Fatma: A Novel of Arabia

by Raja Alem

"Fatma, an Arabian peasant girl, unwittingly embarks upon a strange journey of transformation the day her father marries her off to a snake handler with a sideline in potions brewed from venom. When Fatma is bitten by one of the snakes, she is changed from an innocent girl into an overpoweringly sensuous woman with a mysterious talent for controlling her husband's snakes and an ability to travel with them into realms beyond ordinary human experience." "Journeying into the Netherworld with her snakes, Fatma meets Prince Taray, a melancholoy warrior-hero. She and Taray bewitch each other and struggle toward union in rapturous rituals during which, among other things, Fatma alternately bursts into flames and melts into golden liquid." Resonating with ritual and mystery, Fatma is a tale of one woman's path to ecstasy - an enraptured vision of enchantment in this world and fulfillment in another.

Genres: Middle East, Fiction, Novels

174 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2002

About the author

Raja'a Alem (Arabic: رجاء عالم) is a Saudi Arabian novelist. She studied English Literature at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah in 1980. She began her writing career on the "Letters and Ideas" page in Al-Riyadh newspaper, as well as in the newspaper's weekly supplement. She is credited with documenting the Meccan/Hejazi environment in her novels. Her novels are distinguished by a symbolic Sufi/Gnostic narrative with broad cosmic visions. Some of her works have been translated into English and Spanish.

Reviews

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

The problem with this book was that Raja Alem wrote it, then this Tom character edited the hell out of it for the American market and made it out to be this psychadelic trip through time and space and sand. It had chicks turning into snakes and shit. That might sound cool, but even if you dropped acid before reading this it would still suck. That's how bad Tom rewrote it. I'm sure it would have been good if it was just translated.
From what I can remember of the tangible pieces, it had to do with an Arab woman dealing with abusive, controlling men her whole life.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could have easily been three stars except the power of the story fizzled out and became repetitive. It involves much snakes. That and when I read notes from the draft I realized the author's orginal raw version and image rich writing style could have carried the tale to the end.

For example the author had wanted to write "females dancing" and the editor who is a photographer corrected it to "women dancing." All the stuff the photographer-turned-editor meddled with stripped the story of all the poetry and flow that would have made the story stand out and match the magic of the snakes.

[Mona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alem exhibits a brilliant sense of writing, it is not easy to discover her intended meanings, may be this is why this book recieves so much criticism. However, as a researcher in postcolonial studies I believe it deserve much appreciation. The language is not as good as the idea.

[Kookie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was into it until it took a dreamlike turn in the middle. I understand the need for it, considering that the main character sort of turns into Queen of the Snakes, but I just didn't dig it.

[Alireza Nayerabadi]

با ترجمه ی علی ملایجردی با عنوان "سَجیر "،انتشارات چارکوچه

[Juju · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so unique and amazing. It’s essentially long form poetry about a woman who is oppressed by both her husband and society and uses her connection to a divine/spiritual power (or psychosis) to cope with her abuse/lack of support. The imagery is unbelievably beautiful and the descriptions of each scene will stick in your mind for weeks.

Excellent read if you like books that don’t hold your hand or explain anything, most scenes will leave you wondering what is or isn’t real, most of what happens is fantastical but it’s not a magic system that will be explained to you like a typical fantasy novel.

[CATastrophe · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I rate a story 1.5 stars it means do not read this book. It’s bad.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting book, like nothing I've read before. It was translated from Arabic so the sentence structure isn't something I was used to. The fantasy aspect of the novel plays a large role in the readers enjoyment! A unique experience!

[Lu]

Middel East