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The Last Syrian
A rare narrative of gay love in the Arab world that travels into the lives of a group of spirited youth during the Syrian Revolution.
Youssef’s mother has always told him that he is named after the biblical prophet Joseph who had the power of foresight. But when Youssef participated in the first demonstration in Damascus in 2011, he felt that the uprising against the Bashar al-Assad regime after forty years of silence and fear was “a miracle more powerful than that of the prophet.”
While Josephine, a charming young Alawite, gathers in her home a group of youth to fight for their visions of a promising future, a forbidden love story unfolds between two men, Youssef and Mohammad. Meanwhile, young Khalid’s love for Josephine is brutally interrupted by the agents of the oppressive regime. Homosexuality clashes with tradition, emancipation with persecution, and feelings with loyalties, leading to an upheaval that sweeps away the destinies of the young as well as that of an entire nation.
Omar Youssef Souleimane’s eloquent novel is not only a narrative of the Syrian Revolution; it is also a story about inter-generational conflicts, rebellion, and liberation. With intense, poetic prose, he brilliantly captures the indomitable yearning for freedom that, despite all obstacles and setbacks, always survives in a hopeful person’s heart until it’s attained.
Youssef’s mother has always told him that he is named after the biblical prophet Joseph who had the power of foresight. But when Youssef participated in the first demonstration in Damascus in 2011, he felt that the uprising against the Bashar al-Assad regime after forty years of silence and fear was “a miracle more powerful than that of the prophet.”
While Josephine, a charming young Alawite, gathers in her home a group of youth to fight for their visions of a promising future, a forbidden love story unfolds between two men, Youssef and Mohammad. Meanwhile, young Khalid’s love for Josephine is brutally interrupted by the agents of the oppressive regime. Homosexuality clashes with tradition, emancipation with persecution, and feelings with loyalties, leading to an upheaval that sweeps away the destinies of the young as well as that of an entire nation.
Omar Youssef Souleimane’s eloquent novel is not only a narrative of the Syrian Revolution; it is also a story about inter-generational conflicts, rebellion, and liberation. With intense, poetic prose, he brilliantly captures the indomitable yearning for freedom that, despite all obstacles and setbacks, always survives in a hopeful person’s heart until it’s attained.
172 pages, Hardcover
First published January 8, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
September 8, 2024
PRIMAVERA, INVERNO
Sono rimasto affascinato dalla storia più che dalla scrittura di Souleimane, che richiederà ancora tempo per farsi e raffinarsi.
La storia è un prezioso inside in una delle cosiddette primavere arabe, la più lunga e drammatica tra tutte quante, quella iniziata il 15 marzo del 2011 e tuttora in corso, ormai da tempo autentica cruentissima spietata guerra civile, nella quale la popolazione, sia che si opponga al dittatore in carica, sia invece che si tenga su posizioni moderate e neutre o addirittura lo sostenga, è da anni tra l’incudine e il martello: da una parte la dittatura al potere, dall’altra il fronte degli oppositori diventato sempre più integralista musulmano, che sventola corano e legge della shari’ah.
E del loro libro sacro citano solo i brani che vietano il canto, la felicità al di fuori del profeta o principi come il seguente (cito dal romanzo):
Il Profeta ha detto: “Se vedete due uomini insieme uccideteli.”
E quindi, manifestare chiedendo libertà, pace e democrazia diventa una specie di suicidio, più o meno annunciato. E infatti
E infatti, non va molto bene al piccolo gruppo di personaggi che seguiamo nel corso dei mesi che da quel marzo arrivano all’inizio dell’inverno. Tra loro ci sono uomini e donne, tutti giovani, studenti universitari e lavoratori, anche due omosessuali che devono nascondersi peggio che se avessero appena attentato alla vita del dittatore (Bashar al-Assad): c’è quello che morirà in piazza, quello che forse non uscirà di galera dove viene massacrato da sadici torturatori (la pratica della tortura è qualcosa che ha anticipato la globalizzazione, è da tempo immemorabile praticata da nord a sud, e da est a ovest. Un po’ come l’odio per gli ebrei), l’altra che viene rinchiusa in casa e sepolta viva dai genitori. I più fortunati riusciranno probabilmente a scappare in Libano, e da lì, magari in Europa. Con la Francia come primo obiettivo.
