Review by King Fisher -- Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch
[Following is a volunteer review of "Keys to Tetouan" by Mois Benarroch.]
Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch
Keys to Tetouan is an interesting but yet unusual book, a historical fiction novel that doesn't follow any linear format. This book which talks about exile, one's origin and also finding ones true place in this world, is somewhat confusing but in the grand scheme of things, understandable and very interesting. The paragraph that best explains this book to the reader is “... from where was I exiled, from Jerusalem, from Seville, from Tetouan. How can I be a Spanish exile if I wasn't even born there, if my father wasn't born there, how is it possible you're an exile, exile everywhere, exile is my home...” this is perhaps the paragraph which best defines the soul of Keys to Tetouan, a novel by Moroccan-Israeli writer Mois Benarroch. It is a collection of letters, interviews, anecdotes and dialogues concerning the Benzimra family, a Moroccan-Jewish clan that's supposedly lived in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
This book consists of long narratives by various characters, all members of the Benzimra family, it cuts across different generations of family members all looking for the same thing and asking similar questions, “where is home?”, is it where one was born or where one's ancestors come from? Or where one feels most comfortable? It is the answers to these questions that the different characters in the book have to find for themselves.
The books primary goal is to narrate the experiences and memories of the Benzimra family of Tetoun, we see a certain desire by members of this family to pass on knowledge of its people, to make things clearer for its younger generations while all the time looking for the promise land or running from it. The book is full of contradictions as the ideas and ideals of one generation is considered wrong by the next, Like in the case of Fernando who wanted to die and be buried in Morocco because that is where he felt was his home and his children completely disagreed with the idea that Morocco could truly be their home. The author seems to portray Jewish people as wanderers and a people constantly in search of a place to really fit in.
It is somewhat easy for readers to get lost and understand very little of what the author is trying to pass across as the book isn't written in any chronological order, it is vague and sometimes unclear when dealing with the concept of home, which at one point is argued as the source of one's identity, and at another, as something completely unrelated. This book is so beautifully written that after reading, the reader not only connects the dots but also understands and sees the ideas that the author is presenting to his readers.
I like the dialogue in the book, its unconventional and unpredictable style, as it seems to come from the heart of one trying to clarify a situation but who only ends up making the situation more complex. This form of dialogue is what I believe makes this book quite interesting, we see members of the Benzimra family suffer an identity crisis, all the time desiring to be part of something bigger either by associating themselves to a name or to a place and its people.
Purposely written in a hazy manner to bugle the mind and keep the reader entertained and at the same time a little bit confused. This is the work of a true master, so I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
Anyone looking for a book to challenge their intellect should pick a copy of Keys to Tetouan.
******
Keys to Tetouan
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch
Keys to Tetouan is an interesting but yet unusual book, a historical fiction novel that doesn't follow any linear format. This book which talks about exile, one's origin and also finding ones true place in this world, is somewhat confusing but in the grand scheme of things, understandable and very interesting. The paragraph that best explains this book to the reader is “... from where was I exiled, from Jerusalem, from Seville, from Tetouan. How can I be a Spanish exile if I wasn't even born there, if my father wasn't born there, how is it possible you're an exile, exile everywhere, exile is my home...” this is perhaps the paragraph which best defines the soul of Keys to Tetouan, a novel by Moroccan-Israeli writer Mois Benarroch. It is a collection of letters, interviews, anecdotes and dialogues concerning the Benzimra family, a Moroccan-Jewish clan that's supposedly lived in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
This book consists of long narratives by various characters, all members of the Benzimra family, it cuts across different generations of family members all looking for the same thing and asking similar questions, “where is home?”, is it where one was born or where one's ancestors come from? Or where one feels most comfortable? It is the answers to these questions that the different characters in the book have to find for themselves.
The books primary goal is to narrate the experiences and memories of the Benzimra family of Tetoun, we see a certain desire by members of this family to pass on knowledge of its people, to make things clearer for its younger generations while all the time looking for the promise land or running from it. The book is full of contradictions as the ideas and ideals of one generation is considered wrong by the next, Like in the case of Fernando who wanted to die and be buried in Morocco because that is where he felt was his home and his children completely disagreed with the idea that Morocco could truly be their home. The author seems to portray Jewish people as wanderers and a people constantly in search of a place to really fit in.
It is somewhat easy for readers to get lost and understand very little of what the author is trying to pass across as the book isn't written in any chronological order, it is vague and sometimes unclear when dealing with the concept of home, which at one point is argued as the source of one's identity, and at another, as something completely unrelated. This book is so beautifully written that after reading, the reader not only connects the dots but also understands and sees the ideas that the author is presenting to his readers.
I like the dialogue in the book, its unconventional and unpredictable style, as it seems to come from the heart of one trying to clarify a situation but who only ends up making the situation more complex. This form of dialogue is what I believe makes this book quite interesting, we see members of the Benzimra family suffer an identity crisis, all the time desiring to be part of something bigger either by associating themselves to a name or to a place and its people.
Purposely written in a hazy manner to bugle the mind and keep the reader entertained and at the same time a little bit confused. This is the work of a true master, so I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
Anyone looking for a book to challenge their intellect should pick a copy of Keys to Tetouan.
******
Keys to Tetouan
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
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