This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Mohammed Said Hjiouij (born April 1, 1982) is a Moroccan Novelist. His novel "By Night in Tangier" won the Inaugural Ismail Fahd Ismail Prize (2019). His second novel, "The Riddle of Edmond Amran El Maleh," has been shortlisted for "The Ghassan Kanafani Prize for Arabic Fiction (2022)", and the Hebrew translation is coming soon. "Kafka in Tangier" has been translated into Kurmanji and English and excerpts into Hebrew and Italian.
Reviewed by Luwi Nyakansaila for Readers' Favorite
Kafka in Tangier by Mohammed Said Hjiouij is a modern retelling of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis. Jawad Al-Idrisi forsakes his dream of becoming a literary critic to become a teacher. His thoughtless father showed no remorse for his neglect and watched his son work tirelessly to provide for the entire family. One day, Jawad wakes up from a nightmare and discovers he has transformed into a hideous and smelly furry creature. This causes a commotion in their home and community. It also leads to his dismissal and the family falling on hard times. His loving sister Hind bears the brunt of it all. She takes care of her brother and the house, and to make things worse, her father forces her to drop out of school to work at a café and provide for the family. Unfortunately, her will is not strong enough, and she begins to crack.
If you are a fan of Kafka’s work, then you will enjoy reading Kafka in Tangier. The story has crazy twists and turns. Despite its bizarre nature, it covers life-changing lessons and themes of family love and sacrifice, discrimination, and societal standards. The story was flawlessly translated from Arabic to English. What I loved the most about this book is Mohammed Said Hjiouij’s narrative skills. He did not write the story chronologically. Instead, he provides a tiny glimpse into Jawad's life and each of his family members. He gradually builds on the mystery of what led to his transformation and fills the reader with intrigue. The ending left me in shock but I was impressed by how the author concluded the story. Brilliant writing.
