Lyrics Alley by Leila Aboulela, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, $32.99
Nur Abuzeid has it all, he’s the heir to his father’s business empire, and he’s betrothed to Soraya, the girl he loves. He’s a gentle, optimistic soul, and this is a gentle story of love and growth.
When poor Nur is badly injured in an accident, its repercussions ripple through his wealthy Sudanese family. His father, Mahmoud Abuzeid, struggles to cope, and his relationships with both of his wives change greatly.
His younger Egyptian wife yearns for a sophisticated life in Cairo, away from the ignorant influence of wife number one, Hajjah Waheeba. Soraya’s future changes dramatically, but not necessarily for the worse.
Lyrics Alley is set in the heat and dust of 1950s Sudan, as it emerges from beneath British colonial rule. But Sudan and its history never intrude on what is at heart a domestic story, the story of a family and its prejudices, difficulties, and love for each other. It’s exotic and humble, sad and uplifting, exotic and familiar.
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