In 1950s Sudan, the powerful and sprawling Abuzeid dynasty has amassed a fortune through their trading firm, with Mahmoud Bey at its helm. But when Mahmoud's son, Nur, the handsome heir to his business empire, suffers a debilitating accident, the family is suddenly divided in the face of an uncertain future. As British rule nears its end, Sudan is torn between modernizing influences and the call of traditions past-a conflict reflected in the growing tensions between Mahmoud's two wives: the younger, Nabilah, longs to return to Egypt and escape the dust of "e;backward-looking"e; Sudan; and Waheeba, who lives traditionally in the confines of her open-air kitchen. It is not until Nur begins to assert himself outside the strict cultural limits of his parents that both his own spirit and the frayed bonds of his family can begin to mend. Moving from the alleys of Sudan to cosmopolitan Cairo and a decimated post-colonial Britain, Lyrics Alley is a sweeping tale of desire and loss, faith, despair and reconciliation. It is one of the most accomplished and evocative portraits ever written about Sudanese society at the time of independence.
'The scattered but powerful Abuzeid family are a force in 1950s Sudan. When the patriarch's son is injured, everything must change. A thought provoking glimpse into an unfamiliar society as old ways give way to new.' WOMAN
& HOME 'an assured and highly readable portrait of a family in flux and two societies - Sudan and Egypt - on the cusp of momentous changes...Lyrics Alley is an evocative description of the struggle between tradition and modernization, a conflict that is still being fought in present-day Islamic culture. NEW INTERNATIONALIST
'Soraya is smitten with her cousin, Nur, heir to the family business but everything falls apart when he suffers a near-fatal injury and the betrothal is called off. In beautiful subtle prose Aboulela reveals the emotional consequences of their separation, and how the couple must renegotiate their futures...Aboulela explores themes of love, faith and divided families with tender restraint.' MARIE CLAIRE
'haunting...Vividly evoking the alleyways of Sudan, Egypt and Britain, this novel also movingly and meticulously traces the hidden pathways of the mind and heart with all its anger, shame, hate and love.' Anita Sethi THE SUNDAY TIMES
'Leila Aboulela has created a story for all the senses, one to be savoured and enjoyed.' FINANCIAL TIMES
'a panoramic exposition of a country on the brink of independence, a splendid representation of upper class Sudanese life, and a fascinating exploration of the lives of women...Lyrics Alley is gripping and meticulously researched.' MSLEXIA
Author
About Leila Aboulela
Leila Aboulela was born in 1964 in Cairo and grew up in Khartoum. She came to England to study at the LSE and now lives between Doha and Aberdeen.
