Information
Jokha Alharthi’s elegantly structured and taut novel tells of Oman’s coming-of-age through the prism of one family’s losses and loves. Translated by Marilyn Booth.
In the village of al-Awafi in Oman, we encounter three sisters: Mayya, who marries Abdallah after a heartbreak; Asma, who marries from a sense of duty; and Khawla who rejects all offers while waiting for her beloved, who has emigrated to Canada. These three women and their families witness Oman evolve from a traditional, slave-owning society which is slowly redefining itself after the colonial era, to the crossroads of its complex present.
Jokha Alharthi
About the Author
Jokha Alharthi, also spelt al-Harthi, is an Omani writer and academic. She is best known for her novel published in English under the title Celestial Bodies.
Marilyn Booth
About the Translator
Marilyn Booth was born in Boston, USA. She translated the 2019 International Booker Prize-winning novel Celestial Bodies from Arabic.
