حراقة

by Boualem Sansal, بوعلام صنصال

دار يتآكلها الزمن وينخرها على مضض. أشباح وذكريات عفا عليها الزمن تظهر وتندثر. ومدينة ضالة لا تلوي على شيء، تتهاوى بفعل الملل والتسيب والخوف من الحياة. وحيّ، منحدر فالي، الذي يبدو أنه فقد علة وجوده. وفي كل مكان من شوارع مدينة الجزائر الغاصة بالخلق يستعد الاسلاميون ومن بيدهم مقاليد الحكم لكل طارىء ولكل المهمات ولو على أرواحهم، الرجال وحدهم معنيون أما النساء فلا حق لهن في الاحساس ولا حتى في الفسحة. والشباب الغائب المغيب الى حدّ الوقاحة يحلم وهو يدير ظهره الى الحيطان بالارض الموعودة. ذلك هو العالم المغالي في كل شيء والاعتيادي جداً الذي تعيش فيه لامية أياماً رتيبة ملؤها الوحدة والجنون الهادىء. وفجأة تهل عليها شابة يافعة طائشة آتية من عالم آخر، تقول إن اسمها شريفة. وتستقر لديها وتعيث فوضاها في سائر الارجاء. ثم تجعلها، طوعاً وكرهاً، تفكر وتثور وتحب وتؤمن بالحياة التي كانت قد صرفت عنها النظر وأمعنت في كرهها.

Genres: Algeria, Africa, Fiction, Middle East

391 pages

First published February 1, 2007

About the author

Boualem Sansal, né en 1949 à Theniet El Had, petit village des monts de l’Ouarsenis, est un écrivain algérien, principalement romancier mais aussi essayiste, censuré dans son pays d'origine à cause de sa position très critique1 envers le pouvoir en place. Il habite néanmoins toujours en Algérie, considérant que son pays a besoin des artistes pour ouvrir la voie à la paix et à la démocratie. Il est en revanche très reconnu en France et en Allemagne, pays dans lesquels ses romans se vendent particulièrement bien, et où il a reçu de nombreux prix.

Son ami Rachid Mimouni (1945-1995) l'encourage à écrire. Boualem Sansal, bien que grand lecteur, ne se vouait pas à l'écriture. Il commence pourtant à écrire en 1997, alors que la guerre civile bat son plein. Il cherche à entrer dans l'esprit de ses compatriotes, pour tenter de comprendre puis d'expliquer ce qui a mené à l'impasse politique, sociale et économique de son pays, et à la montée de l'islamisme3

En 1999 il publie son premier roman, Le Serment des barbares, qui reçoit le prix du Premier Roman et le prix Tropiques

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The amazing thing that regularly strikes me as I continue on my around the world tour is how many writers are either imprisoned or their novels are banned in their homeland and despite heavy criticism they remain in the country they love, so it is with this author who heavily critical of the Algerian government and Islamic practices finds his works banned yet he is feted abroad remaining at home despite personal risk. Thus this novel packs a punch as the heroine a 35 year old woman, Lamia, who works in a hospital as a paediatrician yet lives a lonely life in her family home is haunted metaphorically by her families ghosts and the ghosts of past inhabitants of the house, yet she rails against religious tradition and argues with petty bureaucracy with wonderful vim. Into her life drops a whirlwind pregnant teenage girl called Cherifa with a vague connection to Lamia's brother who has disappeared on the Harraga,( the trail of escape from the country including precarious boat trips to Europe without ID as a refugee). Lamia becomes devoted to Cherifa as a mother to her teenage child but Cherifa disappears as soon as she arrives creating a deep sense of loss in Lamia as she searches for the traces of her in a society where such a child is at risk of exploitation from men and death from her family. In the character of Lamia the author finds a perfect voice to criticise the country, the religion, and the society with venom yet it also captures the love of a society created over centuries which has fought for independence against colonialism yet still is under repression from government and religion. It's a book that makes you realise how important literature is to societies less cosseted than our own where the act of writing is a risky business.

