I wanted so much to really really like this book as there is not much written about the makings of modern Egypt, it was short listed for the Booker Prize in 1999, and it is recommended for book discussion groups in all sorts of lists. At times I thought I was rereading some sort of "The Sheik" romance and at others it seemed like an apologetic for radical Islamic tendencies in modern Egypt. After I read this book I read Karen Armstrong's "Battle for God" and found that I understood much better what was happening in Egypt during the time period of this book, but even a clearer understanding of modern Egyptian history and modern Islamic fundamentalism didn't help me like it any better. I did like the plot device of contrasting two romances from different points in time with all their similarities and differences. While it did have enough spark that I finished reading it, on the whole it was rather boring. The worst part was the ending. Was there some sort of supernatural phenomena going on, a dream, or what? Why muddle a muddled historical romance with this ending? ( )

I must admit I picked this up because of the cover and in my head it was a different book. A happy error!

A British Lady falls in love with an Egyptian Pasha in 1900s Egypt. Her great-granddaughter goes through the papers in her trunk and enlists a distant cousin's help to re-discover her story. The story is narrated by this cousin in 1997, reminding herself of the tales her mother had told her.

Knowing very little about modern Egypt, the book is set at key points in Egypt's history - turn of the century, with Egypt struggling for independence from Turkey and British influence and 1997, a turbulent year with terrorist attacks. ( )

This lyrical book paints a vivid and moving picture of colonial and modern-day Egypt, and allows the reader to catch a glimpse of the inherently different ways its history is viewed by East and West. Beautiful descriptions and tender scenes invite the reader to share the pain and the joy of cross-cultural relationships. The modern-day love story echoes the one from the past, showing how little some things have changed in the last hundred years in Egypt. I highly recommend this beautifully written book. ( )

Enjoyed this for the love story of Anna and for its evocation of Egypt, but found it over-long and the political side of the story hard to follow (mostly because of all thos Arabic names!) I also wasn't sure that the contemporary sub-plot with the two women added a great deal. Neither of them seemed to resove their difficulties, and I didn't feel there was a satisfactory ending for them. I feel the book would have been at least as successsful (and easier to read) if it had concentrated on the historical narrative. Still, I think it will stick in my mind (hence the rating!) ( )

http://bookcrossing.com/journal/56328... ( )