Sono ventenni che aspirano alle stesse cose dei loro coetanei nel resto del mondo: libertà, uguaglianza, emancipazione, possibilità di esprimersi, sentirsi partecipi del mondo. Alcuni hanno mollato gli studi e lavorano (tassista), altri hanno rilevato l’attività di famiglia (negoziante), la maggior parte sono studenti universitari. Chi tra loro può, legge libri. Sono disposti a rischiare – e il rischio è grosso, lo dimostrano la morte e la tortura – ma non a imitare i genitori passivi. E quindi, sì, forse è anche uno scontro di generazioni.
Tra le libertà che chiedono e vorrebbero ottenere c’è anche quella sessuale: Souleimane ritaglia particolare spazio per la coppia di gay costretti a fidanzamenti combinati – in attesa di altrettanto combinati matrimoni - per salvare la faccia, per non essere messi al muro. Eppure i testi antichi – a prescindere da quello del loro profeta – dimostrano che l’omosessualità è sempre esistita, non solo in Medio Oriente, ed era più libera e consentita nei secoli passati.
Sono rimasto affascinato dalla storia più che dalla scrittura di Souleimane, che richiederà ancora tempo per farsi e raffinarsi.
La storia è un prezioso inside in una delle cosiddette primavere arabe, la più lunga e drammatica tra tutte quante, quella iniziata il 15 marzo del 2011 e tuttora in corso, ormai da tempo autentica cruentissima spietata guerra civile, nella quale la popolazione, sia che si opponga al dittatore in carica, sia invece che si tenga su posizioni moderate e neutre o addirittura lo sostenga, è da anni tra l’incudine e il martello: da una parte la dittatura al potere, dall’altra il fronte degli oppositori diventato sempre più integralista musulmano, che sventola corano e legge della shari’ah.
E del loro libro sacro citano solo i brani che vietano il canto, la felicità al di fuori del profeta o principi come il seguente (cito dal romanzo):
Il Profeta ha detto: “Se vedete due uomini insieme uccideteli.”
E quindi, manifestare chiedendo libertà, pace e democrazia diventa una specie di suicidio, più o meno annunciato. E infatti
E infatti, non va molto bene al piccolo gruppo di personaggi che seguiamo nel corso dei mesi che da quel marzo arrivano all’inizio dell’inverno. Tra loro ci sono uomini e donne, tutti giovani, studenti universitari e lavoratori, anche due omosessuali che devono nascondersi peggio che se avessero appena attentato alla vita del dittatore (Bashar al-Assad): c’è quello che morirà in piazza, quello che forse non uscirà di galera dove viene massacrato da sadici torturatori (la pratica della tortura è qualcosa che ha anticipato la globalizzazione, è da tempo immemorabile praticata da nord a sud, e da est a ovest. Un po’ come l’odio per gli ebrei), l’altra che viene rinchiusa in casa e sepolta viva dai genitori. I più fortunati riusciranno probabilmente a scappare in Libano, e da lì, magari in Europa. Con la Francia come primo obiettivo.
Sono ventenni che aspirano alle stesse cose dei loro coetanei nel resto del mondo: libertà, uguaglianza, emancipazione, possibilità di esprimersi, sentirsi partecipi del mondo. Alcuni hanno mollato gli studi e lavorano (tassista), altri hanno rilevato l’attività di famiglia (negoziante), la maggior parte sono studenti universitari. Chi tra loro può, legge libri. Sono disposti a rischiare – e il rischio è grosso, lo dimostrano la morte e la tortura – ma non a imitare i genitori passivi. E quindi, sì, forse è anche uno scontro di generazioni.
Tra le libertà che chiedono e vorrebbero ottenere c’è anche quella sessuale: Souleimane ritaglia particolare spazio per la coppia di gay costretti a fidanzamenti combinati – in attesa di altrettanto combinati matrimoni - per salvare la faccia, per non essere messi al muro. Eppure i testi antichi – a prescindere da quello del loro profeta – dimostrano che l’omosessualità è sempre esistita, non solo in Medio Oriente, ed era più libera e consentita nei secoli passati.
