A Wind in Cairo

A Wind in Cairo is a well-researched historical fantasy set in the tumultuous period of the early Crusades. Egypt lies under Saladin's hand, and the story is told entirely from the point of view of Muslim characters, something rare at least in English literature, especially for 1989.The story follows two protagonists: Hasan, a degenerate Arabian prince who as a guest in a magus' house rapes his daughter and as punishment is turned into a horse and bound to serve Zamaniyah, the daughter and only living child of Al-Zaman, who happens to be Hasan's father's mortal enemy.

What follows is a tale of coming of age and a little romance, though I'd hesitate to call it young adult at all. The writing is timeless, and holds up even today, and the show more characters are rich and real. Zamaniyah is her father's heir and raised as a boy would be raised, learning the arts of war and indeed riding to war. The sultan Saladin features heavily, and in this novel we see him as a youngish man, intelligent and wise and lordly, all of the traits that made him the greatest of the medieval Muslim kings and respected even in the West.

Judith Tarr certainly knows her horses. A good chunk of the book revolves around Zamaniyah training Hasan and bonding with him. At certain points it became a little much for me, but it never became a slog. This is a brisk novel, and the prose is elegant without ever becoming dense.

A Wind in Cairo is a bit of a departure from what I normally read. It's a bit hard for me to relate to a young girl as a protagonist, especially one belonging to a foreign religion. But for all that it was an enjoyable read, the historical setting is vivid and interesting, and it didn't overstay its welcome. Some may have have an issue with the ending, but to me it was thoughtfully and gracefully handled. show less

I decided to read this book based on the author's article where she talks about certain problems with C.S Lewis' The Horse and his Boy. She says

"Aravis reminds me of why I wrote A Wind in Cairo, which is partly about correcting the issues I saw in The Horse and His Boy, and mostly about girls and horses. And the Crusades. From the other side."

And lets face it, that sounds plain awesome!
And I loved the book. I think that if I had read it as a teenager it would have been one of those books I read and reread and then reread some more.
Tarr's writing is just so easy to read, and it is so evocative. You feel as though you are in the middle of the scenes.
But, there is a huge issue at the heart of this book. And that is, the crime Hasan show more is being punished for is rape. And I know a lot of people won't want to read the story of a rapist's redemption. It is a very understandable reaction.
I was very very worried that it was going to be a romance story between Hasan and the woman he rapes ((another unfortunate part is that she remains unnamed throughout the book)) but that is very definitely not on the cards. The reaction of the Hajji ((the woman's father)) when he discovers what Hasan has done is, thankfully, outrage, anger, and disgust at what Hasan has done. There isn't even the slightest hint of victim blaming.
Still, the story does revolve around Hasan learning just what a dick he has been and learning and growing.
But! but it is also the story of Zamaniyah and she is brilliant. I loved her character so much. After her brothers were killed in war he father decided that his only surviving child should be raised as though she were a boy. He doesn't try to pretend she is male, she dresses as a boy and is educated as a boy. She is aware of all the benefits this brings her, but it also makes her an outsider, both to other women and to men. They all seem to distrust her. I really liked the way Tarr wrote her. She wants to do her duty, to do as her father commands, but she also knows that she cannot go on that way forever, and she isn't really sure what she herself wants.
Despite the fact that Zamaniyah is being raised in a world of men Tarr introduces other women into the story. Some have just fleeting parts to play, others stick around for longer, like Wiborada, who is a Frankish prisoner/concubine. Her story is another that I'd love to see more of, but you can't have everything in a book.
I do wish that Hasan has committed some other lesser crime. But then again, would a lesser crime have warranted being turned into a horse? And the crime he committed is never swept under the covers or minimised. Hasan is made to learn just what he did and how wrong it was. It takes time, and his journey isn't smooth, but he does come to an understanding why his rape was so terrible. show less

This is a stand-alone historical fantasy, sharing much of the setting of The Hound and the Falcon trilogy, but without the elves. It’s also a book for horse lovers.

Hasan is an indulged son; he’s cut a swath in Cairo with his boon companions until he goes too far and looses his father’s cherished horses wagering them in a game of backgammon. Although his father covers his debt, he puts his foot down - Hasan is to go to the desert tribes. Escaping from the house, Hasan goes on a binge and is attacked and beaten. Rescued by a magus, he is taken in and nursed back to health by the magus and what Hasan takes to be a slave girl. When he is well enough, he celebrates by raping the girl.

Unfortunately, the girl is the magus’ daughter. show more For acting the stallion, Hasan is turned into one and condemned to serve a woman. He can only return to human form by dying for her.

Sold to a horse dealer departing for Damascus, he is purchased by the son of an Emir - who is the woman he is destined to serve. This is the story about how Hasan is taught to restrain himself as a horse and comes to love his mistress, eventually dying for her.

It’s more in the romance genre than the fantasy genre and is a pure horse story, but is a great read for all that. I read it every so often, and recently acquired an ebook version.

Recommended if you’re a hippophile, probably too girly for those that aren’t. show less

One of my all time favorite books. I loaned it to a friend and her husband threw it away. I looked for a new copy for years and found it again as soon as the internet was invented. Thanks Al Gore!

This author has horses and it shows. This is a great love story and a well done story about horses. I'm a life long horse owner and it really pushes my buttons when an author does the horse stuff wrong.

The hero is a spoiled young man who does a very bad thing. He is punished and he learns and grows. The heroine is very strong having been raised as a son.

The hero redeems himself at the end.

Bit of a SPOILER

The only thing that creeps me out a bit is the guy having a foal with a mare while he's a stallion. But he does acknowledge that the mare show more at least was willing.

Other than that a great love story with some really good feel for the time of the first crusade. show less

I discovered this book completely by chance thanks to a post Tarr wrote at Tor.com on C.S. Lewis’s The Horse and his Boy, and have been utterly charmed by it. It’s an Arabian-Nights-style fantasy, set in Cairo in the 13th century during the rule of the young sultan Salah Al-Din: a tale of enchantment, arrogance, romance, and self-realisation, with a fiery young heroine and a most unconventional hero. Over the years, I’ve read several books which I know I would have adored as a teenager; this one, however, stands out because I love it as much now as I would have done then.

Hasan al-Fahl Sharif is the beautiful, spoiled and reckless son of Ali Mousa. He cuts a swathe through Cairo with his reprobate friends, drinking, gambling and show more chasing women, to the despair of his conservative father and to the dishonour of his bloodline, which descends from the Prophet himself. But one day Hasan goes too far. After a foolish wager, on which he stakes his father’s prized mares, and an equally foolish attempt to escape his punishment, he finds himself beaten and wounded on the streets of Cairo. He is taken in by a gentle Hajji, who washes and tends him with the aid of a beautiful woman. When he allows his lust to overpower him again, Hasan makes a terrible mistake and his host, who turns out to be far more than he seems, exacts a correspondingly terrible price...

For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2017/04/23/a-wind-in-cairo-judith-tarr/ show less

Young Hasan Is a happy-go-lucky wasteral and libertine. The spoiled pleasure seeking son of the Emir. He attacks the Wizards daughter, and the wizard changes him into a horse.
Things get real enteresting from there. While living on 4 legs he learns to be a man, and meets the woman who will tame the savage beast in him.