Beduins Gazelle [Hardcover]

Frances Temple (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1996

In 1302, two cousins of the nomadic Beni Khalid tribe who are betrothed become separated by political intrigue between warring tribes.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The barren desert "sand sea" of the Middle East plays backdrop to romance, intrigue and adventure in this sequel to The Ramsay Scallop. Halima and Atiyah, cousins betrothed since birth, look forward to a happy married life as part of their nomadic tribe, the Beni Khalid. But their wicked uncle Saladeen, recruiter of young warriors for the jihad, has other plans-he forcefully delivers Atiyah to the city of Fez, where, under threat of potentially bloody retaliation, he must study religious ways at the "greatest university of Islam." At Fez, Atiyah meets Etienne, the young French pilgrim who befriended heroine Elenor in Ramsay. While Atiyah is away, Halima has woes of her own when she finds herself captured by a rival desert tribe. The novel's climax involves Atiyah's and Etienne's rescue of Halima and the political ramifications of their derring-do. Told in short, rapid chapters, Temple's briskly paced story is fueled by a cast of complex, emotionally resonant characters, easily visualized in full exotic costume. Her descriptions of adolescent angst in 1302, while steeped in vivid period detail, will be equally relevant to contemporary readers. Temple is at the top of her game here, deftly handling societal issues with a spirited style. Sadly, this posthumous volume is the second in a planned but unfinished trilogy. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8?The year is 1302 and Halima, the gazelle of the title, is betrothed to her cousin Atiyah. The young people look forward to the wedding, but their happiness is postponed. Saladeen, a powerful kinsman, sends Atiyah to Fez. He insists the young man must study the Koran, purportedly in order to unite warring factions in the tribe, but actually to strengthen his own position with the Caliph. Atiyah loathes leaving the desert, but believes his actions will please the Archangel Gabriel and bring much needed rain. Meanwhile, while migrating in search of water, Halima falls into the hands of the enemy tribe whose sheikh decides to make her his youngest wife. With the help of his foreign friend Etienne, Atiyah sets out to rescue his beloved. There are fascinating glimpses of everyday life here: Beduin women gathering camel hair for rugs, university students arguing in the classroom, men bursting forth into poetry as they come together for horse trading and camel racing. While telling this romantic tale, Temple also touches upon conflicts within the larger society, e.g., the Beduin way of life versus that of the educated urban mullahs, and the struggle between Islam and Christianity. As in Suzanne Staples's Shabanu (Knopf, 1989), this story shows young people striving to reconcile their individual hopes and dreams with the demands of a traditional society. A lyrical final offering from a gifted writer who died the day she sent this book to her editor.?Ellen D. Warwick, Winchester Public Library, MA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531095193
• ISBN-13: 978-0531095195
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,962,744 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars NOT up to standards, May 17, 2002

By 

Karissa (margate, florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Beduins' Gazelle (Harper Trophy Books) (Paperback)

This book was neither extravagantly wonderful or treacherously boring. In fact at the beginning it was exciting and then as the story progressed it became bland. And then there was a sudden turn at the end of the book, where the sheik handed over Halima to Atiya.The story didn't go through smoothly. I can see how some people would like the book, but I would not recommend it.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable story of another time and culture, March 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Beduins' Gazelle (Library Binding)

The love story between Atiyah and Halima is told in beautiful language and with much suspense. When Atiyah is forced to go study in Fez, then Halima is lost in the desert, you wonder "will they ever see each other again?" I liked this book more than the Ramsay Scallop.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "Hidalgo" Meets Soap Operas, February 17, 2010

By 

Abatar - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Beduins' Gazelle (Harper Trophy Books) (Paperback)

I read this book when I want a good laugh. It's like the author wrote it after watching soap operas taped over the movie "Hidalgo". When I see a book that promises adventure, romance, and a bit of good historical fiction and it falls short-- I can't help but wonder what was going through the author's mind (or the editor's mind for that matter)!

That aside, the story started well. I enjoyed the creative story-telling language. And some of the cultural references were interesting, albeit confusing at times.

But I was greatly disappointed by the characters, which seemed to be drawn well, but lacked personal conviction. Halima was, in the end, just a damsel in distress (and very resigned to it too, I might add). This would have left a perfect opportunity for her boyfriend Atiyah to step up and be the valiant hero, but instead his friend Etienne does most of the action. Atiyah is the most exciting when he is reciting poetry, but that is all. This is a book of secondary characters: the kind where you wish the author would chuck the first prototypes out the door and start over with the support crew in the lead.

After I was finished it, I wondered why I had wasted my time. The ending seemed too easy, and there wasn't really any climax to Halima and Atiyah's romance. Not to mention that their friends were the only ones who thought up any kind of plan to keep them together...whilst they were sighing over the inevitability of their separation.

To conclude: don't spend your time or money on this book unless you like this sort of thing, or you want to chuckle over the weak plot. The poorly made picture on the cover basically says it all.