The Map of Love is a historical fiction novel written by Ahdaf Soueif. The novel was first published in 1999. Ahdaf Soueif is an Egyptian writer who earned a PhD in literature in England. Her books are known to reflect historical events.
For its part, The Map of Love tells the story of Anna, an American woman who comes to Egypt and falls in love with Sharif, an Egyptian nationalist. The novel tells much about the ongoing revolutions and colonization that happened at the time of Anna and Sharif. Interestingly, the story is not narrated at that time. Rather, it is narrated by Isabel, a descendant of Anna a century later. She goes to Egypt to translate the letters of her great-grandmother Anna and to uncover the mystery of Anna's life. The novel continues to tell the romantic story of Anna and Sharif, and how the language barrier was one of the most important things that showed their genuine love for each other.
The novel received many positive reviews from many people and critics. It was also shortlisted for the Booker's prize and was translated into more than 20 languages. The Big Issue wrote on the novel: "Ahdaf Soueif has written a masterpiece ... set in the past and present, it has the weight of a Victorian novel without trading in nostalgia. Filled with subtlety, grace and beauty, it will make the reader cry." John Mullan, a write of The Guardian, wrote on the book: " The Map of Love certainly has this lexical exotica, the unfamiliar terms for unfamiliar clothes or food or cultural rituals. Yet it takes the emphasis on the business of translation further than this. It makes the crossing between languages the very substance of the narrative." Some readers will enjoy reading the English book written in an Arabic way. In other words, Egyptian idioms are literally translated in English, making most of them very insightful and enjoyable.
