Author: Leila Aboulela
Pages: 224
Publisher: Grove Atlantic
Release Date: 22nd February 2019
Genre: Short stories, Sudanese culture
Format: Kindle
{GoodReads Synopsis}
From one of our finest contemporary writers whose work has been praised by J.M. Coetzee, Ali Smith and Aminatta Forna, Leila Aboulela's Elsewhere, Home offers us a rich tableau of life as an immigrant abroad, attempting to navigate the conflicts of assimilation and difference in an unfamiliar world.
Shuttling between the dusty, sun-baked streets of Khartoum and the university halls and cramped apartments of Aberdeen and London, Elsewhere, Home explores, with subtlety and restraint, the profound feelings of yearning, loss and alienation that come with leaving one's homeland in pursuit of a different life.
Shuttling between the dusty, sun-baked streets of Khartoum and the university halls and cramped apartments of Aberdeen and London, Elsewhere, Home explores, with subtlety and restraint, the profound feelings of yearning, loss and alienation that come with leaving one's homeland in pursuit of a different life.
{My thoughts}
I could see little happiness. A lot of resignation, the longing for the roots home, but also the pull of a better, modern life. There is no better place or better choice. No character can be judged, but as a reader you can just accept them and feel for them. The characters are from different backgrounds so this gives a more inclusive perspective on the Sudanese culture.
What surprised me was that despite having no knowledge of the Sudanese culture and literature, these stories read in a universal language - literally and figuratively. If it were any other country from the East, the feelings the characters would be similar to those in this collection. The life of an immigrant is never easy nor black and white and you can see this clearly in these stories. The unlikely connections and graspings for belonging in Scotland are endearing and makes you wish all the best for these characters. The characters are never just people on paper; not few times did I think about the people who maybe inspired each story: the unlikely, the sad, the unexpected. At times I feared that the clash of cultures will lead couples, spouses or parents and children apart. The tapestry is rich in colour, and each story brings something new.
I must confess that some stories read a bit slower as they are not easy to get into. However, it was fun to see how each person got to Sudan or Scotland and read along to see where the story led. The plan is to read more from this author.
I received a free e-book copy from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.
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