"...I found myself thoroughly entranced by this quiet, slow gentle storytelling -- all the more violence in the death of Habib (not described) at the end, which makes its impact as symbolic of the violation of the country (by foreign rule) and threatened end of a way of life. The meeting of the men at the beginning, around Au-Hersey the self-indulgent and self-important old priest, in preparation for the caravan, is beautifully observed: the weight of custom, the restlessness of the young, the sparseness of comfort. The relations with Au-Hersey's family, his own with his independent young wife, hers with Olaad her stepson, Olaad's with the spoilt younger son -- are equally minutely expressed, funny sad and convincing. And Olaad's suppressed passion, his desperation and flight are amazingly powerful. Throughout this stark physically felt desert life is interspersed descriptions of the contrasting city, already decadent, invaded, the place from which the threat will come. Galkayo is the money economy, the source of corruption, yet inevitably where the action is...Writing is sensitive, direct, and full of gentle wit...A rare Novel, a writer worth discovering..." -- R de Lanerolle.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"... I found myself thoroughly entranced by this quiet, slow gentle storytelling - all the more violence in the death of Habib (not described) at the end, which makes its impact as symbolic of the violation of the country (by foreign rule) and threatened end of a way of life. The meeting of the men at the beginning, around Au-Hersey the self-indulgent and self-important old priest, in preparation for the caravan, is beautifully observed: the weight of custom, the restlessness of the young, the sparseness of comfort. The relations with Au-Hersey's family, his own with his independent young wife, hers with Olaad her stepson, Olaad's with the spoilt younger son - are equally minutely expressed, funny sad and convincing. And Olaad's suppressed passion, his desperation and flight are amazingly powerful. Throughout this stark physically felt desert life is interspersed descriptions of the contrasting city, already decadent, invaded, the place from which the threat will come. Galkayo is the money economy, the source of corruption, yet inevitably where the action is... Writing is sensitive, direct, and full of gentle wit... A rare Novel, a writer worth discovering..." - R de Lanerolle
From the Back Cover
... I found myself thoroughly entranced by this quiet, slow gentle storytelling -- all the more violence in the death of Habib (not described) at the end, which makes its impact as symbolic of the violation of the country (by foreign rule) and threatened end of a way of life. The meeting of the men at the beginning, around Au-Hersey the self-indulgent and self-important old priest, in preparation for the caravan, is beautifully observed: the weight of custom, the restlessness of the young, the sparseness of comfort. The relations with Au-Hersey's family, his own with his independent young wife, hers with Olaad her stepson, Olaad's with the spoilt younger son -- are equally minutely expressed, funny sad and convincing. And Olaad's suppressed passion, his desperation and flight are amazingly powerful.
Throughout this stark physically felt desert life is interspersed descriptions of the contrasting city, already decadent, invaded, the place from which the threat will come. Galkayo is the money economy, the source of corruption, yet inevitably where the action is... Writing is sensitive, direct, and full of gentle wit... A rare Novel, a writer worth discovering..." R de Lanerolle
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Insighs to growing up in Somalia,
By A Customer
This review is from: When a Hyena Laughs: A Somalian Novel (Hardcover)
When the Hyena Laughs is a novel about a young boy growing up in Somalia. It depicts the goings on of daily life. You learn what it means to grow up in Somalia. Not surprisingly it is a bit different than any life one could imagine within the United States. As the young boy grows, so does his facination and desire to go to the city.I recommend this book to anyone who is genuinely interested in how other people live in a cultural experience different from our own. I suspect the author draws strongly form his own personal experiences. Sheik Abdi does a masterful job of conveying the places and times of his story. A must read from one of the finest Somalian authors I have had the pleasure of meeting.
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