Alif the Unseen--no spoilers!

[asakiyume]

I am really enjoying this book. Right now I'm in a chase scene. It's better than watching a movie. Alif rushes into a mosque, and the sheikh there shields him from the state security men who are pursuing him. The sheikh and the security men then have this conversation:

"W have the authority to search the whole mosque anytime we please." The voice was fat and guttural.

"Whose authority?" the sheikh asked.

"State's, you impudent old man--what other kind is there?"

"God's," he answered serenely. There was a pause.

"Maybe we should clear this with Religious Oversight first," said a second voice in a quieter tone.

"Search the place now if you like," the sheikh's voice continued,"but I must insist you take off your shoes and make ablution first. This is a place of worship. I won't have it polluted with unclean feet or unclean thoughts."

"He didn't mean to insult you, Uncle," said the second voice apologetically.

"Really? Well he must have a natural talent."

Alif the Unseen, p. 184

Zing! I laughed.

And a little earlier, at the university, Alif heard the calls of the chaiwallah interspersed with academic conversations, and that was very fun:

Sweet mild tea, joy for the tongue and health for the body; when you consider that Foucault defined the postmodern discourse, consider also his own experiential bias; sweet milk tea, if it runs out, I can't be blamed; obviously you believe social capital will eventually have a market value; sweet milk tea, a heavenly drink for a worldly price; you suffer from the colonized mind, dude.

Alif the Unseen, p. 178

Yes, enjoying this very much. It's a book I steal time to read.

Comments

[queenoftheskies.livejournal.com]

How wonderful!

Who is the author?

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

The author's G. Willow Wilson

[queenoftheskies.livejournal.com]

I checked it out on Amazon and it sounds so wonderful that I'm going to buy it when I get paid.

I've been looking for a good book to read.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

This, more than plot summaries, is the sort of taster that makes me want to read a book!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I love excerpts of text as a way to get a feel for what the style is.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

you suffer from the colonized mind, dude

That made me giggle. I may have to read this.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Oh I think you'd like it! (Saying this from about halfway through it... it could still go pear shaped, but I don't think it will.)

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

That is some vibrant gorgeous writing! *makes a note*

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

It's very fun, funny, and beautiful. And maybe profound in places. Also: exciting.

[yamamanama.livejournal.com]

Fun, funny, beautiful, profound, and exciting at the same time is what we should all aim for when writing.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

The part about the colonized mind made me laugh, especially because of the "dude."

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the humor continues throughout,** and so do the metaphysical insights (and, of course, the exciting plot).

**e.g., a jinn saying that his kind like places that are abandoned by humans, then following that with "Detroit is popular."