When All Else Fails

by Rayyan Al-Shawaf

A darkly humorous saga set in post-9/11 America and the Middle East

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS begins on September 12th, 2001. It is the story of Hunayn, a luckless and lovelorn Iraqi college student living in Orlando, Florida, after having graduated from high school in Beirut. Hunayn's life is upended by 9/11—but not immediately, and not in the way that he, fearful in the aftermath of the attacks, initially expects.

As America settles into its post-9/11, open-ended "Septemberland" phase (vigilant but also overly suspicious and even paranoid), many Arab and Muslim Americans are made to feel it's no longer their home. With Hunayn, who muddles through a series of surreal episodes in Orlando and nearby Indiantown, the situation proves almost the opposite: Septemberland—so many of whose citizens think they have Hunayn figured out just because of his name or origins—comes to remind him of his most recent unhappy home, Lebanon, which he assumed he'd left behind. Now, having had his fill of disconcerting experiences, Hunayn returns to Beirut. At least he knows how to navigate life back there—or so he thinks.

It turns out that Lebanon is about to undergo political upheaval of its own: a former prime minister opposed to neighboring Syria's control of the country is assassinated; subsequent popular protests compel the Syrian regime to withdraw its army; a spate of mysterious bombings terrorizes everyone; and Israel, another neighbor, launches a war on Lebanon in retaliation for an attack by a Lebanese militant group. Hunayn finds himself aswirl in the maelstrom. And all the while, he watches from afar as Iraq, his fabled homeland and the owner of his heart, unravels in the wake of the US-led invasion.

Genres: Middle East, Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2019

About the author

Rayyan Al-Shawaf is a book critic whose reviews and essays have appeared in the Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, Globe and Mail, LA Review of Books, Miami Herald, Minneapolis Star Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Toronto Star, Truthdig, Washington Post, and other publications. He lives in Malta. WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS is his first novel.

Reviews

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll admit that what initially drew me to this book was its setting, the University of Central Florida about a decade after I graduated with my MA in political science (and fifteen years after the events depicted in the “classic” movie “The Miami Connection”!), and its main character – Hunayn – who reminded me of many of the international students I would hang out and play soccer with during my time there. The opportunity to not only “revisit” old hangouts but also get a glimpse inside the mind of a character much like my friends (at least superficially) was more than enough to propel me to pick up the book.

On both counts When All Else Fails delivers – and then some. Not only did the first part of the book transport me back in time to the then sprawling, freewheeling, multi-cultural “O-town”, the POV (point of view) narrator embodied a snarky sense of incongruence that had me laughing out-loud multiple times during the book. Perhaps more edifying, the narrator Hunayn also showed an arc of growth from anxious youth struggling with feelings of loneliness, sexual frustration, and personal inadequacy to a more fulfilled, sated, and confident young man who recognizes the reflections of his earlier self in the events he relates. As an uprooted Chaldean (Iraqi Christian) with a childhood spent shuttling between Western and Middle Eastern worlds, Hunayn’s sense of self is well-defined despite his youthfulness, all the while being fortified by humorous sense of the absurd and galvanized by a thoughtful spirit of inquiry.

Although When All Else Fails may be portrayed as yet another coming of age story, it leaves us with something more important; it provides readers a lesson in geopolitical events and forces as told from an outsider’s perspective. Most stories told about the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and Middle East conflicts in the decade that followed appear to have distinctly entrenched standpoints; here the narrator sees himself, and is often perceived by other characters, as an outsider. Whether in Part 1 (Septemberland) as set in central Florida or Part 2 (Septemberworld) as set in Lebanon, Hunayn is a part of the story while somehow remaining apart. This unrootedness reveals universal truths about human nature as good and bad interactions between Hunayn and the denizens of both locales are echoed across time and space.

Critical readers of When All Else Fails will find precious few things to quibble about (such as the “Chekhov’s gun” device that would work better in a visual adaptation), but there can be no debate that there is pedagogical power in this book. The lesson of literature is that people learn more and retain most when lessons are entertaining; at this, When All Else Fails succeeds.

