This is the story of an Egyptian family in the 1920's. Ruled by a tyrannical father who is pious and stern at home, but a womanizing rock star at night, they drink coffee and fret about their reputations, angry father/god and marital statuses.
I could not love the father no matter how I tried. Actually, I really only liked the little boy, Kamal and the oldest daughter, Kadija. I should like this book more than I did. I just could not shrug off the casual rape, seclusion of the woman, crazy double standards, etc.
However long it took me to read (it was hanging out on my nightstand for two months) and however many times I interrupted it to read something more accommodating to my cultural expectations, I give it two thumbs up for giving me a paradigm shifting, honest and beautifully written story about a time and place I knew nothing about. The ending is a bit of a cliff hanger too, and hints at interesting future character developments....