In the Eye of the Sun

By Ahdaf Soueif

Set amidst the turmoil of contemporary Middle Eastern politics, this vivid and highly-acclaimed novel by an Egyptian journalist is an intimate look into the lives of Arab women today. Here, a woman who grows up among the Egyptian elite, marries a Westernized husband, and, while pursuing graduate study, becomes embroiled in a love affair with an uncouth Englishman.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jul 20, 2011
• ISBN: 9780307789259

Ahdaf Soueif

Ahdaf Soueif was born in Cairo. She is the author of Aisha, Sandpiper, In the Eye of the Sun and the bestselling novel The Map of Love, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1999. Her collection of cultural and political essays, Mezzaterra, was published in 2004, as was her translation of I Saw Ramallah by Mourid Barghouti. She has been awarded the Blue Metropolis Literary Prize (in Montreal) and the Constantin Cavafis Award (in Cairo and Athens), and is also the founder of the Palestine Festival of Literature, PalFest, for which she was awarded the Hay Medal for Festivals in 2017. Ahdaf Soueif is also a journalist and her work is syndicated throughout the world. For the last five years she has been a key political commentator on Egypt and Palestine, and throughout the 2011 uprisings in Cairo Adhaf Soueif reported front the ground for the Guardian, and appeared on television and radio. She lives in London and Cairo.

Reviews for In the Eye of the Sun

[imyril · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Terribly well written and dealing with various interesting and important theme, but oh my word it goes on and on. And on. And on (and I don't normally object to large volumes). I struggled to the end and lost most of my sympathy for the protagonist in doing so.

[monzrocks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sprawling novel about a privileged young Egyptian woman, Asya, beginning with her as a teenager and following her for a decade of her life. Family, love, marriage, the political climate of the 60's and 70's in the Middle East, are all feature. I loved it and felt I could really relate to the protagonist. Her writing, characters, and descriptions are especially wonderful.