Daughters of the Nile by Zahra Barri
Paris, 1940. The course of Fatiha Bin-Khalid’s life is changed forever when she befriends the Muslim feminist Doria Shafik. But after returning to Egypt and dedicating years to the fight for women’s rights, she struggles to reconcile her political ideals with the realities of motherhood.
Cairo, 1966. After being publicly shamed when her relationship with a bisexual boyfriend is revealed, Fatiha’s daughter is faced with an impossible decision. Should Yasminah accept a life she didn’t choose, or will she leave her home and country in pursuit of independence?
Bristol, 2011. British-born Nadia is battling with an identity crisis and a severe case of herpes. Feeling unfulfilled (and after a particularly disastrous one-night stand), she moves in with her old-fashioned Aunt Yasminah and realises that she must discover her purpose in the modern world before it’s too late.
Following the lives of three women from the Bin-Khalid family, Daughters of the Nile is an original and darkly funny novel that examines the enduring strength of female bonds. These women are no strangers to adversity, but they must learn from the past and relearn shame and shamelessness to radically change their futures.
About the author
About the author Egyptian/Irish writer and stand -up comedian, Zahra grew up in Saudi Arabia, attending both Muslim and Catholic schools, which gives her writing a unique perspective. She has featured on Channel 4's Only Jokes a Muslim Can Tell, BBC Period Dramas, BBC Radio and BBC Asian Network. In 2020 she won Runner Up in the Comedy Women in Print Unpublished prize 2020. She is now doing a PhD exploring the Muslim woman in literature and has recently won the Unbound Firsts 2024 competition. Her novel Daughters of the Nile will be published with Unbound in June 2024.
Review
‘Daughters of the Nile’ is a sweeping multi-generational tale of three women from the same family. It weaves its narrative between the three women and it at times hilariously funny to hauntingly poignant. This is a debut novel and it’s a great read, thoughtfully put together to both honour their culture and critique it. I will be looking out to see what Zahra does next!
The book follows Fatima in 1940s Paris, her daughter Yasminah in 1960s Egypt and finally Nadia in 2011 in Bristol. All the women are very different but with interesting and at times heartbreaking stories. This is a visceral account of their lives and the author doesn't hold back on details. It travels back and forward in time and weaves a story of love, loss, empowerment and hardship. But all three women are strong and resilient and fight for their futures.
I must admit I don't know much about modern Egyptian history so getting to learn about Doria Shafik was illuminating and I ended up reading so much about her. I do like when authors pepper their works with real people as it gives an air of authenticity and I personally love when a book teaches me something, which it definitely did in this case. But this was the story of the Bin-Khalid family and how they challenged their family, culture and society. Each member has their own distinct and vibrant voice and it was a pleasure to glimpse into their lives.
Let me know if you pick this one up!
