The Completely True Tales of Um Mimi and Sharawi the Adulterer

by Belal Fadl, Osama Hammad (Translator)

234 pages, Paperback

Published December 16, 2025

Reviews

[Sheila Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is 3.5 stars. Fadl writes an interesting tale of a college student who defies his parents and pursues a degree in communication over an engineering or a medical degree. Losing his family’s support, he is forced to rent a room from an elderly woman, Um Mimi. Disgusted by the hovel, the protagonist is forced to make the best of a bad situation because he doesn’t have enough money for an acceptable flat.

As the story unfolds, the protagonist finds himself in the middle of a family drama that is farcical. The story is really divided into two parts: the part focusing on Um Mimi and the part focusing on her ex-husband, Sharawi. The first part is the most entertaining as Fadl has created a wonderful character in Um Mimi. She is unapologetically herself. She provides her own opinions, even though they are not sought after. She is a force to be reckoned with, and many of the characters tiptoe around her as to keep the peace.

The second part of the story truly goes off the rails. The readers, much like the protagonist, are not sure what to make of Sharawi. The rationale behind his manipulations is suspect. The final parts of the story has the reader wondering who is truly being earnest in this situation. To be honest, I wish the author would have fashioned the story around Um Mimi and relegated Sharawi was a secondary character.

This is the English translation, and I appreciate that the translator changed the name to encapsulate the entirety of the novel. Renaming it to include Sharawi shows the prominence that the character has in the narrative. The translator does an effective job creating a narrative for the American audience. The slang is appropriate and works well to convey the thoughts of a college aged narrator.

I received this ARC for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Andrew Atkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anybody who has visited Cairo will attest to the veracity of the depiction of street life away from the flash hotels and government offices. You don’t need to go too far from such buildings to see the sort of existence encountered by the likes of Mimi, Um Mimi, Sharawi and the story’s main character. Having said that, I have a soft spot for Cairo and its peoples, having been there and walked the streets and alleys. These are not loveable characters and their lives are not ones to be jealous of. Other reviews describe in more detail the story but I will not provide spoilers. This is a tale of everyday life of citizens at the low-income range of the most populous city in the region. I enjoyed the book and think the translation work deserving of mention.
I received a copy through the BookSirens site and this is my independent review.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily