Module 1 Book Review

Stolz, Joelle. The Shadows of Ghadames. New York: Delacorte Press, 2004. ISBN 0-385-73104-3 Originally published in French, this book was translated into English by Catherine Temerson.

Summary
This is the story of a young Berber girl growing up in Ghadames, Libya in the late 1800s. Malika longs to travel with her father and see the world but she knows that her life will soon be spent confined to her house and to the rooftops, the only places in her city where women can go freely. One night when the father of the family is traveling, the women of the house take in an injured stranger and nurse him back to health. The stranger offers to teach Malika to read and she begins learning, ensuring her mind will not be confined to the house and the rooftops.

Analysis
Ghadames is a real city near the borders of Algeria and Tunisia that was declared a World Heritage site by the UNESCO. The architecture of the city is uniquely suited to the climate. The houses are built with locally made bricks. The houses have thick walls and the streets and alleys are almost completely covered to keep out the harsh sun. Life in Ghadames at the time of the story was dominated by religious customs and the architecture of the city. Malika is a Muslim girl, and women were kept separate from men. Women in that city were confined mostly to their houses or the rooftops. Women did not walk in the streets or alleys down in the town, instead they used walkways that connected rooftops to move around and visit other women. The men used the streets below. The author writes about these customs in the book but there is no judgement. The author does an excellent job at presenting this culture as it was and not as it is seen through western eyes.

The author of Shadows of Ghadames is a French woman who obviously researched and visited the city to be able to bring the old city and it's customs to life. The character of Malika is vividly written. It is easy to imagine a young girl who wants adventure and feels confined by her circumstances. In the book it is surprising that her father is fairly open minded and agrees to let her learn to read. I wonder if that would have been common then.

Review Excerpt
"The story of an outsider who unsettles a household and helps a young person to grow is certainly nothing new, and some of the lessons here are purposeful. But Stoltz invigorates her wail with elegant prise and a deft portrayal of a girl verging on adolescence. The vivid backdrop is intoxicating, but the story;s universal concerns will touch readers most: sibling jealousy, confusion about adult customs and a growing interest in the world beyond family (Gillian Engberg)."

Uses
This book can be used to learn about and discuss women's rights.
This book can also be used to learn about the history of Libya and the Berbers.
Architecture can also be a focus of this book. The city of Ghadames was carefully built to be cool during the heat of the day and to keep warm during the cold desert nights.
Caravans and trade of the late 1800s are also topics in this book. The story could supplement a study of trade history.

Works Cited
Engberg, Gillian. 2005. The Shadows of Ghadames. Book Links 14, no. 4: 28-28. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 18, 2009).