Review of The Elephant Tooth of '95

[Julia_Review]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Elephant Tooth of '95" by Rana Baydoun.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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A young woman, used to living in the comfort of her family, decides to take her own path, on the slippery steps of a new career and the yet unknown fields of love. On her journey she takes a great load of humor and unfading optimism, which, combined with the support of her friends, are trusted companions in the more or less fortunate moments of the journey. All this is happening in the sunny and no less traditional atmosphere of Beirut after the end of the civil war. The realistic taste of the story together with Noor's perseverance, leave a sense of hope that in the end everything will be alright. The Elephant Tooth of ’95 represents an immersion in Lebanese culture and opens the horizons by introducing the reader to a life where family comes first. And Noor manages to follow her dream, reconciling her own aspirations with the cultural values she was brought up in.

The main story of Noor, in the background of political events in the Middle East, is smartly laid out: Rana Baydoun gives you the opportunity to enjoy a light reading while finding out about the common life of Lebanese people through the eyes of a young woman, living in a city shaped by the consequences of civil war. The story leaves an overall positive impression on the reader, with lots of funny jokes and twists: „Mr. Nader called it my “induction phase”. I called it my “going crazy phase””. The narrative has a natural flow and keeps the reader captivated throughout. The lightness of the story is shaped rather by the overall positive mindset of the main character, than by unrealistically romanticized events: „In my family, there was no excuse dramatic enough to skip school, not even a bomb.” I found the names of the chapters, which are actual song names, very intriguing, as they left an anticipation of what was about to happen further in the story.

As for negative aspects, I didn’t find any: this book teaches you more than you expect it to. On the other hand, it’s not going to be a favourite piece for someone who prefers heavy reading with lots of description and extended vocabulary.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. It was an enjoyable read, and I rate it 3 stars because it had some errors. I would recommend it, especially to young girls, for the self-discovery aspect, or to anyone who wants to find out more about Middle Eastern culture.

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The Elephant Tooth of '95
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