This book was read for March Asian Author/Arab. The story is set in Aleppo. I can't say that I liked it. I didn't like it at all. This book contains a lot of sexual content which I am not interested in reading. I don't recommend this book. If it wasn't for the challenge, I think I would have quit. ( )

Update:
After having met the author, and having asked him some questions about the plot/the message/the characters; I found out that I had given him more credit than is rightfully his. I had thought he had personified each historical epoch/political affiliation in a different character as a clever way to contrast the different identities Syrians are affected by. Well, he didn't mean it at all, it only came out this way because the main characters were all inspired by actual people that he has met during his life.
So, now, I feel even more exasperated by this book. The only positive thing about this whole novel is that it used a writing style that I love, which is the stream of consciousness, but it was executed poorly.. Oh my dear, all the redundancies!!!
Now, my rating falls to 1 star, because I am not impressed at all.

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This book was redundant, trashy, painful, and hopeless.
Which was worse in Syria: the Ottoman, French, or baa'thi rule?! While the author equates them, throwing in something about islamists, he offers a grim image of Syria with characters struggling sexually and emotionally.
I think the truth lies somewhere in between.
The redundancy made me skim read the last 100 pages of this novel. It should have been edited and sized down to 150 pages max. It was a page turner at first, but after page 60, it was repetitive in themes and uninteresting events.
I am glad I read it none the less, it was interesting to learn about the historical epochs of the 20th century Syria. The main characters were not real representatives of Syrians which was unfair, misleading, and made it feel unreal. ( )

Het leven in de stad Aleppo verteld door naar een gezin te kijken. Langzaam takelt het leven af ondanks dat de moeder probeert de zaak bij elkaar te houden. Natuurlijk is de familie vreemd, maar aan de andere kant komt de familie overeen met het land. Je kunt in het verhaal duiken en je laten meevoeren. Helaas komt de ik-figuur niet duidelijk uit de verf. ( )