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A review by saklarich
Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
At first this felt a little like Pride and Prejudice, with a lot of talk of marriages and sister dynamics. Then a pinch of religion thrown in - lots of “X son of Y” and “A mother of B” and a decent amount of iconography. That stuck throughout the book but the many (I legitimately lost track) character perspectives tied all that in through a multi-generational lens on the lives lived in Oman throughout the timeline of the book, and even through reflections of further times past. There wasn’t a lot of plot, but the writing was good. I enjoyed the narration of the audiobook as well. Overall, not for me, but I’m grateful more books across the world are getting translated. I’m starting to wonder if I’m boring and unimaginative for wanting books with a single perspective.