July 30, 2024
3.5, rounding down to 3. Gut-wrenching and tragic.
September 1, 2025
Souleimane schreibt in kurzen Kapiteln über das Leben junger Erwachsener, kurz nach dem Beginn des Arabischen Frühlings 2011 in Syrien. Sie träumen von und kämpfen für die Freiheit. Ich tauchte ein in eine mir völlig fremde Welt, begleitete sie durch ihren Alltag und legte das Buch teilweise fassungslos zur Seite. Die Protagonisten begannen erst gegen Ende des Buches, ihre Charaktere richtig zu entfalten. Durch die sehr kurzen Kapitel fehlte es mir auch etwas an Tiefe. Nichtsdestotrotz ist es ein empfehlenswertes Buch.
July 9, 2024
This is a novel written back to front. At the end of the novel, when it is too late, the characters actually become interesting. Up to that point, there is a lot of intriguing material, but the characters are two-dimensional. The relationship between Khalil and Josephine barely exists until the event that changes their lives. Consequently, a reader is given a crisis that cannot be fully felt. In a similar manner, the novel opens with the relationships between gay Youssef and bisexual Mohammed. But this becomes a matter of long, estranged emails in which they talk about history (gay and political). The result is minimal characterisation and intellectual debate rather than emotional attachment (by the reader) to their struggle. At times, the writing seemed terribly forced. Would a young gay man (Youssef) really talk, in an email, about butterflies and bilateral gynandromorphism as a metaphor for his gender status? Maybe. But then, given he is so well-versed in these matters, why can he not name the butterfly? Ultimately, I found this to be a disembodied novel that did not get to the heart of the matter: human liberation.
July 4, 2024
The narrative feels a bit choppy, could be due to this being a translation. I did enjoy this, it just didn’t have a superb impact on me. I think also I was expecting more from the queer plot line instead of it being an attention grab at the beginning and then a side note to the 6-7 POVs we follow throughout such a short book. I liked it, and I appreciate having a queer representation coming from the Syrian experience.
November 25, 2022
Ce livre commence tout tranquillement, presque sympa.
Oui, nous nous trouvons en Syrie en 2011, le début de la guerre du régime contre son people, mais au début, tout cela est plutôt du bruit. Nous rencontrons les personnages principaux, Youssef, Joséphine, Khalil, Bilal, Mohammed, Adel, Sarah...
On comprend que la jeunesse en Syrie dans ce moment historique avait à la base plus ou moins les mêmes craintes et doutes que la jeunesse en Europe, des questions du genre, de la sexualité, l’envie de liberté, la force de se trouver en groupe et de partager. Bien sûr, sous d’autres conditions de la vie en générale, mais tout de même comparable. J’ai apprécié cet aperçu dans un monde dont je ne connais vraiment pas grande chose.
Mais le ton devient plus dur quand il y a des manifestations et les violences du régime contre les protestant.e.s, quand nos caractères doivent se cacher, ne peuvent pas parler avec leurs proches de leurs vie et leur motivations.
Et d’un coup, l’histoire devient insupportable pour une lectrice comme moi qui a beaucoup de la peine de lire des descriptions sur la violence physique ou psychique, sur des maltraitements voire la torture, ou sur de la douleur.... Ces descriptions sont intenses et font mal dans ce livre.
Aussi ce qui se passe hors de la prison prend une nouvelle dimension.
Et le fait que les Frères musulmans se sont mélangés dans les manifestations, qu’ils manipulent les jeunes rebelles, comment ils imposent leur vision d’un nouveau système. Mais qu’en même temps ils font déjà partie du gouvernement.
Du coup, on comprend pourquoi en Europe nous n’avons pas facilement pu comprendre ce qui se passait en Syrie, parce que la situation était tellement tordue. “... si on était en Tunisie où tout le monde est sunnite, cette guerre n’aurait pas lieu.”
“La seule victoire, dans cette guerre, c’est de garder notre humanité.”
