on the bits in between, the bits Anna did not
write about, and what starts as the odd letter and entry in a diary
evolves into a vibrant story. Amal becomes absorbed in Anna’s life
and subsequently begins to reflect on her own lonely.
The
Map of Love
is such a capacious novel. There are so many events it is difficult
to recount them all.
Probably
where the story starts to quicken pace is when Anna plans an
expedition through the desert to St. Catherine’s Monastery in
Sinai, disguised as an Arab man. Anna had grown to detest ex-pat
culture in colonial Egypt,
which frowned upon an English lady to undertake such an adventure
let alone without a barrage of servants and military chaperones.
However, her journey is cut short when she and her male servant are
taken hostage by some foolhardy anti-colonialists acting without the
approval of their political leaders. The men report their deed to
Sharif Al-Baroudi Basha, a Nationalist, one of the elite and a
dignified man vehemently against the British occupation. He abhors
the action of his fellow compatriots and is deeply apologetic to
Lady Anna. He insists that she continue her journey in a larger
party, including himself, and the scene is set for a romance between
the Lady and the Basha.
In
the present day, Isobel has fallen for Amal’s brother, Omar,
decades her senior. A successful composer and musician in the U.S.,
he is no stranger to
female admiration. Isobel’s sentiments are met with Omar’s
aloofness until his feelings change course. Despite his newfound
Americanized lifestyle, he remains a staunch supporter of the
Palestinian cause (having a Palestinian mother).
This
book can easily be appreciated for its adventures, love story and
intrigues, but Soueif adds much more than a romance in the mystique
of Cairo.
The politics of the past and more recent past as well as religion,
social values, art and architecture all play significant roles.
Soueif interlocks the political events into the story so well that
the colonial history of
Egypt
is incandescently vivid and many times better than a history book.
Names
like Sheikh Muhammad `Abdu, Ahmed `Urabi, Mustafa Kamel and Lord
Cromer all come to life even though their relationship to the main
characters are minimal and coincidental. Readers who are unaware of
modern Egyptian history, however, may either be enlightened or find
the frequent reference to it a bit confounding.
In
the 1990’s, more recent events like the injustices in
Palestine,
the Luxor
massacre, and Islamic extremist terrorists fill the political
background. Soueif does not wince on her opposition to the State of
Israel.
But
how does the writer portray Egypt
and her citizens in that
realistic atmosphere they deserve? Soueif offers more than the usual
descriptions of Cairene streets and Egyptian summers.
In
this case she interestingly chooses to preserve many Arabic
expressions. For example there are a plethora of greetings and
idioms in direct speech that are almost literally translated. All
are essential aspects of everyday communication that almost seem
cumbersome in the culture of the English language. ‘May your
bounty have increased,’ ‘May your hands be saved,’ ‘May the
name live long,’ ‘God will compensate your patience.’ Soueif
also transliterates many words like marhab (welcome), khalas
yakhti (enough my sister), alfa mabrouk (a thousand
congratulations). Even Amreeka is employed instead of plain
old America
.
But
the linguistic element does not stop at colloquial Arabic.
Throughout the story Isobel and Anna strive to learn the language. One can sense Soueif’s own love for Classical Arabic as she gently
schools the reader on how every Arabic word has a root verb and all
words are derived and conjugated from them. It makes learning Arabic
seem so easy.
As
the story unfolds similar paths in the lives of all the characters
of each era emerge. Lady Anna makes Egypt
her home and Isobel tries to find home in
Egypt
but flits between both it and the US.
Omar and Sharif Basha are politically active but Omar has
relinquished so much of his culture and religion unlike his great
uncle.
There
are subtle ironies and twists although the most alarming is the
question of Isobel’s parentage. Soueif does not wholly conclude on
this issue leaving the reader a bit mystified. There is also part
about the missing piece of rug that Anna had made, which
‘magically’ turns up in Isobel’s bag. I reread this section
many times trying to search for a logical explanation that I thought
I had missed. But I didn’t find one. This is supposed to be the
supernatural part. Since Soueif cleverly entwines the truth into
fiction, it seems rather out of place.
One
can imagine The Map of Love televised: an epic serial in many
parts. But with the anti-Israeli element it probably wouldn’t get
as far as the scriptwriter’s desk. At the onset of the recent
Intifada, Soueif entered a turbulent dialogue with pro-Zionists in
the “Letters to the Editor” section of The Times. This
novel has obviously earned her the reputation as an astute political
analyst. It is precisely such strength, however, which prizes her as
an exemplary novelist.
Time,
love, death, family, tyranny, despair and freedom: the Map of Love
is a moving and wistful novel. For anyone who is acquainted with Egypt
it will give a subtle breath of nostalgia. For those who are not,
they’ll be looking out those ads in the Sunday papers.
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