Crescent

Rating:
Summary: A literary break through
Review: This beautiful novel brought me to tears. The love story between these two characters is rich, intelligent, compelling in any language, but the fact that they happen to be Middle Eastern-- at a time when so little is really understand about the Middle East-- makes it an especially important--and original-- book. I was completely involved in this brilliant novel and found that I kept reading late into the night, not wanting to put it down.

Rating:
Summary: A sensuous, thrilling world
Review: This book totally captivated me-- the love story between the two main characters was not only senusous and stirring, it gave me a new way to see what's going on in the world right now. I couldn't put it down and now I can't stop thinking about the food, the romance, and their story! I can't help myself-- I think I want to read it all over again.

Rating:
Summary: Sensuous and Lush
Review: This is a must-read for anyone who revels in sensual descriptions: the smell of the garlic and onion frekeh sauteeing, the wild curls of bougainvillea climbing the walls behind Sirine's kitchen, the sounds of drizzling rain running down her bedroom window. Abu-Jaber weaves together a spellbinding story about love, loss and heartache, using detailed descriptions to transport the reader. I highly recommend "Crescent."

Rating:
Summary: A Feast of Delights
Review: With Crescent, I think Diana Abu-Jaber does an excellent job of allowing the reader a glimpse into the Arab-American experience. From the novel I gained knowledge of Arabic history, belief and customs, and literature. I also gained a feel for what Arabs living in America feel and what they felt living in their native countries such as Iraq, Iran, and Lebanon. Some of the characters, such as the college professor Hanif talk of missing his family, the atrocities committed by Saddam Hussein on the Iraqi people and of his exile. He loves Iraq but yet he cannot return to it, and it saddens him to see what it has become. Sirine is an Arab-American chef of mixed heritage, born and raised in America, who struggles with her cultural identity among other things. You also get a sense of the loneliness that some Arabs must feel in this country, particularly the students who come from abroad to study and live, or people who come searching for a better life, often leaving their families behind.

But Crescent is more that just an Arab-American novel, it is filled with magic, passion, intrigue, and rich, warm, and colorful characters. There is a little bit of the old mixed in with the new. There are magical tales reminiscent of the "Tales of the Arabian Nights" and descriptions of modern day life in "Irangeles", a Middle Eastern community in Los Angeles. There is also a sensual feel to this novel. To say there is passion between the two main characters Sirine and Hanif would be an understatement. From reading the novel, I found out that the more we think we are different, the more we are the same. There were so many aspects about Sirine's life, relationships, and her feelings about being a woman, that I could relate to and that any woman could relate to. Arab women have been portrayed as meek and subservient, but that is not the case in this novel. The women are strong and seem comfortable in their own skin, and they totally shatter the myth of what one thinks an Arab woman is.

Food also plays a prominent part in this novel and it has an essence all its own. It brings people together in love and in the community, and the imagery and description of the various dishes and recipes is enough to make your mouth water. Crescent is a feast of variable delights, and there is a little bit for everyone, Arab and non-Arab alike.

Rating:
Summary: A rich dessert
Review: Wonderful. I love this book. Reading Crescent was like eating a rich dessert, I had to take it in little bites. You'll love it!

Rating:
Summary: A read to savor that weaves in and out of reality
Review: Yes, it's ultimately a love story, but it's definitely not what I'd call a "beach read" or even a weekend read. Unlike those, this book moves slowly, it winds around here and there, and that's not a bad thing. I felt like I was a regular at Um-Nadia's Cafe after awhile, smelling Sirine's luscious and lovingly-prepared Middle Eastern specialties and watching for Han to come through that door. Be ready to let loose your imagination with the mystical tale of the runaway slave that runs parallel to Han's and Sirine's story. A dynamite ending!

Rating:
Summary: A read to savor that weaves in and out of reality
Review: Yes, it's ultimately a love story, but it's definitely not what I'd call a "beach read" or even a weekend read. Unlike those, this book moves slowly, it winds around here and there, and that's not a bad thing. I felt like I was a regular at Um-Nadia's Cafe after awhile, smelling Sirine's luscious and lovingly-prepared Middle Eastern specialties and watching for Han to come through that door. Be ready to let loose your imagination with the mystical tale of the runaway slave that runs parallel to Han's and Sirine's story. A dynamite ending!