Cairo Circles

by Doma Mahmoud

Writing instructor at American University in Cairo and NYU MFA graduate Doma Mahmoud's THE DISBELIEVERS, set between Cairo and New York, exploring the stories of three families from different social classes, whose lives are closely intertwined throughout, meditating on the boundaries of free will and questions about class, hedonism, faith, and violence, to Olivia Taylor Smith at Unnamed Press.

Genres: Fiction, Egypt, Middle East, Contemporary, Africa, Cairo, Literary Fiction

382 pages, Paperback

First published October 12, 2021

Reviews

[Zeyad Attalla · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must must must read novel by Doma Mahmoud:

I read the 350 page or so book in around 4 weeks. The first 300 pages i finished in 10 days and the last 50 pages i kept on saving and ended up finishing over 2 days, 2 weeks later. I remembered what my mom always tells me:
“الكتاب الحلو هو الي يوحشك بس متبقاش عايز تخلصه”
and thats exactly how i felt during the last month.

I quickly became incredibly attached to the characters. I found a little bit of myself in Sheero, Taymour and even Omar. I could feel the warmth of Salma and Amany, the angst of Amir and Mustafa and the intricate ambiance that all the supporting characters worked together to weave.

Im currently studying in London and during my first 2 weeks of reading, i couldnt help but take this book with me everywhere, as if carrying a piece of home. It repeatedly was the cause of missed stops on the tube and bus, made me bump into people and poles regularly while finishing up a chapter as i walked down the street, and was once mistaken for a weapon at a club because i had weirdly concealed it in my jacket’s pocket on a night out.

This book has made me laugh hysterically and has brought me to tears, it has made me loathe our country’s caste like system as well as led me to several bouts of homesickness. After finishing it, i can truly say that its a genuine depiction of the infinite cairo circles and the labyrinth-like worlds that they represent.

I urge all Egyptians and non-Egyptians, young and old, to get a copy of this book and go on a genuine Cairene trip which explores the topics of social class, friendship, familial bonds, faith and undoubtedly, love.

[Nadine Mahmoud · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading Cairo Circles a month ago, yet the stories and characters of this incredible debut novel had such an impact on me that I still think about them today. With the novel's following of six characters, Mahmoud delves into a variety of sensitive (and often taboo) topics affecting Egyptian society today. This novel took me on one hell of an emotional ride and I wish I could rewind back in time just to read it again for the first time.

Mahmoud has really outdone himself with this beautiful debut novel - I can't wait to see what else he has in store.

[Yasmeen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! This book filled me with emotions, I couldn't put it down! Having paused the habit of reading for fun, this novel's made me want to dive into dive back into it. I was so upset to find that I was on the last page and had to say goodbye to the characters I felt so much towards.

[Hannah Albee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - This was a random pull for my book challenge and it was a pleasant surprise! It was really interesting and it was fun learning more about Egyptian culture. My biggest issue with it was that the ending felt a bit abrupt and incomplete, but the first 3/4 of the book was excellent.

[dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

a soap-operatic, headache-inducing novel comprised of endless cliches and some really shoddy and cringey writing. I spent 373 pages in these 'cairo circles' and felt suffocated and irritated to death.. I genuinely pity anyone that has to live a fraction of these characters' miserable lives (primarily thinking of sherif here, who is one of the most insufferable characters I have had to read in recent times)

Giving it 3 starts though because I honestly couldn't put it down (hatewatchcore)

[BAM · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot wait to read more by this author! The characters, their lives, their moral compasses, and the intertwining of so many peoples' stories are all beautifully expressed in this novel. I found myself so invested in the characters and the decisions they were making.

[Rana Nessim · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Egyptian, I am always quite skeptical of books on Egypt’s social dynamics as we live in such a diverse and divided society with an ever increasing gap between the rich and poor. A friend recommended I read Cairo Circles, and even though I was not entirely convinced at first, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Looking forward to future novels by Doma Mahmoud.

[Aleksandra Risteski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reads like Egypt‘s answer to East of Eden - personal stories of fortune and despair from different and often extreme opposites of society coming together in the most humane ways. An excellent start to what will certainly be a flourishing writing career of Doma Mahmoud.

[Cherine Helmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A remarkable debut novel that cleverly captures all of Cairo’s contradictions and complicated social dynamics with a skilful plot and engaging storyline. I cant recommend it enough 👏🏻

[Lisa1170 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Egyptian-American perspective on class differences, the clash of modernity and tradition, and the ongoing questioning of one’s faith. The story felt simplistic or predictable at times but overall, I enjoyed the peek into the world in Cairo and the transition one experiences moving from there to New York and the inner dialogue of a Muslim man living in America and deciding to return home.

[Noha Bassiouny · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read, deserving 100 stars! It brilliantly captures all the social classes in Egypt and beautifully connects their stories. I can’t believe this is the author's first and only published work—we need more!

[Yumna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really didn't want that book to come to an end.
Also, first time in my life to find my name in a book! Yay!

[Edna H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story spanning across multiple families. Captivating from start to finish. Feel very grateful to be one of the first to dive into this novel. Impatiently waiting for more pieces of work from Doma Mahmoud!

[Law · Rating 3 out of 5]

Representation: Egyptian characters
Trigger warnings: Racism, terrorism, mass death, explosions and plane crash mentioned, death of a relative
Score: Five points out of ten.
Find this review on The StoryGraph.

Cairo Circles by Doma Mahmoud is another disappointing piece of contemporary literary fiction.

I saw it in a library I visited, so I picked it up and glanced at the blurb, except there wasn't one. There was only praise from websites and other authors. When I closed the final page, Cairo Circles was unenjoyable.

Spoilers ahead. I've warned you.

