Latifa Zayyat (1923–1996)

Despite Layla's Trollopian ditherings about her choice of men and her rather hopelessly rudderless personality, this bildungsroman holds the attention all the way to the apocalyptic climax of the Suez invasion. We can only hope that, after her disastrous choice of potential partners, her stroll into the sunset with Husayn will indeed find the yellow brick road. This novel envelopes us in the stifling nature of middle class conformity in Eyptian society of the 1950s. Only a deus ex machina, show more in the shape of European invasion, can rescue the protagonists (and us) from this nightmare. A very enjoyable read still today. show less

Ugh - hated it. Trying to finish it was like having pins stuck in my eyeballs.

Arabic title: "Al-Bab al-maftuh" (1960)