I can’t quite explain everything I love about Martyr! But that book has stuck with me and I can’t stop thinking about it. I loved the writing style, but I also felt I could relate to Cyrus a lot. Not his upbringing or the addiction, but depression. And a lot of the thoughts he has are some I’ve had myself.
Like being in recovery, but the dread never really going away.
Or in the very beginning my where he talks about “willing God to confirm that the bulb's flicker had been a divine action and not just the old apartment's trashy wiring.” And how it’s unfair the prophet mohammed and Saul get such clear relevations, and the amount of times I’ve have similar conversations with myself lol.
“He wanted to be on "the right side of history," whatever that was. But more than that (he admitted this to himself when he was practicing being rigorously honest), he wanted other people to perceive him as someone who cares about being on the right side of history”
And some other stuff but idk for some reason it just really stuck with me. I thought the writing was beautiful. And it’s the first book I’ve read that I wanted to reread immediately.
I don’t mind an ambiguous ended but it’s not necessary.
I often see My Friends by Hisham Matar recommended together with Martyr! But already read that and didn’t enjoy it as much. So any other recommendations please?
by meeshphoto
1 Comment
It’s quite different but The protagonist of the Seven Moons of Maali Almeida reminded me of Cyrus, and it also grapples with issues like postcolonialism, what it means to act politically, and even martyrdom to an extent. The MC is a photographer trying to expose corruption and is killed doing so, his ghost is trying to make sense of everything.
If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English also might be of interest because of the writng style and content.