41 pages • 1 hour read
The Yacoubian Building
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Book Brief
272
Novel • Fiction
Cairo, Egypt • 1990s
2002
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany, set in Cairo around the time of the Gulf War, weaves together the lives of diverse residents in the once-luxurious Yacoubian Building: from Zaki Bey, an aging womanizer, to Taha, a poor student influenced by religious extremists; from Busayna, who grapples with poverty and sexual harassment, to Hatim, a homosexual newspaper editor.
Mysterious
Gritty
Emotional
Melancholic
Contemplative
Reviews & Readership
22,749 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany is widely praised for its rich portrayal of Egyptian society through the microcosm of a Cairo apartment building. Reviewers laud its engaging characters and compelling narrative. Criticisms include a perceived reliance on stereotypes and an uneven pace. Overall, it offers a vivid and thought-provoking glimpse into contemporary Egyptian life.
Who Should Read The Yacoubian Building?
A reader who enjoys The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany is likely captivated by richly detailed, multi-character narratives that delve into the social and political intricacies of a transforming society. Ideal for fans of works like The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez.
22,749 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
272
Novel • Fiction
Cairo, Egypt • 1990s
2002
Adult
18+ years
Continue your reading experience
Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.