Natasha, a history professor at a Scottish university, has a research interest in Shamil, a mid-19th-century Muslim military leader who fought against the expansion of the Russian empire into the Caucasus region. One of Natasha’s students, Oz, is a descendant of Shamil. Natasha and Oz discover just how difficult it can be to research a Muslim military leader without arousing suspicions of terrorist activity. Natasha’s story is intertwined with the story of Shamil and one of his captives, Georgian princess Anna.

This book combines two elements that I usually try to avoid in fiction – a dual timeline and historical fiction about a real person. Natasha’s story interested me more than Shamil’s, and I wanted to rush through the historical parts of the book to get back to the present day.

Natasha’s internal conflict between her Sudanese heritage on her father’s side and her Russian heritage on her mother’s side is a major theme in the book. Aboulela is too heavy-handed with Natasha’s psychological makeup. A self-aware Natasha describes her fears of mythological half-human, half-beast creatures and recognizes that her biracial, bicultural heritage is at the root of this fear. A more subtle approach would make for better literature, but apparently Aboulela hasn’t learned to trust her readers enough to make this connection on their own. ( )

I read this because I liked the Translator and I wasn't disappointed. This book is beautifully written. Most novels dealing with emigration and identity focus on alienation. Here, Aboulela also looks at the bonds people form in their adopted environment, which links they choose to keep to their country of origin and what it means to belong somewhere. ( )

There are two stories in this book. One is a fictionalized story of an historical event, set in mid-nineteenth century Dagestan, where Islamic rebels led by Imam Shamil, are fighting for independence from Roman Catholic Russia.

The other story, which is loosely connected to the first, is set in 2010 Scotland where Natasha (Hussein) Wilson, a university professor, is researching Imam Shamil. Her friend is Malak, a Muslim, who owns Shamil's prized samovar, passed down in her family.

With continuing strife in this part of the world, the historical chapters seem almost contemporary. The Russians and Georgians are enemies, distrustful of and merciless with each other. However the fictionalized account centers on the characters on both sides and, despite their differences, their relationships with each other.

I found the historical story most compelling, with only tenuous hooks into the contemporary story, parts of which are extraneous. Both stories are multicultural and deal with the tensions, political and personal, among those from different cultures. ( )

It looks like quite a few GR reviewers have thought that the historical portions of this book are stronger than the contemporary. For me, the first few pages had a bit of an info-dump feel, but after that I was equally wrapped up in both periods and didn't find it jarring at all to bounce between them.

I really like the way the author doesn't make the connections between the two periods obvious - it's only after I finished the book that I could start drawing parallels and contrasts. The Goodreads group 'Literary Fiction by People of Color' has started a discussion of this book, so I'm looking forward to a deep dive into it with a bunch of people, but in the meantime, ideas about 'culture' (in general as well as in the 19th century and 21st century) keep swirling in my head - the human need for culture/community and what happens to a person or a community when cultural identity is lost, challenged, stigmatized or even evolves over time. ( )

It took me a bit of time to get into this, but once I got into the historical part of the story, I enjoyed it thoroughly and learned much. The story has a contemporary plot line and a historical one. Natasha's mother was Russian and her father was Sudanese. She is a professor of history in Scotland but is researching the life of Iman Shamil, a real Muslim leader of the anti-Russian resistance in the 1800's (The Caucasian War) Natasha has changed her name to Wilson from Hussain; she is not a practicing Muslim as her father was.

The story of Iman Shamil is interesting in that he gives his young son Jamaleldin as a hostage in a sort of peace agreement believing that he will be returned soon. Meanwhile, Anna Chavchavadze, a member of the former royal family of Georgia, is kidnapped by Iman Shamil. Jamaleldin grow up immersed in the Russian culture; Anna learns to see some advantages in the Muslim culture. Both are eventually returned to their homes but they never lose the connection with their captors.

Natasha has returned to the Sudan as her father is dying and obtains a new look at her past.

Overall, a good read and well written. I learned much about Sufism and how it is much different than the political Islam that is best known today. Interesting. ( )