[Abdullah Bakhashwain · Rating 3 out of 5]

رواية جميلة هذا اول عمل للكاتب الجزائري بوعلام صنصال اطلع عليه والرواية مترجمة عن الفرنسية ترجمة قمة في الروعة والانسيابية الروائي متمكن وسرده جميل و في ادق التفاصيل. هذا العمل يستحوذ على القارئ بسبب تسارع الاحداث … الرواية تدور في مدينة الجزائر العاصمة واحداثها بعد الاستقلال والصراع بين التيارات السياسية و تمتد الى ظهور التشدد والصراعات والفساد المتأصل في كل مفاصل الدولة
هذا استعراض سريع ولي عودة الرواية تستحق ٣ نجوم

[Santhi · Rating 3 out of 5]

#LitWorld2018GB Algeria
Becoming harragas as the only way to survive.
Brilliant writing punctuated with interminable digressions

[Mushda Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made me google things out to properly pick up on its background and what it was working around. It was interesting to read through a new culture and the turmoils and traditions it brings with it.
This book is not something that will stick to you in an instant - rather it's a book that will linger a while after you've finished it.
Mixed feelings for sure.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in Algiers, Harraga, is the story of a female pediatrician, Lamia, who writes poetry and lives alone in her family home, Rampe Valee. Her father, mother, brother Yacine and sister Louiza are deceased. Her only living sibling, brother Sofiane, has left the country in search of a better life away from the growing Islamic extremists gaining dominance in Algeria. The deserters are known as "Harraga" in that, they are path burners, toward a new life. Lamia is a bitter, feminist who defies the role placed on women by religion and is repulsed by the growing Islamic extremists.
Her brother befriends a sixteen year old girl, Cherifa, who is pregnant and sends her to Lamia to live until the birth of the child. Lamia is single, childless and takes Cherifa in as her own child. Their relationship has ups and downs whereby Cherifa leaves before her child is born. Lamia is summoned to a convent to find the fate of Cherifa and the baby. Cherifa and the child create an opportunity for Lamia to burn a new path for herself.

"His lips flecked with spittle, he harangued us with verses ripped from the Qur'an and baleful threats from the terrorists' handbook. Since the situation called for spinelessnes, the other men puffed out their chests and began spouting suras like suicide bombers. Ever since, I've been traumatized, I keep asking myself: does Islam produce true believers, craven cowards, or just terrorists? There is no easy answer since all three are talented actors."
"Better to be a prisoner who is free inside her head, I thought, than a jailer who is prisoner of his keys and besides, it is good and necessary that there should be a wall between freedom and imprisonment. In doing so, I joined the most reviled mob in the Islamic world, the company of free, independent women"
"But the days are long and dreams are not easy. In the course of life, you lose so much. You find yourself alone with tattered memories, dusty habits, worthless treasures, outmoded words, with dates that hang mindlessly on the legs of time, with ghosts that merge with shadows, landmarks that have blurred, remote stories. You replace what you can, surround yourself with new bits and pieces, but your heart is no longer in it and that colours what little life remains."
"Nothing moves the bureaucrats in this country. They would happily send each other to the gallows if it were a matter of sharing out three lean cutlets. Insipid and underpaid, they drift toward crime as naturally as soap suds flow towards a drain."


http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-ent...

[Chelsea]

The plot seemed secondary to Sansal's real motive, which was an ongoing (and really vehement) critique of Algeria's relationship with Islam. I didn't know anything about Algeria, and now I know things about Algeria. So that's good.

[Danis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to grasp the characters, descriptive locations, geography.
Somewhat disappointed, hoped for more by the author of the German Mujahid.

[Dlmrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

3+

[Jayme Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book as my entry for Algeria as I read the world.

The main character, Lamia, is a paediatrician in Algiers. She lives alone, having lost all of her family except for one brother who had disappeared with no word. One day a clearly pregnant teen knocks on the door, creating a whirlwind behind her. As the book continues, Cherifa has a habit of disappearing, but returning. Lamia takes on the role of mother, and when Cherifa does not return close to when the baby is due, begins to search for her, with the conclusion of the book also being the conclusion of the search.

Several times the author branches out with side stories, which fit in well with the story but on reflection I feel those sub stories were HIS story as opposed to Lamia's. He tells stories that are very anti-muslim in respect to radicalized men, and writes of the angst of women in this society. The epilogue ended with a very disturbing commentary on authoritarianism, which resonated with so many things I see happening in the US over the past few years.

The author's books are not allowed in Algeria, although he lives there. It gives me a lot to think about in regard to censorship.

[Saphi · Rating 4 out of 5]

On my journey to read more about the country of Algeria, another book was recommended to me by a Professor. Harraga is another haunting tale, another realistic story of those not willing to fall under the new government and its clear issues.

If Daoud is about the revolutionary wars, how we forget things for the sake of survival. Being a survivor through the guilt, and of course, the role of a woman in a now more radical society. Harraga came before Houris, but it takes another gander at the idea of Feminism, how it threatens the Radical Islamic State, and those seeking to escape to find a better life.

This book looks at the journey of these so caller Harragas, what we often just call "illegal aliens" when you turn your TV on. Of course, the book confronts you with the reality kf what these people go through, and makes sure you see the cruelty and pains a Harraga goes through.

Really fun and pleasant book, slow to start but after that extremely interesting and critical.

