As we embark on a literary reflection of 2024, the instinct is to think of it as being bleak and indicating receding hope, much like the reality around us. But the fictional world in fact has shown much-needed joy and positivity, wrapping the year in a world of possibilities. This is true for international fiction, including Arabic works.
The year began with Kristin Hannah’s ‘The Women’, which explored the untold story of American women in Vietnam and their contribution to the war effort. The novel tells the story of one woman but is about many such women who went into untrodden territory to help others.
Comic fiction came in the form of ‘You are here’ by David Nicholls. Set in the pristine natural backdrop of the lake district, the novel traces tentative relationships of couples who bring emotional, not to speak of physical baggage, to a hiking trip.
The world novel also saw its fair share of adulation. This was the year when acclaimed Colombian writer Gabriel Marquez’s unpublished novel ‘Until August,” was published by the author’s sons. Although initially a draft, the novel is said to be “a profound meditation on freedom, regret, self-transformation and the mysteries of love,” according to the publishers.
The much acclaimed Indian writer Anita Desai brought out a novel ‘Rosarita’ which tells the story of a young student who travels to Mexico and meets a stranger who may have known her mother. The lyrical quality of the novel dwells on the themes of memory, grief and the need to take one’s own path without the burden of the past. The novel is a welcome surprise from Desai who has not published in a long while.
Fiction set in the Arab world has also seen a wide variety of representation. Sara Haddad’s novella ‘The Sunbird’ tells the story of an 85-year old woman who keeps her plants in pots because she does not want them to be rooted in an alien land. The novel is a poignant testament to the Palestinian cause in a year that saw so much pain for a people who yearn to be able to belong to their land.
There are also experimental, graphic novels which have been translated from Arabic to English, the most popular one being Ziadé’s ‘My port of Beirut’ translated by Emma Ramadan. Its captivating account of the city and its resilience, shown in the graphic form, is a testament to the struggles and triumphs of residents in this beautiful city.
Last but definitely not least, Omani author Jokha Al Harthi’s novel ‘Silken Gazelles’ was translated into English by Marilyn Booth who had translated her previous two novels. This latest novel revolves around two women raised as sisters but separated by tragedy. It is a tale of friendship and childhood love wrapped in the language of resilience.
Fiction often has a way of showing the way towards hope and light in an otherwise dark world. It is to fiction that we turn when the world around us seems uncertain. The world of fiction has not failed us this year, giving us much needed succor and promising happiness as we look forward to a new year.
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