The Arabian Nightmare
Book description
' ...a classic orientalist fantasy tells the story of Balian of Norwich and his misadventures in a labyrinthine Cairo at the time of the Mamelukes. Steamy, exotic and ingenious, it is a boxes-within-boxes tale featuring such characters as Yoll, the Storyteller, Fatima the Deathly and the Father of Cats. It…
Why read it?
1 author picked The Arabian Nightmare as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I loved this quirky, surreal novel, which is set in Cairo during the time of the Mamluks. Alternating between dreams and fables, the novel also takes us on a tour of Cairo. He uses the mock diary of a traveler for every section of old Cairo, but then diverges into the individual stories of characters in the city.
Balian, a British pilgrim who has come to visit St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai, is really a spy sent by European powers to scout out the power of the Mamluk force, as well as the political intentions of the Sultan. Soon over…
From Gretchen's list on books influenced by Thousand and One Nights.
Want books like The Arabian Nightmare?
Our community of 10,000+ authors has personally recommended 36 books like The Arabian Nightmare.
Browse books like The Arabian Nightmare
5 book lists we think you will like!
Interested in Cairo, Egypt, and the Nile river?
10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about Cairo, Egypt, and the Nile river.