[ج ــ · Rating 3 out of 5]

أول عمل أقرؤه لبوعلام صنصال هو هذا

في البداية جرني العنوان وكنت أعتقد أنه يعالج قضية الحرقة (الهجرة غير الشرعية)، غير أني فوجئت بغياب كل ذلك

يتخلل الكتاب أحداث تُسرد على لسان طبيبة الأطفال لامية وهي تصف حالها وحال الدار التي تسكن بها ومامرّت به عبر الأزمنة ووصف أهلها وأهل من عمروها سابقا و قصتها مع الفتاة الطائشة شريفة ( الحامل بصفة غير شرعية، والتي هربت من منزلها) وما آلت إليه الأمور أخيرا

الحرّاق الوحيد في الرواية هو أخ لامية (أعتقد اسمه سفيان) غير أن الكاتب وظّف كلمة حرّاق على غير ما هو متداول(وربما خصّ به شريفة لأنها هربت من المنزل، بحيث شبهها بالحراق الذي يبحث عن ملاذ لعيش آمن وحياة رغدة كريمة)..ربما

الوصف كان جميلا، مليئة بالانفعالات، غير أني لم أجد ظالتي

الطبعة ممتازة من حيث جودة الورق والترجمة أحسبها كذلك

[Linda Hartley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book with a considerable amount of black humour. Set in Algeria.
Lamia an older woman living alone has thrust upon her a Sixteen year old pregnant young woman Cherifa after she suddenly without warning turns up at her house sent by Lamias' brother. the girl is both over chatty, noisy and extremely untidy as she descends on Lamias home. Something she doesn't need. But why is the older woman so taken with her, when really all she wants is calm to be restored and her life back to normal. I couldn't rave about this book hence the star rating.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quelle incroyable plume que celle de Sansal! C'est mon premier roman de cet auteur et j'aime beaucoup son écriture riche et imagée. Je suis entrée dans l'univers d'une femme qui vit seule, et qui aussi vit une grande solitude, face à laquelle elle est ambivalente. À travers son regard, nous découvrons l'Algérie d'aujourd'hui avec les tensions entre la société actuelle et l'islam, et l'Algérie de son quotidien, son travail, son voisinage et sa maison. C'est touchant et triste.

[Book Grocer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Purchase Harraga here for just $8!

Set in the stunning city of Algiers, Lamia lives in isolation, communicating with ghosts by night and working as a paediatrician by day. Having lost her whole family in tragic circumstances, Lamia makes an unlikely friend, in what unravels as an unexpectedly humorous and warm tale.

Olly - The Book Grocer

[Christine Lapping · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wonder if one chapter in this book was the inspiration for the film Io Capitano, both are heartbreaking in their depiction of the mind numbing despair that leads young men to risk their lives in the perilous trek to Europe. The book depicts a life lived with loss and death both known and uncertain and lived with a rage that can never quite be expressed against the Government, the State, Islamists etc

[K's Bognoter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Den algierske forfatter Boualem Sansals Harraga er en samtidskritisk roman fra det moderne Algeriet. Den er fortalt med sort humor, vid og bid og sprogligt overskud. Lige præcis, hvad jeg havde forventet mig og set frem til. Alligevel blev jeg skuffet.

Læs min anmeldelse på K's bognoter: http://bognoter.dk/2017/08/17/boualem...

[Mina · Rating 1 out of 5]

J'ai détesté. Lecture fastidieuse, décousue et lente. Les personnages sont inattachants, un peu incohérents, et totalement inintéréssants. J'aurais voulu aimer ce livre, mais je n'ai pas pu me résoudre à le terminer. Des romans sur l'Algérie, et la situation du peuple, et plus spécifiquement des femmes, il y en a plein, et des biens meilleurs qui plus est.

[I. A.Charaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

تأخرت في التعرف على بوعلام صنصال، جاء خبر اعتقاله ومن ثم سجنه في الجزائر (يحمل الجنسيه الفرنسية) محفزاً اضافياً على قراءته!
ما أجمل العصافير
ولكن واحسرتاه! للعصافير أجنحة
فكما تساعدها على أن تحط وتستقر
تساعدها كي تطير وتطير.
وتلك ماساة العصافير.
الحرية ل بوعلام صنصال

[Britta]

Algeria

[Nelufa Ahmed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but also abit long and drawn out.

[Lamea Zannat · Rating 5 out of 5]

So deep. So so deep! Humor and tragedy blended in beautifully. Loved the piece.

[ameya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a very plot driven book, but somewhat interesting. Very well written.