J’ai vraiment souffert pendant la lecture, mais je ne regrette pas avoir lu ce livre. Il est important, il fait comprendre, il ouvre les yeux.
“Le bateau coule et vous êtes des oiseaux. Allez construire votre nid au loin.”
Oui, nous nous trouvons en Syrie en 2011, le début de la guerre du régime contre son people, mais au début, tout cela est plutôt du bruit. Nous rencontrons les personnages principaux, Youssef, Joséphine, Khalil, Bilal, Mohammed, Adel, Sarah...
On comprend que la jeunesse en Syrie dans ce moment historique avait à la base plus ou moins les mêmes craintes et doutes que la jeunesse en Europe, des questions du genre, de la sexualité, l’envie de liberté, la force de se trouver en groupe et de partager. Bien sûr, sous d’autres conditions de la vie en générale, mais tout de même comparable. J’ai apprécié cet aperçu dans un monde dont je ne connais vraiment pas grande chose.
Mais le ton devient plus dur quand il y a des manifestations et les violences du régime contre les protestant.e.s, quand nos caractères doivent se cacher, ne peuvent pas parler avec leurs proches de leurs vie et leur motivations.
Et d’un coup, l’histoire devient insupportable pour une lectrice comme moi qui a beaucoup de la peine de lire des descriptions sur la violence physique ou psychique, sur des maltraitements voire la torture, ou sur de la douleur.... Ces descriptions sont intenses et font mal dans ce livre.
Aussi ce qui se passe hors de la prison prend une nouvelle dimension.
Et le fait que les Frères musulmans se sont mélangés dans les manifestations, qu’ils manipulent les jeunes rebelles, comment ils imposent leur vision d’un nouveau système. Mais qu’en même temps ils font déjà partie du gouvernement.
Du coup, on comprend pourquoi en Europe nous n’avons pas facilement pu comprendre ce qui se passait en Syrie, parce que la situation était tellement tordue. “... si on était en Tunisie où tout le monde est sunnite, cette guerre n’aurait pas lieu.”
“La seule victoire, dans cette guerre, c’est de garder notre humanité.”
J’ai vraiment souffert pendant la lecture, mais je ne regrette pas avoir lu ce livre. Il est important, il fait comprendre, il ouvre les yeux.
“Le bateau coule et vous êtes des oiseaux. Allez construire votre nid au loin.”
September 24, 2024
Un univers que j’ai jamais vraiment lu, rempli de volonté de liberté tout en ayant la violence de la repression
May 20, 2020
Bra! Bättre än Le Petit Terroriste. Väldigt olika böcker, den första självbiografisk och väldigt rakt berättande, denna fiktiv fastän baserad på liknande saker, med mer målande språk och också symbolik i själva handlingen iom att den är konstruerad. Det med språket tror jag också har också att göra med ett par år till av att lära sig franska för författaren som ju lever i exil där. Lilla jag har inga fel märkt i någon av böckerna, men språket är kärvare i den första.
Karaktärerna är inte tunna men ibland något ytligt beskrivna, den välvilliga läsningen jag väljer är att banaliteter i stilen reflekterar den ungdomliga naiviteten som skildras. Som, i sin tur, agerar kontrast mot den våldsamma verkligheten omkring dem. Vilket jag uppfattar som poängen med verket. Också förlaget lyfter följande citat till omslaget:
"Nous sommes vivants malgré les ruines qui nous entourent".
Karaktärerna är inte tunna men ibland något ytligt beskrivna, den välvilliga läsningen jag väljer är att banaliteter i stilen reflekterar den ungdomliga naiviteten som skildras. Som, i sin tur, agerar kontrast mot den våldsamma verkligheten omkring dem. Vilket jag uppfattar som poängen med verket. Också förlaget lyfter följande citat till omslaget:
"Nous sommes vivants malgré les ruines qui nous entourent".
May 26, 2024
Powerful book - was Syria simply not ready for democracy and freedom, as is pictured? I learned a great deal about the events in 2011. However, it took me a while to understand the characters, and I never really identified with them - probably too short of a book for that?