It starts in the early 2000s with the first person I see, Sheero, living his new life in New York after immigrating from Egypt. The book quickly switches to other characters' POVs, but I didn't care much for them since I felt distant and disconnected from them. I appreciated that Cairo Circles' central theme is family and the interconnected relationships and dynamics between people, with a little religion sprinkled into it. The differences in people's lives between Egyptians living in Egypt and Egyptian Americans were intriguing. However, it has flaws due to the writing style and the author's choices.

The writing style is all over the place. It's unclear if that's intentional, but it keeps switching from place to place, character to character, 1st POV to 3rd POV and, sometimes, paragraph type to paragraph type. Sounds disjointed? It is. It's challenging to follow anything in Cairo Circles. I felt like I read three separate stories rather than one cohesive plotline. I wanted to focus on Sheero's life as it was the most fascinating, but I had to concentrate on irrelevant subplots. It felt more frustrating the more I read Cairo Circles. Its most prominent flaw is the characters themselves as I couldn't relate to them, and it didn't help that they weren't the most likable ones I've read. Perhaps the author made that decision to make the characters more imperfect and realistic instead of writing Mary Sues and Gary Stus, but he could've added personality traits instead. Why did the author portray one character as a terrorist? Not all people from the Middle East and North Africa like him are like that. The conclusion of Cairo Circles is only okay. I'm done. I'm so done.

To summarise, Cairo Circles could've been an outstanding example of literary fiction, but the overcomplicated writing and other issues bogged it down, making me enjoy it less. I wish that I'll find a delightful piece of literature someday.

[Isha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put it down and was sad to see it end. What a beautiful, captivating debut.

[Cara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm surprised to see all the positive reviews of this book. I couldn't even finish it because the gross stereotypes the author embraces in his writing left such a bad taste in my mouth.

I'm American and I've lived in Egypt. There are many things to criticize about both countries, but writing as if being in America is just one huge party and in Egypt it's normal for a man to not allow his daughter to learn to read (this is not even close to accurate, so it confused me) is irresponsible. (And why did the author think we needed to have a description of a teenage boy masturbating and use the cringey phrase "man semen"?)

There are many Egyptian books with excellent English translations that would give a far better glimpse of Egyptian life. Some also focus on Egyptians abroad. Please read one of those before letting this book shape your view of Egypt.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published work by this young author which I very much recommend. The story moves between NYC and Cairo and is told from several different points of view - essentially the very wealthy and the struggling not-quite-poor. Those who have been educated and read and those who can't read for example. As much as I enjoyed this book I found the ending a little facile - though it did tie up all the loose ends.

[Kayti · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a great book and so fun to read living in Cairo and knowing the setting.
I loved learning about the different people, social, religious, and class structures.
My only complaint is how it abruptly ends. I would have enjoyed at least 1 more chapter. But it was well written, and I understand why it ended the way it did.

[crankoline · Rating 4 out of 5]

okay so,,
this book was great to me, well written, i related to the characters HEAVILY
would’ve been 5 stars but the ending felt very rushed, too many loose ends!!!

[Hessain Al Menawy]

مذهلة!

[Rachel Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this until the very end and I had to remove a star for the seriously unsatisfactory final page *sigh*. Otherwise, fantastic, relatable characters and brilliantly written.

[Tembii · Rating 5 out of 5]

ughhhHhhhhHHH THIS BOOOOOK!!!!!! i literally screamed when i turned the last page and it was over. HOW COULD THIS AUTHOR DO THIS TO ME. as soon as i started this book i couldn't put it down. I can't believe its his first novel. i definitely will be keeping an eye on him. he writes SO richly!! every character is heavily developed and their struggles feel real and relatable. you just FEEL for them and with them. The plot and twists hit my heart. I wish this book was 3x longer just cus it was so good the pacing HIT too!! you just bleed for the characters and their situations, man. i feel world weary in a good and sorrowful way after reading this. its hard to describe. at first i thought i wasn't sure if id like the book im ngl but i kept going and SO glad i did. i feel like he took some conventional tropes and spun them in unpredictable ways which i appreciated. much bravo!!!!!!!! this book will stick with me and is one of the best reads of 2023 for me

[Jess De Jesus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Phenomenally written, captivating story following multiple characters through their unique trials and tribulations across the socioeconomic classes of Cairo. Showing us that human suffering isn’t reserved for the less fortunate. Suffering has a way of sneaking up on anyone at anytime, and sometimes that suffering is interrupted suddenly with an unexpected letter causing a burst of laughter, or managed intentionally through years of effort in finding contentment and discipline through support groups. It was truly a joy to follow these characters throughout their development - growth and digressions alike. Thank you for this story, it was truly beautiful.

[jo]

i love love love slice of life / interlocking circle novels. so this book hit all the sweet spots for me.

also - proof of a well written book is how i did not see the (very obvious) plot twist coming. lol.

[Deidre · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning more about Egypt & the culture. The storylines became saturated & I lost interest, skimmed to the end. Relatable characters, slow read.

[Shaelin Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[jorge · Rating 5 out of 5]

the way all the stories are meticulously intertwine is simply sublime. I loved this read. Finished it in 3-4 days.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic and engaging book that moves between several characters. An impressive feat for an early career author but towards the end of the book it becomes a bit disjoined. If I could change the final chapters which flick between character POV increasingly rapidly I would. There are also a few characters which have story arcs which are dropped without apparent reason or resolution. These are the only reflections that stand between this book and five stars. I imagine future works will be fantastic!

[Ellen Natalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Towards the end of this book I became very sad that it was about to end, and that hasn't happened to me recently. The stories in this novel were easy to follow and I fell in love with the characters. I can't wait to read future novels by Mahmoud and I will continue to think about Cairo Circles in the weeks and months to come.