The Fairy’s Heel

The Fairy’s Heel
(working title)
كعب الجنية
(Kaab al jinniyah)

Written by

(لينا هويان الحسن)
A journey into Bedouin life and history in northern Syria

This book belongs to the subgenre of travel literature. After years of absence, the author returns to her place of birth and childhood in northern Syria, among the Bedouin castles of Hama. During her visit, she begins to summon the history of these places, moving between historical narratives and stories of Bedouin women and the mythical tales she inherited from her mother and grandmother. Her personal trip becomes a trip into history, where we learn about ruins and peoples, from the early Aramaic age to the Roman era, Arab era, the invasion of the Crusaders, ending with civil war in Syria. Because this area of Hama is known for magic and fortune telling, the author also writes about a heritage of superstition, and about forgotten Bedouin witches.

Approximate number of pages: 126 p.

Foreign rights: contact the author‘s agent

Classification

Translation samples

English
by

Reasons to publish this book

Books of nonfiction are severely under-translated from Arabic literature. This book would make a unique addition to the European library. It would be an enjoyable read for readers who would like to learn about Bedouin Syria from the lens of a female author native to the region.

Reviewed by Diqqa.net