Sulha

by Malka Marom

Does one honour one's country, or one's heart? This classic dilemma is the theme of this lyrical and passionate first work of fiction by Malka Marom. Drawn from Marom's experiences as an Israeli and Canadian citizen, Sulha is the story of Leora's search for answers for her only son's future, through a reconciliation with her past. Sulha means peace in both Arabic and Hebrew, and against this backdrop, Leora returns to the desert in her homeland and stays with a remote Bedouin tribe, Abu Salim and his wives. In the course of her stay Leora is offered a glimpse of the other side of the conflict to which she lost her husband, Arik, during the Sinai war, and to which she may lose her only son Levi. In the proud tradition of Amos Oz, Isak Dineson and Joseph Conrad, Sulha paints a broad expanse of an all-encompassing land, and the sacrifices demanded of its people in an endless conflict for which there seems no resolution. The first section of Sulha won the Ontario Arts Council Award, for the most promising work of fiction in progress.

Genres: Fiction

566 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1999

Reviews

[Anne-Rae Vasquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sulha is a gorgeous story which gives the reader a detailed personal experience in the day in the life of a Bedouin family. Sulha is a powerful word meaning"forgiveness" both in Hebrew and in Arabic. Sulha is also a ritual or a method of resolving disputes which is still being used in many countries in the Middle East. The Sulha ritual allows clan-based disputes reach a reconciliation between the extended families where the legal system or law cannot resolve. I was moved by this book and enjoyed the author Marom's poetic writing style. I have re-read the book three times and have been just as moved. If you enjoy reading cultural fiction or historical drama, Sulha is must read. As a woman, the human story told through the eyes of the female writer in Sulha really enlightened me about the Bedouin culture. I give this book 5 stars.

[Elizabeth Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is fascinating look into the lives of Bedouins. It is told through the voice of a young Jewish woman who has lost her love and who is brought to htese people . It is a hard book to find but so interesting and so beautifully written.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel a little bad about this, but I do not feel as positive about this book as many other readers. Although I learned a lot from reading Sulha, it was not an entirely enjoyable read. The book was often repetitive and far too detailed and wordy. The author over-examined many things, and because of that, I grasped and absorbed the difficult and lengthy content, but it also made it more of a task than a pleasure to read. I really loved learning about the traditional lives of the Bedouin people though...that was fascinating!

[Shannon Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is often proposed that if one could just be in the others' shoes... for the briefest moment... all conflict may cease to exist. We see empathy conquer discord in personal relationships; we see apathy energized into action by an infusion of passionate desire, to understand a different perspective. Each of these things leads to a new way.... a new view... a new approach... a new heart, full of compassion.

Malka Marom has achieved all of the above, in her remarkable debut novel, "Sulha". Marom traveled across the globe, to take up residence with the Bedouins, upon a most rare invitation , to live among this seminomadic group. The common culture of these tribes creates a language (beyond dialect), customs, traditions and expectations that define who they are, as a people. These mores are taken very seriously.... with little acceptance of those who fall outside their parameters. Yet, Marom was able, through gracious action and a touch of the mystical, to integrate, and appreciate, the lessons of the Bedouin people, particularly the women. This experience brought forth a novel of epic proportions, taking the reader on a journey through the mind and heart of conflicting loyalties.

“The desert is a place where good and bad are wedded like sun and shade, where a stranger is always received and always shut out, a place where the common language is often silence or guns, where the horizon is wide and the boundaries narrow . . .” - Sulha


The protagonist, Leora, has known great heartache. The one treasure she has to hold to, in this life, is her beloved son, Levi. Without revealing too much, it can be said that the conflict, in the Middle East, has loomed largely, over Leora's entire existence. With the "slice of life" late 70s middle eastern state of affairs, as a historical backdrop, Leora must make some heart rending decisions, concerning the center of her heart. However, in order to do this, she feels compelled to learn more about the clashing cultures... not the what, for surely all could see that the disagreements ran(run) deep and wide.... but the why. We rarely stop to consider the "why", from both sides of the story. As Leora is faced with a difficult decision, she concludes that emmersion is the best form of discovering the "why", using a broad lens.

The details Marom uses to bring the story off the page are authentic and well captured. A five star recommendation, for both the writing (visual, heartrending, lyrical) and the myriad questions posed, by Leora's journey.

[Saul · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best novels I have read in many years. A big story of loss, and redemption, from a writer that is part of the "Israeli Diaspora". There are many insights into the cultures of arabs and jews, placed in the years just before the Egypt-Israel Camp David peace agreement. Malka's writing has a "magical realism" quality, as the setting in the Sinai dessert among Bedouins, is exotic and gritty at the same time. You can feel the blowing sand in your face, and the parched thirst in your throat, while the curiousity between traditional and modern worlds reveal a keen understanding of the human condition.

[Shannon Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Separate review posted. :)