Aboulela's writing soothes and enchants. She captures the environment of both Scotland and Sudan as only one who has lived there can. In Sammar, Aboulela creates a sympathetic, sensitive Muslim woman who experiences overwhelming loss and yet gradually climbs out of her grief and welcomes life. While I loved the language of this book and the positive portrayal of Sammar’s faith, I found the conclusion too contrived and not in keeping with the way Rae’s character had been portrayed in the book. Still, the book is certainly well-written and worth reading. ( )

http://www.bostonbibliophile.com/2009... ( )

Very well-written book about Sammar, an Arabic translator at a Scottish university, and Rae, a Muslim scholar and professor who works with Sammar, and their relationship over the course of a year. Interesting insider's look at Sudan and its customs and the Islam religion. ( )

A story of a young Sudanese widow, Sammar, working as a translator for Rae Isles, an Islamist. What starts off as mutual respect, turns to an unspoken love. One that will ultimately not last the test of time and faith. An enjoyable read that I recommend to all. ( )

Sammar is a Sudanese widow living in Scotland. In the four years since her husband's death, she has lived in a tiny one room apartment, indifferent to her threadbare clothing, her poverty and even the mold on her cheese. But as she gradually falls for Rae, her Scottish employer and Islamic scholar, she wakes up to the world around her. Rae is gifted with the ability to make her feel at home in a strange country, but their differences in faith seem almost impossible to negotiate. Finding out if they'll be able to resolve these conflicts creates suspense in the novel.

Reading this book reminded me of eating the extra-creamy milk chocolate bar my boyfriend bought me: it's undeniably good, but so heavy it's hard to take in more than a little at a time. With only 200 pages of text, writer Leila Aboulela clearly hasn't gone overboard with descriptive writing. Yet, every page of the novel is drenched with atmosphere. Reading just five pages sometimes made me feel so full I had to put the book down. This is probably why it took me a long time to get into the story. But, once the novel caught hold of me, I was fully absorbed. As I neared the home stretch, I could see dozens of possible ways for the book to end. What the writer chose surprised me a little, but I feel she chose the best possible ending: one that tied up enough loose ends to leave you feeling satisfied, but with plenty left over for your imagination. There's a "solution" for each one of the characters, but none are without complications.

I enjoyed this book as both an example of Muslim women's writing and as a document of the immigrant experience. Unlike a lot of Muslim women in the media these days, Sammar, the main character, doesn't feel oppressed by her religion. Fulfilling the requirements of her faith demands self-discipline and difficult decisions, but she never doubts it's a positive force in her life. Because we see only through her eyes, we get an authentic perspective on both Islam and the experience of an immigrant in Scotland. She's not trying to explain her faith to a Western audience; she simply lives it and lets us see it. I savored the small culture shocks of her adopted country, like seeing women walking huge dogs that seem capable of eating babies. Little moments like these brought home her outsider status far more effectively than long monologues on isolation.

Recommended: for people who are curious about the world and don't mind a small book that takes a long time to read. ( )