[Cherise Wolas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly atypical and fascinating coming-of-age story. Hunayn, a Chaldean Christian Iraqi, is finishing his undergraduate degree at a Florida university when 9/11 happens. He's horrified, of course, but instantly, understandably, his focus is: What does this mean to him, what will happen, how will Americans turn against all those who look like the terrorists, without distinguishing among Arabs, some of whom are Muslims, some of whom are Christians, some of whom are Jews, some of whom may look like Arabs but aren't Arabs at all, and among the various sects that make up a very volatile part of the world? Since 9/11, I've read a lot of articles about the history, politics, and causes pre and -post 9/11, but I grasped a better understanding about the varying populations that make up Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, and even Israel, and about the internal and geopolitical issues in that region, reading this novel. And more, in this novel, one sees how the politics unfold at an individual level. Hunayn, both in Florida, and after he returns to Lebanon, is also eager to lose his virginity, but even in that pursuit, his multiple identifies thwart him: while still in school in Florida, a white woman is interested in him, thinking he's Muslim, and when she learns he's not, she loses all interest; in Lebanon, a Lebanese Christian woman won't date him when she learns he's actually Iraqi and not Lebanese, for her, religious affiliation is irrelevant, but instead the fact that were they to have children together, those children would not be Lebanese as lineage there is patrilineal; a Lebanese Muslim woman will and does date him, but her confused non-sectarian, absolutely sectarian views, along with her rabid anti-semitism troubles him greatly. Women are important to Hunayn and his friends, and relationships are often discussed, but their ultimate focus is about politics, about what things mean. Hunayn takes an early brave stance - that he will not use his Chaldean Christian Iraqi identity to save himself in problematic situations - and he encounters several. He's an intense character, replete with the usual worries of a young man wanting to find his place in the world, but so much more - his myriad identities of origin, religion, and ethnic sect (which Westerners conflate without thought) make him forever an outsider, wherever he is. More than once, I thought about Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye, and what he would have been like had his worries not been self-absorbed but outward focused. For Hunayn, his personal desires aren't insignificant, but they are subsumed by what is happening around him, his need to understand, and that outward focus critical to survival. The novel, named one of the best Arab books of the year, is an immersive and necessary story. Grappling with very heavy politics and themes, it's leavened by a good deal of humor, some sections laugh-out-loud funny. To see America and the Middle East, from 9/11 though about 2010, through the eyes of the other, is not only worthwhile, but essential.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable, humorous story about an Iraqi-Christian young man struggling to find his identity post 9/11. I enjoyed the nuanced perspectives on many hot political and religious issues in the Middle East.

[Jonathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I...am just not even sure what to do with this book. On the one hand, it really does make some keen observations about the post-9/11 Arabs in America experience, and when those moments land, they land! The book is rather plotless, which I wouldn't mind if I felt like the story were dominated by a strong narrative voice motivated by the desire to explore this shifting landscape, but it's not. Huge swaths of the text are information about geopolitical developments in the Middle East in the mid-2000s which felt like reading Wikipedia, sections that wash out any sort of voice from our narrator Hunayn. Even worse, though, is that when Hunayn's perspective is potent, we get moments like this: "Plus, she had a snug little pussy, this one. It gripped my cock as tightly as an apprehensive child might clutch its mother's pinky for protection in a strange and dangerous world."

2/5

[Raed Raffoul · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sympathetic treatment of important issues, a richly structured novel with great characterizations.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book did not work for me. I felt it wandered aimlessly for most of the book. No real plot but also not a lot of character development.

[A.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book. If you enjoy modern Middle East history or getting insights into the Arab experience in post-9/11 America, I would recommend it.

I'm not exactly sure how I would summarize the story itself, maybe a story about an Iraqi man moving from place to place, retelling a series of vignettes in exploration of his own Christian and Iraqi identity before and after 9/11. The lack of a coherent plot was fine for me, since the autobiographic nature of the story didn't require much in terms of plot. Even its non-linear structure didn't bother me. The style reminded me a lot of the book Cherry by Nico Walker (as well as much of the male humor).

What I appreciated most about this book was the depth of its protagonist, Hunayn. Did I like Hunayn? No. But I felt like I understood him and how he would react in certain situations. I felt a real attachment to this character, and as much as I might have disliked him, I was rooting for him. I think this is an accomplishment for any author, and without it I don't think I would have enjoyed this story.

I also appreciated the sophistication of the prose in this book. Since it was told in first-person, I think it added an additional level of understanding to the main character. He's constantly questioning language and how people use language. There was a real love of, or at the very least interest in, exploring the nuances of how we speak. If you're into those kinds of linguistic intrigues, like I am, it was a real treat.

There were certain parts of this story I think could have been told differently. I never felt like there was much depth given to any of the other characters, including Hunayn's best friend and especially the female characters making up many of the vignettes (most of these were sexual in nature).

Sometimes it was aggravating that the Americans in the story were usually portrayed as dumb or brutish. But I can see how an Arab immigrant in Florida would feel these types of stereotypes constantly, especially right after 9/11, so as aggravating as it was at times, it was believable.

I read this was the author's first novel which surprised me because it was written so eloquently. I am looking forward to reading more.

[Jordan Elgrably]

I'm writing a review and once it's published I'll repost it here!

[Elias Jahshan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable read! Infused with themes around politics and identity, it’s a coming of age story from the the unique perspective of an Iraqi Christian in post-9/11 America and Cedar Revolution-era Lebanon. Rayyan Al-Shawaf’s dark humour is also great.

[Sami · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting read. Reflections on being Arab-American and especially Iraqi-American in post 9/11 America and the self conflicts of being a Christian Arab. Then we go to Lebanon and it becomes reflections on the absurd (but absolutely real) extreme sectarianism of the Lebanese society and politics.
The author seems to enjoy creating (unintentionally?) caricaturish physical descriptions of characters.

[suki · Rating 3 out of 5]

this reminded me of when al jawahiri said "will the home be restored after division, will we breathe iraq's breeze, and will we find our way to the euphrates' clapping waves?"

being afar from the homeland but dreaming so desperately of return

[Dani · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5, would have given it three if the main character wasn't so insufferable by the end