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Title: disappointing
Review: If you enjoyed "Palace Walk," and even "Palace of Desire," you will have to agree that this book is disapointing. It is shorter than the others (notably so) and with far less to say. The family falls into such a decline in this story as to lack believability. Mahfouz's treatment of one of his characters -- Aisha -- the youngest daughter of the family and considered very beautiful -- is unbelievably harsh. Happily for us, it is nearly impossible for a real life person to have a life as tragic as Aisha's. Her tragedy makes absolutely no sense and ruins the book for me, making me wonder whether Mahfouz might be some sort of mysogynist. No one else has a really great life to contrast either. My advice: Read "Palace Walk" and then move on to something else.
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