September 4, 2024
it's written in really short chapters all between 2-3 pages none that go above 5 and each chapter switches pov between a cast of characters. you get snippets into each characters life and of the syrian revolution before the civil war started. you get a feel for what everyones experience and what the environment is like in syria as things are constantly changing in 2011-2012.
i really enjoyed it. at times at the start i felt like the translation felt off. i loved the writing. arabic is a beautiful and poetic language and that comes through in the writing at times even though it was written in french, i could feel the influence of the arabic language in the writing at times
i got wrapped up in the story and i was surprised with how much i enjoyed it because i generally struggle to read anything with themes as heavy as this book. i got invested in the story and characters and find myself mourning their inevitable fate throughout the book just from knowing how the syrian revolution ends.
i really enjoyed it. at times at the start i felt like the translation felt off. i loved the writing. arabic is a beautiful and poetic language and that comes through in the writing at times even though it was written in french, i could feel the influence of the arabic language in the writing at times
i got wrapped up in the story and i was surprised with how much i enjoyed it because i generally struggle to read anything with themes as heavy as this book. i got invested in the story and characters and find myself mourning their inevitable fate throughout the book just from knowing how the syrian revolution ends.
March 17, 2025
"I will arrive before sunset. On the road I'll think of your lips, your voice, your neck and your breath when you make love to me. They will give me the energy to cross the border."
Fragmentary, elusive, and ragged with anger, The Last Syrian is best when read as a torn-up communal diary, a series of transmissions destined never to be fully told. Read so close to Human Acts, I can't help but think of how torture is not only a tool of degradation, but of revelation: a true absence of artifice, in which the pleasure human animals take from abject cruelty has nowhere to hide, no allegory to pillow itself upon. There is no monstrosity here, no speculative bogeyman. The criminals are others like ourselves. The heroes could be our sisters. The torturers, our husbands. We could have lived and died exactly like this, and be fighting this war still.
Fragmentary, elusive, and ragged with anger, The Last Syrian is best when read as a torn-up communal diary, a series of transmissions destined never to be fully told. Read so close to Human Acts, I can't help but think of how torture is not only a tool of degradation, but of revelation: a true absence of artifice, in which the pleasure human animals take from abject cruelty has nowhere to hide, no allegory to pillow itself upon. There is no monstrosity here, no speculative bogeyman. The criminals are others like ourselves. The heroes could be our sisters. The torturers, our husbands. We could have lived and died exactly like this, and be fighting this war still.
March 5, 2025
This book didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I think the premise for the book is great – following a group of young people in the early days of the Syrian revolution. But the writing just didn’t immerse me. It is full of brief short snapshots of random days in a way that is hard to follow and feels disorientating. Now, I’m not sure if part of that is down to the translation. I also found it difficult to connect to the characters at first. It’s not until about two thirds into the book the characters are given any depth, by which time the story is almost over. Politically it wasn’t great either – basically peddling the position that the Arab world isn’t ready to have a revolution because of nasty Muslims and also that western imperialism should have meddled more in Syria because they are defenders of human rights. Hmmmm, now how has that worked out before???
April 1, 2022
Le dernier Syrien est un court roman qui évoque la guerre civile syrienne à travers les craintes et les espoirs d’un groupe de jeunes gens entre Damas et Homs, deux des principales villes du pays. Joséphine, Youssef, Aled, Khalid… chacun a ses propres raisons de manifester. Qu’il s’agisse de dénoncer les violations des droits de l’homme, de lutter contre le conservatisme social, ou tout simplement « de se sentir vivant ». Un récit à la fois tendre et brutal par un ancien journaliste syrien aujourd’hui exilé en France.
Chronique complète sur le site du Suricate Magazine: https://www.lesuricate.org/le-dernier...
Chronique complète sur le site du Suricate Magazine: https://www.lesuricate.org/le-dernier...
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July 18, 2020Le livre relate la vie d'un groupe de jeunes s'impliquant dans la révolution syrienne en 2011. Celle qui était guidée par des idéologies de liberté et de démocratie. Le livre est rapide à lire, très succinct, triste. Au fur et à mesure du livre, on voit la révolution leur échappée. Je me suis attachée aux personnages, même si chaque chapitre passait de l'un à l'autre. J'aurais definitivement aimé que le livre soit plus long.