(Reading the World: Algeria)

[Melissa Burke · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Review to come*

[racha]

J'ai pleuré.
Au début, je me suis tellement habitué à Lamia, sa maison et sa vie que j'appréhendais la venue de Chérifa. Disant que dès son apparition je commençais déjà à m'impatienter, puis je ne comprenais cette affection et cet attachement qu'éprouvait Lamia envers elle tant elle a foutu le bordel et perturbé sa paix. Cherifa représente tout ce que je n'aime pas chez un individu: irresponsable, inconscient et têtu, et puis elle a à peu prés mon âge donc raison de plus: je ne me retrouverais jamais dans une situation pareil et donc je la jugeait en quelques sorte.
Tout au long du livre, j'appris a vivre avec sa présence, à l'accepter, même a l'apprécier et j'en fais de même pour la vie. C'est symbolique: on apprend tous à combler le vide en nous, tout le monde a ses propres moyens, le temps passe et donc on se laisse aller, non qu'on ait forcément un choix.
D'ailleurs je reconnais bien Alger dans ce livre, 20 ans après et toujours la même!!

[Sami Belhaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Au delà du titre Harraga, le livre est animés par d'autres histoires et perspectives.
Celle qui m'a interpelée est la Routine.

Le quotidien et la routine peuvent désormais devenir notre prison et bourreau ! Mais il faut pas céder, ça nous dévore petit à petit jusqu'à la perdition mais la résistance n'est pas un choix, c'est un devoir face à l'humain pure sans distorsions! Mais hélas, chacun de nous est dans sa bulle tantôt transparente tantôt opaque mais nous partagions les mêmes dilemmes !

[Maha · Rating 4 out of 5]

نفتش و نحن نبدأ بالرواية عن معنى حراقة لنعرف ان ذلك يشير الى حرق الطريق للهروب من البلد لفرص لحياة أفضل في أوربا. و نتساءل هل ان هذا موروثا من زمن طارق بن زياد الذي امر بحرق السفن بعد نزول الجيش الاسلامي باسبانيا ام انه تقليدا متوارثا من آلاف السنين. نتعرف الى لمية، طبيبة الأطفال غير المتزوجة و التي تعيش لوحدها بعد ان توفى كل اَهلها و هجرها أخاها الصغير حارقاً للطريق. الرواية كلها نسمع للمية، و نسمع الى حد الضجر . لمية تتكلم عن اَهلها و تاريخهم و تاريخ البيت الذي تعيش فيه و محلتها و عملها و اكثر من ذلك بكثير. تتلاقي لمية مع شريفة بصدفة لتغير تلك الصدفة السير الرتيب للحياة. شريفة ابنة الستة عشر عاما المملؤة عشقا للحياة تفتن كل من تلتقي به. كيف ذلك و هي الفتاة الجاهلة غير المتعلمة و الحامل من علاقة فير شرعية؟ هذه رواية لتدرس اكثر من رواية للاستمتاع بها. تتناول مشاعر إنسانية عميقة و حالات مجتمعية ظالمة و حياة صعبة. نقاشاً ممتعا بعد الانتهاء من القراءة.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads First Reads. At first,I found it to be disappointing because the story as described on the back actually played a very small part of the story (but it was the over-arching catalyst for the book.) But there is a strangely seductive pull that this story has on the reader, so you keep going on, all the while being dazzled by the author's almost train-of-conscious ramblings about the history of the house the main character lives in, and her reflections on the current conditions in Algeria, the plight of the young emigrating,and the way Islamic fundamentalist extremism is negatively impacting the country. Basically, it's like non-fiction masquerading as fiction, or a novel being the impetus for social commentary. At the end, I felt like I had gained an insight into the mind of a humane, cultured,compassionate modern Moslem.

[Ilyhana Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boualem Sansal writes with an acute intelligence. 'Harraga' is the term in Algeria for one who leaves, somewhat pejorative…they didn't stay to fight.
'Harraga' describes life under fundamentalist Islam influence as some kind of hell on Earth. The author's works are banned in his home country.
Set in Algiers, and narrated from the life experiences of a lonely woman who attempts to live outside of Islamic dictate, it is a tale of futile rage. The story tends to wander at times but these diversions tend to fill out the picture of life in Algiers.
Sansal issues a warning in this novel to a western world that is complacent in its freedoms and wealth.

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's one I enjoyed despite my lack of background knowledge. It focuses on the narrator's relationship with a girl she takes in; but as we only see this girl from the former's perspective, it is really more about the narrator herself, which I found interesting. We study the one as she studies the other, and—like she does—we may not even realize we're starting to love her.

[Joan Cobb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about a female Algerian pediatrician who reluctantly takes in a young girl who is pregnant by her runaway brother. It is not the story but the trip to modern day Algiers with its religious and current historical/political issues that make this a memorable book. Very interesting.