G. Willow Wilson – Alif the Unseen

I began to read Alif the Unseen in 2016 and I didn’t get around to posting…anything for a while, so this great book is getting its much deserved review.  When I originally read Alif the Unseen the Arab spring had yet to turn into the conflicts seen in the Arab region today.  G. Willow Wilson gave me, as a Western reader, a fascinating and exciting view into the Arab world. The story is superb, an adventure that bursts with romance, politics, theology, history, legend, and magic.  Where is the science fiction? That is the best idea and surprise of all; it is a must read!

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Alif the Unseen: A Novel

by G. Willow Wilson

Published by: Emblem and imprint of McClelland & Stewart, division of Random House if Canada ltd., 2012.

Paperback: Second print 433 pages

My rating: 9.0/10

First sentence: “The thing always appeared in the hour between sunset and full dark”.

My gosh that first sentence should get you into this novel right away! This is a novel that takes a great idea about the power of language and combines it with the modern idea of computer programming to merge ancient legend with modern society, specifically Arab society.  G. Willow Wilson places her protagonist Alif in an Arab world where he is half in and half out…of everything.  He is in love, but he is not in love. He is half-Arab and half-Indian. He lives half-online and half-IRL.  He is Arabian, but also worldly.  One thing he is not half-minded about is computer science and programming. His programming consumes him to the point where he might not be coding in our world anymore….

Quite literally this book is one of the best I’ve read for the raw adventure, mixed with amazing characters, and an exciting world.  The story of Alif, from the perspective of a Western reader for me was incredibly interesting and compelling from his home and family, to his personal relationships, to his political views and reality.  The story of Alif is of the recent tradition of Harry Potter, Golden Compass, and Stardust mixing a period (usually modern times) with a parallel reality – typically magical.  The difference with Alif the Unseen is the complexity of adding modern political and religious elements intertwined with the legends of Arabian culture and a pinch of ‘magic’ empowered by the ancient idea of the power of language.

I am literally looking at ways to social media stalk G. Willow Wilson so I don’t miss anything she does.  A must read!