The Shadows of Ghadames is set in late 19th century Libya. The exotic setting is described in lyrical prose, despite being a translation. The narrator is Malika, an eleven year old girl on the brink of puberty in a strict Muslim culture. Soon Malika will be promised in marriage and confined to her home like other females in the village. Though the women rarely leave their homes, they have their own community on the rooftops. High above men’s society, women travel over the rooftops to visit, hold markets and observe the trade caravans departing and returning. Malika longs to learn to read and to travel to other places. Malika’s mother, a traditional Muslim first wife, won’t allow Malika to learn to read. But Bilkisu, her father’s second wife, is more worldly and encourages Malika’s independent spirit. The household is disturbed when Bilkisu gives refuge to a man who is being pursued for preaching about a rival sect. The young man recuperates in Malika’s home, depending on the women of the household to keep his secret. He teaches Malika to read, opening the greater world to her. When Malika’s father returns from a trade caravan, he brings her a telescope, another window to the outside world. The details of the community’s culture and architecture are fascinating. The town of Ghadames still exists as a cultural tourist attraction, though the residents have re-located to a modernized village nearby.
reviewed by Victoria