Set in the late nineteenth century on a mythical isla nd off the coast of Yemen, Radwa Ashour's Siraaj: An Arab Tale tells the poignant sto r y of a mother a nd son as they are drawn inextricably into a revolt against their isla nd's despotic sultan. Amina, a baker in the sultan's palace, anxiously awaits her son's return fr om a long voyage at sea, fearful that the sea has claimed Saïd just as it did his father a nd gra ndfather. Saïd, left behind in Alexa ndria by his ship as the British navy begins an attack on the city, slowly begins to make his way home, witnessing British colonial oppression along the way. Saïd's return brings Amina only a sho r t-lived peace. The lessons he learned fr om the Egyptians' struggle against the British have radicalized him. When Saïd learns the isla nd's slave population is planning a revolt against the sultan's tyrannical rule, both he a nd Amina are soon drawn in. Beautifully rendered fr om Arabic into English by Barbara Romaine, Radwa Ashour's novella speaks of the unity that develops among varied peoples as they struggle against a common oppresso r a nd illuminates the rich cultures of both the Arab a nd African inhabitants of the isla nd. Sub-Saharan African culture is a subject addressed by few Arabic novelists, a nd Radwa Ashour's novella does much to fill that void. أقرأ أقل