Stephanie Jane reviewed Gravel heart by Abdulrazak Gurnah
A beautifully evoked life
4 stars
Gravel Heart is a first-person narrated novel exploring themes of isolation, exile and family loyalties from the point of view of Salim, a child at the beginning of our story. The book is written in a dignified and reserved style which initially made it difficult for me to get into the story. Emotions are strong, but stifled under conventions of honorable behaviour and privacy so, alongside Salim, we experience several decades of uncertainty and exiled alienation. There are flashes of open insight when we get to read excerpts from unsent letters and I particularly liked this contrast.
The most interesting aspect of the novel for me was that, while Gurnah tells his story through the actions and opinions of men, its linchpin is actually a choice made by a woman. Saida is unable to tell her own story to her son (Salim) so consequently we are only able to imagine …
Gravel Heart is a first-person narrated novel exploring themes of isolation, exile and family loyalties from the point of view of Salim, a child at the beginning of our story. The book is written in a dignified and reserved style which initially made it difficult for me to get into the story. Emotions are strong, but stifled under conventions of honorable behaviour and privacy so, alongside Salim, we experience several decades of uncertainty and exiled alienation. There are flashes of open insight when we get to read excerpts from unsent letters and I particularly liked this contrast.
The most interesting aspect of the novel for me was that, while Gurnah tells his story through the actions and opinions of men, its linchpin is actually a choice made by a woman. Saida is unable to tell her own story to her son (Salim) so consequently we are only able to imagine her thoughts and motivation as we continually circle around, spiralling towards truth. This makes her a fascinating character to encounter, especially as we see her in an ever changing light as Salim matures and relates in a different way to his childhood.
Salim's immediate life in 1960s Zanzibar is beautifully evoked to give a vivid picture of everyday life on the island as it was then. References to the revolution are muted though, the horror kept hidden just out of sight, understood but unspoken. This approach throughout the story was frustrating at times as I wanted to know more, but I think ultimately it allowed me a greater connection with Salim, Saida and Masud. These are not people who wear their hearts on their sleeves. Instead they practice restraint and modesty to the extent that they eventually lose the ability to truly communicate between themselves and it is not until this barrier is eventually broken that Salim - and his readers - gain the relief of a story completely told.
