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There are currently 24 member reviews
for Fencing with the King
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Carol F. (Lake Linden, MI)
Fencing with the King
I felt the sand in my eyes and the sun baking the top of my head starting with page one. The simple, skillful descriptions of the surrounding desert and mountains was a joy to read and absorb.
The main characters become familiar to us not through lengthy descriptions but through thoughtful journeys through the past and present time.
An unforgettable story that will have me searching for more from Diana Abu-Jaber.
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Helia R. (Goodlettsville, TN)
hooked from beginning to end
Thank you to this book and its brilliant author for transporting me out of my boring, pandemic seclusion. I didn't expect to get so caught up in an American poet's quest to find answers to old family mysteries and issues of identity and belonging in a tale set in 1995s Jordan, but I was hooked from beginning to end. If, as Rebecca Solnit wrote, (quoting loosely) the point of reading is to transcend your gender/ race/ class/ nationality/ moment in history/ age/ ability/ to experience being the other, Abu-Jaber has done her job beautifully.
The writing is skilled, intimate, and evocative, and book clubs will enjoy discussing the power of family ties, religion, materialistic versus transcendent goals, and more...Immensely Powerful.
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Paula B. (Albuquerque, NM)
The Past Makes the Future
This is such an entertaining book! I enjoyed it from the first page. It has a great mix of historical fiction with details from the distant past combined with current events and political intrigue. Our lives do not start with us, the past, sometimes the ancient past, influence and even control our fortunes. The international events connect the Kingdom of Jordan with the United States and lightly explores living as a bridge between two very different cultures. The book focuses on changing female roles in Jordan, and the difference for Americans, but does not preach or argue one position. The setting in Jordan enhances the ability to learn a bit about Jordanian society and levels of society. I have always been intrigued by ancient cultures and their current influences. This is a totally enjoyable novel.
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Sarah M. (Lancaster, PA)
Intriguing Story
I thoroughly enjoyed Fencing with the King by Diana Abu-Jaber, and it had me captivated from the start. This lovely book contains genuine characters and vivid descriptions of the country Jordan while unfolding Amani's search for answers about her family's past history and heritage in Jordan, provoked by a poem written by her grandmother years ago. The prose flows easily as the story incorporates family dynamics and relationships, mystery and intrigue, and politics. The book wove Amani's family history with Jordanian history and the plight of immigrants. I believe this book will have wide appeal to readers and would be great for book clubs.
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Julia E. (Atlanta, GA)
Fascinating Family Saga
Fencing With the King is an absorbing fictional saga inspired by members of award-winning author, Diana Abu-Jaber's, paternal roots. Her father descends from upper-class Jordanians, and the society and culture of late 20th century Jordon inspire the characters and structure of the story. A professor of English at Portland State in Oregon, Abu-Jaber's weaves of tale of high-stakes family intrigue as seen through the eyes of Amani, a young, attractive Jordanian-American on her first trip to her father's homeland. In the company of her father. This would be a great pick for book clubs whose members enjoy easily digested armchair travel to this intricately beautiful part of the world.
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Beverly J. (Hoover, AL)
Emotionally Rich Drama
A touching story with wide appeal and a sharp example of a family's past haunting the present.
It is 1995 and Jordanian- American Amani Hamdan has convinced her father to return to his native Jordan to fence, a sport she did not even know he ever played, with the Jordanian king as part of this 60th birthday celebration. Amani has recently found a blue letter written by her paternal grandmother, Natalia, and is determined to learn about Natalia and her history. As Amani peels back the layers of her complex and complicated relationships within her family, the secrets reveal a history of trauma and hidden objectives.
Abu-Jaber writes with style, keenness, and fervor as she artfully blends in cultural and historical details of the past to help readers understand Palestine and Transjordan areas in Middle East history.
There is plenty of adventure, sexual tension, and poignancy. But at times the pacing felt uneven and the end felt a little rushed and I needed more closure.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy family drama stories with a historical bent and elegant prose.
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Ann B. (Kernville, CA)
As if we've been transported to Jordan
This deliberately paced, sensuously written novel is the story of a lost woman regaining her self. It's the story of a poet finding her voice. And it's the story of a "true Jordanian" family, in the sense that this family represents many facets of Jordan, those on display as well as those buried in the past. The book starts slowly, unfolding to reveal a twist worth the wait. Jordan, circa 1995, is depicted with such love. We feel that love through Abu-Jabar's ability to immerse us in its culture and landscapes. I recommend this novel to anyone who likes their historical fiction infused with poetry, family dynamics, political machinations, romance, and the grace, intrigue, and sport of fencing.
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