The Sand Fish: A Novel from Dubai [Paperback]

Maha Gargash (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 20, 2009

A fascinating window into a different culture—and an inspiring and unforgettable universal story of strength and self-reliance—from an extraordinarily wise and lyrical new literary voice

Coming of age in the 1950s, seventeen-year-old Noora is unlike other women of the sun-battered mountains at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula. Though she shares their poverty and, like them, bears life's hardships without complaint, she is also fiery and independent. Following the death of her mother and her father's descent into dazed madness, Noora flees the threat of an arranged marriage, only to be driven back to her unwanted fate by disappointment and heartbreak. As the third wife to a rich, much older man, Noora struggles to adjust to her new home by the sea, thinking of herself as a sand fish—the desert lizard she observed in the mountains, which, when stuck in the wrong place and desperate to escape, smashed itself again and again into unyielding rocks. But then a light is shone into her miserable darkness, resulting in an unexpected passion, a shocking indiscretion, and a secret that could jeopardize Noora's life.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Dubai native Gargash weaves an enticing tale of a fiery, independent woman struggling to live the life she has been assigned in the 1950s in the area outside modern Dubai. Noora Al-Salmi is 17. Her mother has died, her father has since gone mad, and her brother, Sager, is trying to provide for her. When Sager hears of a rich pearl merchant looking for a new wife, Noora, unhappy with this plan, escapes to a nearby village where she quickly becomes involved with a man who, unbeknownst to her, is promised to another woman. She returns home to find that Sager has married her off to the merchant. With intimate, well-paced prose, Gargash takes us along with Noora to her new life: competing with her husband's two other wives and enduring the nightly ritual in hopes of a child for the household. But when Noora begins an illicit affair, she becomes mistress of her fate. Does she choose the confines of security or the potential happiness of freedom? An exciting, passion-filled read that illuminates an intriguing culture through the eyes and experience of a feisty heroine. (Nov.)
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Review

“Gargash’s poignant plot will appeal to diehard fans of world literature.” (Library Journal )

“Unadorned, poetic language, filled with well-integrated cultural detail. . . . [A] terrific choice for bookclub discussions. . . . This may find appeal with fans of The Kite Runner.” (Booklist )

“A young woman’s story opens a window into Dubai on the verge of modernity. . . . Seaside and desert locales, along with the transitional time period, give a fresh twist to this standard tradition-versus-modernity plotline. . . . Her setting is original.” (Kirkus Reviews )

“Gargash weaves an enticing tale of a fiery, independent woman. . . . Intimate, well-paced prose. . . . An exciting, passion-filled read that illuminates an intriguing culture through the eyes and experience of a fiesty heroine.” (Publishers Weekly )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial; 1 Original edition (October 20, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061744670
• ISBN-13: 978-0061744679
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #745,923 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So pleased to read a novel based in Dubai :), December 17, 2009

By 

DubaiReader "DubaiReader" (Dubai United Arab Emirates) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sand Fish: A Novel from Dubai (Paperback)

I was so thrilled to read a novel based in Duabi, a fascinating record of culture and behaviour in this area in the '50s.
The book starts in the remote mountains of Ras al Kaimah / Musandam (I think), where two matchmakers arrive to tutor Noora in the art of becoming a wife and pleasing her husband. With this, her wild childhood, running free in the mountains, comes to an abrupt end. She is to be the third wife of a much older man; her main responsibility - to produce a baby.
She is not without temptation from younger men, however, and sails close to the wind on several occasions.

There is some wonderful imagery - a water filled cave hidden in the depths of arid mountains is one example that comes to mind. In addition there was a vivid description of the souk as Noora lands on the shores of Sharjah (??).
The language is also interesting; although extremely readable, there are give-away phrases of the author's background:
".....news crept into Moza's home on whispering tongues".
".....she clutched the bedpost and became one with the bursting clouds".

The position of women is well illustrated, particularly in relation to multiple marriages. The man is all-powerful and the wives have to get along as best they can.
Pearl diving is mentioned too, plus the ensuing health problems of fading eyesight and poor lungs.

We discussed this book at a book group and I'll agree that it's not without its flaws, but for me the reading experience was well worth the 5* that I have given.
More please Ms Gargash.