54 pages • 1 hour read •
Palace Walk
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Book Brief
501
Novel • Fiction
•
African LiteratureCairo, Egypt • 1910s
•
Femininity•
Fathers1956
Livre de Poche
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz is set in Cairo during World War I and in its immediate aftermath, focusing on the al-Jawad family's daily life and the political climate as Egypt transitions from British occupation to nationalism. The authoritarian patriarch, al-Sayyid Ahmad, enforces strict rules, while secretly indulging in forbidden behaviors. Amina, his obedient wife, faces harsh consequences for a brief act of rebellion. Meanwhile, the family's dynamics evolve as the children navigate personal and political challenges within a changing Egypt. The novel includes descriptions of misogyny, sexual assault, and sexual harassment.
Contemplative
Emotional
Melancholic
Mysterious
Nostalgic
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz masterfully captures early 20th century Cairo, portraying complex family dynamics and societal transitions. Reviewers laud its vivid character development and cultural depth. Some critics find its pacing slow and certain traditional gender roles dated, but overall, it's praised as a captivating introduction to Mahfouz's Cairo Trilogy.
Who Should Read Palace Walk?
Readers who enjoy richly detailed historical novels and complex family sagas like Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude or Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina will be captivated by Naguib Mahfouz's Palace Walk. Fans of narratives that delve into cultural and political transitions will appreciate this evocative portrayal of early 20th-century Cairo.
Amina
Amina
The devoted second wife of al-Sayyid Ahmad who manages the household with dedication, bound by the constraints imposed by her husband. She finds joy mainly through her children and maintains a life of adherence to her husband's strict rules.
Yasin
Yasin
Al-Sayyid Ahmad’s son from his first marriage, who mirrors his father's indulgent behavior, particularly in his pursuit of women and alcohol. Despite his rebellious actions, he is shaped by his father's expectations and authority.
Fahmy
Fahmy
The idealistic and principled son who becomes passionately involved in the movement for Egyptian independence. He balances his political activities with a deep concern for how they might affect his family.
Palace Walk is the first book in Naguib Mahfouz's Cairo Trilogy, a seminal series that gives a vivid depiction of Egyptian society during the early 20th century.
The novel was originally published in Arabic in 1956 and wasn't translated into English until 1990, bringing Mahfouz's masterful representation of Cairo's cultural life to a wider audience.
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Naguib Mahfouz, the author of Palace Walk, became the first Arab writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1988, largely due to the global impact of his Cairo Trilogy.
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501
Novel • Fiction
•
African LiteratureCairo, Egypt • 1910s
•
Femininity•
Fathers1956
Livre de Poche
Adult
18+ years
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