Fiction

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Bitter Orange Tree

Bitter Orange Tree

When Omani student Zuhour leaves her home to study at a university in Britain, she finds herself caught between the promise of a new life and the memories of the people she has left behind. Among them is Bint Aamir, the woman she regarded as her grandmother, whose love and sacrifices shaped Zuhour’s childhood. Bint Aamir’s own life was marked by constrained choices and dreams she was never able to fulfil, finding solace beneath a beloved bitter orange tree. As Zuhour struggles with loneliness, complicated friendships, and the challenge of finding her place in an unfamiliar country, memories and dreams draw her back to Oman. Through a lyrical, nonlinear narrative, Jokha Alharthi weaves together the lives of two women separated by generations but connected by longing, affection, and the desire for independence. Bitter Orange Tree explores how family histories, social class, and gender expectations shape women’s lives—and how understanding the past can help us imagine a different future.

Celestial Bodies

Celestial Bodies

In the Omani village of al-Awafi, three sisters navigate love, marriage, family expectations, and the changing world around them. Mayya marries Abdallah, the son of a wealthy merchant, after experiencing heartbreak. Asma enters marriage out of a sense of duty, while Khawla refuses every suitor, remaining devoted to the man she loves, who has emigrated to Canada. Through the intertwined lives of these women and their extended family, Jokha Alharthi paints a richly layered portrait of Oman across generations. The novel moves between memories, personal histories, and shifting perspectives, gradually revealing how individual lives are shaped by social class, gender roles, and the legacy of slavery. As Oman transitions from a traditional society to a modern nation, its people struggle to reconcile inherited customs with new possibilities. Poetic and intricately structured, Celestial Bodies explores the tension between personal desire and social obligation, showing how love, loss, and family secrets echo across generations. The novel won the 2019 Man Booker International Prize, shared by Alharthi and her translator, Marilyn Booth.

Honey Hunger

Set in the mountainous countryside of Oman, Honey Hunger follows Azzan, a solitary beekeeper whose devotion to bees and the search for wild honey offers him a refuge from disappointment and personal turmoil. When he encounters Thamna, a shepherd woman with honey-coloured eyes, he becomes captivated by her, opening the possibility of connection in a life marked by loneliness and troubled relationships. As Azzan navigates family expectations, alcohol addiction, and the fragile bonds between people, his work with bees becomes a source of purpose and healing. Yet an unexpected accident threatens to destroy everything he has built, forcing him to confront loss and the uncertainty of starting over. Through vivid descriptions of Oman’s mountains, villages, and delicate ecosystems, Alqasmi creates an intimate portrait of a community whose lives are deeply intertwined with the natural world. The novel explores longing, resilience, and the complicated relationship between humans and their environment, revealing how the pursuit of something as precious as honey can reflect a deeper hunger for meaning and belonging.