4 out of 4 stars
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My Trip to Adele by A.I. Alyaseer and R.I. Alyaseer
This is a novel in the fiction genre. This international story follows the lives of people from three countries and cultures, and their relationships and challenges as they all prepare to attend an event, an Adele concert in Italy. A common theme of the book is the singer, Adele, and her songs, with all the characters knowing and listening to Adele.
The main characters are a Nadia, a divorcee mother who faces prejudice as she fights for her rights for her son and at work in Marrakesh. Yaser. an unhappily married but dutiful surgeon in the USA, who keeps his loss of faith from his unhappy but devout wife and tries to preserve their unhappy marriage, and Elias, a Moroccan man, settled in Italy but haunted by the memories of a child prostitute who he met in Morocco and feeling compelled to return and find her.
The book views the emotions, desires, needs and actions of the characters as they face challenges, prejudices, loyalties and sorrows in relationships and life. There are several entwining themes, including the clash of traditional and progressive ways of life in their cultures, and the problems the clashes cause or solve. The dialogues and characters are very realistic and well played, and the whole story is realistic, with no glossing over of dramatic actions, emotions or human behaviours. There are also heartbreaking descriptions of poverty and homelessness. Love, duty, tradition and separation are themes throughout. The dialogues are well balanced with actions and skilfully presented.
One of the prominent features of the book is the use of Adele's songs as themes to the situations that the characters find themselves in, and the songs are sung or played throughout the book as a soundtrack to the character's situations, especially at the end of chapters. The chapters are also named after Adele's songs. The use of the Adele lyrics has been beautifully blended with the emotions and thoughts of the characters as their situations progress, and is almost profound.
The journeys of the characters move together towards the destination of the Adele concert with surprising twists to the plot, will any of them make it to the concert? And who will be there at the concert with them or for them in the end? Will there be resolution or closure?
The scenery of the countries that the characters are from are described so well that you can imagine yourself there. The cultures, prejudices and difficulties of life are portrayed without holding back, the beauty and the darkness of each are described with wonderful clarity. It drew me in from the start, it was an interesting, intriguing and enjoyable read from start to finish. I liked the whole book, I could empathise and connect with the characters and enjoy their surroundings. There was nothing I didn't like, although some of the situations were heart-wrenching.
I really enjoyed this book and will read it again, I can recommend it as a really enjoyable and thought-provoking read, and I would like to see sequels and will look out for other books by the authors, so I rate this book 4 out of 4 Stars.
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Trip to Adele
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