Book description
A passionate tale, woven from personal stories of heroic betrayal and
love, The Naqib's Daughter is based on historical characters, and set
during Napoleon's campaign in Egypt.
Lady Nafisa, aristocrat, philanthropist and wife of Mamluke leader
Murad Bey wakes one morning to find her worst fears confirmed. Cairo is
under threat from the French, whose mission is to liberate the most
ancient civilisation in the world from what they see as superstition and darkness.
For Nafisa it means that her husband will go to war and she will be
widowed a second time. She will have a new role as an intermediary with
the French and as a refuge for vulnerable civilians form both sides.
For fourteen year-old Zeinab, daughter of a respected Naqib, it is the
end of her childhood. To save her family she is married to Napoleon.
Life in the French court in Egypt is a game to her, one with many
pleasures, including the love of one of Napoleon's trusted entourage.
When the occupation fails, and the French begin to withdraw, only Nafisa
can protect her from the wrath of the mob.
Elfi Bey, the ambitious new Mamluke leader who is also in love with
Lady Nafisa, has to risk being an outcast, for the land he so dearly
loves, and loosing all the wealth and status he has worked for because
he fears the only way to save Egypt from the occupiers is to seek
support from the court of King George III.
Samia Serageldin brings to life the vanished world of the exotic
Mamluke warrior-slaves and so doing, explores the complex, often
dangerous relationship between occupier and occupied. The Naqib's
Daughter reveals the high price paid by Egyptians for their occupation.
Praise For The Cairo House:
'Wonderfully evocative and grounded in a strong sense of place.' Lee
Smith, author of The Last Girls
'The postwar history of Egypt is skillfully woven into this evocative
first novel's portrayal of a wealthy Cairo family's susceptibility to
the winds of political change… Serageldin's richly observed study of a
family and culture in transition and crisis succeeds both as ironical
Proustian reminiscence and as a telling exploration of the ambiguities
of status, loyalty, and belonging' Kirkus Reviews
'Serageldin sets this beautifully crafted novel in Anwar Sadat's Egypt…
Serageldin focuses on Gigi, who is born in a country with rapidly
changing culture and ideals, moves to London and the US, but never feels
that any of these places is home. The novel is a great find… for any
reader interested in Egyptian culture, flawlessly rendered prose, or
just a good read.'Choice
'This novel is about the personal changes - births, growing up, growing
old, deaths - that make exiles of us all. Serageldin does a wonderful
job of evoking Gigi's Cairo milieu.' Booklist
'Using a beautiful prose style, Serageldin makes Gigi's problems vivid
and real. This semi-autobiographical novel…is fascinating and highly
entertaining.' Library Journal
'Serageldin's perceptive insights into the women who “have more than
one skin” enrich this narrative of displaced and out-of-place women -
expatriate intellectuals both spiritually and physically.' The Middle
East Journal
'Beautifully written, haunting and evocative…a bittersweet reflection
on the ability to feel comfortable in many cultures but at home in none.
Serageldin's command of the cultural and linguistic layers of her
narrative is masterful.' Topics Tip World Samia Serageldin was born in
Egypt, educated in Europe, and emigrated to the United States in 1980.
She is the author of an autobiographical novel, The Cairo House, tracing
political developments in Egypt over the past three decades. She has
also written papers on topics including Arab American writing and gender
and Islam in Egypt. Since September 11 she has been active as a speaker
in various public forums on Islam and on international events. This is
her second novel.
