Sololand

by Hassan Blasim

224 pages, Paperback

Published March 20, 2025

About the author

Hassan Blasim (born 1973) is an Iraqi-born film director and writer who lives in Finland. He writes in Arabic.He is co-editor of the Arabic literary website http://www.iraqstory.com/

Reviews

[Joly Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe Im getting soft with another 5 star. i just thought this back was brilliant, so well written, really thought provoking very humanising when so much uk public discourse on refugees and sectarian islamic regimes isnt nuanced and is racist. The characters so interesting, the plot continuily engaging and the style of writing (although maybe slightly lost in the translation) just so intruiging. Loved it and feels like everyone should read

[Cristiana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite its interesting themes, this book was an ordeal to read and I often felt like DNFing it. The short stories vary in quality. The first is the best, in my opinion, and by far the worst is the one that takes place in an unnamed Scandinavian country. The author has a tendency to pile detail upon detail, breaking the flow of the narration. The female characters, whether Iraqi or “Northerners,” whether “good” or “bad,” are flat and clichéd. The author can’t seem to make up his mind whether he’s writing fiction, autofiction, or nonfiction, and the result is a terrible mess, rather than a genre-defying book. He also has a tendency to step onto the stage and lecture his readers about the “truth” of his country and about the lives of Iraqi exiles. His didacticism makes sections of this book almost unreadable. The parts discussing the use of Modern Standard Arabic and local varieties (including the translator’s note) are definitely interesting.

[Lawrence Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book, great translation,
Fascinating insight into the complexities and difficulties of life of the population of countries like Iraq, which have gone through so many traumas, dictatorship , invasion, religious persecution. Also the further difficulties they face in host countries after they manage to extricate themselves.