January 22, 2021
Un livre qui traite des débuts de la révolution et de la mise en place progressive de la guerre en Syrie, à travers le point de vue de différents personnage aux affiliations politiques et d'origine ethno-culturelle diverse. Permet d'avoir une meilleur compréhension du contexte du conflit, mais si vous êtes à la recherche d'une lecture qui donne de l'espoir, passez votre chemin. C'est une lecture pleine de tristesse mais aussi de résilience et de mélancolie.
September 21, 2022
Une page d'histoire, 2011 en Syrie, l'enthousiame et l'idéalisme des jeunes du printemps árabe, et comment ce mouvement est récupéré et combattu par des structures organisées qui utilisent la violence la plus cruelle. L'écriture est très nerveuse, rapide, tout au présent, et met le lecteur au cœur de l'événement.
August 31, 2021
Ce roman largement inspiré de la propre histoire de l’auteur de l’auteur est un témoignage précieux sur le début de la révolution en Syrie. Omar Youssef Souleimane avec un style sobre et maîtrisé nous raconte le sort tragique de la jeunesse syrienne qui avec le printemps arabe a osé aspirer à plus de liberté et de démocratie. Ces jeunes voulaient se libérer de la dictature politique mais également des carcans et tabous d’une société ultra conservatrice. Ils se sont retrouvés piégés entre d’une part le régime sanguinaire de Assad qui ne recule devant rien pour conserver le pouvoir et d’autres part les islamistes fondamentalistes manipulés par les monarchies du Golfe et dont le but est d’instaurer un état islamique. On leur a volé leur révolution et leurs rêves pour ne leur laisser que la mort et l’exil.
Je suis admirative de ce jeune auteur qui a pu écrire un roman aussi bien abouti en français alors qu’il est arrivé en France en 2012 comme réfugié.
March 21, 2023
Poignant!
July 4, 2023
Une lecture beaucoup plus dure que je l'avais anticipé. Superbe représentation de la réalité du printemps arabe.
January 30, 2024
Trop superficiel pour un sujet, pourtant, trés serieux.
March 3, 2024
un magnifique hommage à cette jeunesse syrienne prise en étau, qui souffre en refusant le silence
May 24, 2024
Poco (app)profond(ito)
November 7, 2024
Important perspective and message rarely found in popular western media. The pacing was choppy.
August 29, 2025
Un roman très touchant, mais aussi assez brute, il y a des scènes dures à lire. C'est beau de voir l'espoir et le souffle de vie de ces personnages qui vivent sous une dictature.
November 25, 2024
The book covers the lives of a few young Syrians caught in the optimism of the early days of the Arab Spring in 2011. They start optimistically, protesting peacefully for a better, freer & more tolerant country. Along the way sexuality, religion, gender, societal pressures, and inter-generational relations are intertwined with the political themes. Relations among themselves, and with families and the greater society around them flesh them out to be three-dimensional characters, as opposed to the caricatures of Middle Easterners so often presented in Western media. The concerns of these young people, for freedom, coming to terms with one’s sexuality, seeking acceptance and a place in the world, are universal, but it’s interesting to see them discussed in an unfamiliar (to me) context.
As the story progresses, the mood gets darker as government repression and brutality increases, factionalism tears apart, and at the same time reactionary fundamentalist forces increasingly gain control of the revolt, entirely subverting the aspirations of the young people. As the book closes, those who can, flee (as did the author) and find that their aspirations are defeated, at least until future generations pick up the mantle.
“The boat is sinking, and you are birds. Go build your nest far away.”
As the story progresses, the mood gets darker as government repression and brutality increases, factionalism tears apart, and at the same time reactionary fundamentalist forces increasingly gain control of the revolt, entirely subverting the aspirations of the young people. As the book closes, those who can, flee (as did the author) and find that their aspirations are defeated, at least until future generations pick up the mantle.
“The boat is sinking, and you are birds. Go build your nest far away.”
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews