Only in London by Hanan al-Shaykh

Review by Omowaleayo Wale-Olaitan

The short:

This is a novel about four strangers whose lives intersect after meeting on a tumultuous plane ride. The novel explores themes of sexuality, gender, and immigration intercepting stories from each characters’ point of view.

The long:

Hanan Al-Shaykh uses this novel to underscore the psyche of an immigrant weaving across two worlds. She takes us into the vibrant Arab communities in London and the journeys of members of those communities. By focusing on non-typical characters, a divorcee, a prostitute, and a homosexual, she highlights the travails of the outcasts in the society and the mental strain of their circumstances on them. Lamis, the main character is a divorcee who falls in love with an Englishman but is not quite free from the shackles of her past family life; which affects their relationship. In the novel, she also goes through a journey of finding herself, determining where she fits in as an immigrant in London. The characters grow through their circumstances and life struggles, understanding themselves and finding themselves in the land of the free, London. The novel also explores themes of class and identity.

To read or not to read:

Read. It is not a fast paced novel but it is a good commentary on the immigrant and Arab lifestyle especially from the female perspective.