Raja Alem Livres

An unlikely love affair between two insurgents on opposing sides of a religious revolt

The distinguished Middle Eastern author Raja Alem grew up in Mecca at a time when the holy city was on the cusp of changing from medieval to modern. In this vanished Mecca, vividly brought to life again in My Thousand and One Nights, women hold center stage—especially Jummo, the wildly passionate daughter of the Water Carriers’ Sheik. This faraway time and setting become compellingly real as we follow the intimate drama of Jummo’s life, the tragic arc of her affair with her childhood sweetheart and her lifelong love for the mysterious Sidi Wadhana, a more-than-human emissary from the Netherworld. Jummo’s world, veiled and invisible to outsiders until this telling of her story, has the feel of the true center of an Arabia that has come to us in many exotic and threatening disguises. Jummo’s Mecca is a different world, with different narrative strategies, but the dramatic problems are universal: how lethal is love, how dangerous are woman? And how sensual is the yearning for immortality?

The stunning, powerful novel exploring the secret life of Mecca by masterful, erudite, witty, and somewhat dangerous (Bomb) Raja Alem, the first woman to win the International Prize for Arabic Fiction

Fatma's journey begins when she is married to a snake handler, leading her to an unexpected transformation after a snake bite. This incident awakens her sensuality and grants her a mystical connection to her husband's reptiles, allowing her to navigate both the deserts of Arabia and the mysterious Netherworld. Rich in ritual and mystery, the narrative explores her path to ecstasy, blending naturalistic prose with poetic elements. This novel showcases the unique storytelling of a prominent modern Arabic writer, offering a captivating vision of enchantment and fulfillment.