Overview

In the once beautiful city of Aleppo, one Syrian family collapses into tragedy and ruin. The mother, abandoned by her husband, struggles to raise her children alone. Her daughter Sawsan flirts with the militias, the ruling party, and finally religion, seeking but never finding salvation. All are slowly choked in the fog of violence and decay, as their lives are plundered and their dreams wrecked by the brutal Assad regime. Set between the 1960s and 2000s, No Knives in the Kitchens of this City is a graceful and profound depiction of life under tyranny. Through the story of a single family, we read the disintegration of a whole society over half a century. This novel teaches us about grief, fear, and the end of beauty.

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9789774167812

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Reviews

Khaled Khalifa writes about his native city with sensuality and an almost feral intensity . . . . No Knives in the Kitchens of This City offers a glimpse into how terrified and empty of hope the people of a city must be to rise up in revolt. The future offers them nothing. It is a castle of closed doors. . . . The sights, smells and horror of living in Aleppo come pounding to life in this book. The place, to me, is no longer an abstraction, and Mr. Khalifa clearly fears for its fate throughout. --New York Times One of the rising stars of Arab fiction . . . a rare public voice. --New York Times Critically acclaimed . . . [No Knives in the Kitchens of this City] traces the degrading and destructive impact of Syria's dictatorship on the lives of a family from Aleppo. --Financial Times Intricately plotted, chronologically complicated and a pleasure to read. . . . The writing is superb--a dense, luxurious realism pricked with surprising metaphors. It is lyrical, sensuous and so semantically rich that at times it resembles a prose poem . . . . A sad but beautiful book, providing important human context to the escalating Syrian tragedy. --The Guardian Khalifa writes a raw, exquisite account of the Assad regime's loosening grip on [Syria] and the accompanying chaos. --Washington Independent Review of Books Required reading for anyone who wants to better understand the roots of the uprising and current conflict in Syria. --Literary Hub A searing indictment of the Syrian regime. --The NationalThe poetry and lyricism of the prose make for an easy and compelling read. . . . The author gives us an encapsulated view of the region s political and social history from the First World War to the American-led invasion and occupation of Iraq. A very timely read. PowellsBooks.BlogMagnificent . . . offers a bigger vision, reminding us that all politics are personal. Barnes & Noble Review It's a nuanced, sensual read which should leave the reader thinking about Aleppo's future and whose hands (or knives) will shape it. --Washington Independent Review of Books [Khalifa is] one of the rising stars of Arab fiction . . . a rare public voice. --New York Times Critically acclaimed . . . [No Knives in the Kitchens of this City] traces the degrading and destructive impact of Syria's dictatorship on the lives of a family from Aleppo. --Financial Times Intricately plotted, chronologically complicated and a pleasure to read. . . . The writing is superb--a dense, luxurious realism pricked with surprising metaphors. It is lyrical, sensuous and so semantically rich that at times it resembles a prose poem . . . . A sad but beautiful book, providing important human context to the escalating Syrian tragedy. --The Guardian Khalifa writes a raw, exquisite account of the Assad regime's loosening grip on [Syria] and the accompanying chaos. --Washington Independent Review of Books Required reading for anyone who wants to better understand the roots of the uprising and current conflict in Syria. --Literary Hub A searing indictment of the Syrian regime. --The National

[Khalifa is] one of the rising stars of Arab fiction . . . a rare public voice. --<strong><em>New York Times</em> </strong><em></em> Critically acclaimed . . . [<em>No Knives in the Kitchens of this City</em>] traces the degrading and destructive impact of Syria's dictatorship on the lives of a family from Aleppo. --<strong><em>Financial Times</em> </strong><em></em> A searing indictment of the Syrian regime. --<em>The National</em>

Author Information

Khaled Khalifa was born in Aleppo, Syria in 1964. A founding editor of the literary magazine Alif, he is the author of four novels, including In Praise of Hatred. He has also written numerous scripts for TV dramas and films, several of which have won awards, and screenplays for several feature films. No Knives in the Kitchens of This City was awarded the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature in 2013 and was shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2014. Leri Price is the translator of Khaled Khalifa's In Praise of Hatred.

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