From the Bookshelf of Reading Sistaz…

The Dictator's Last Night

Yasmina Khadra,

Julian Evans (Translator)

Start date: November 1, 2024

Finish date: November 30, 2024

Why we're reading this: Fiction
[close] Fiction

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Nov 25, 2024 May rated it it was ok

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, africa

I had never heard of this writer until recently when this book was recommended to me. I don’t have a strong preference for any specific genres, so I’m open to reading anything. Yasmina Khadra has received many accolades and awards, which is commendable, but honestly, I don’t see the appeal. Perhaps the essence of his writing is lost in translation, given that this is originally a Francophone work. I read a bit about him, and honestly, most of what’s available doesn’t offer much insight into who I had never heard of this writer until recently when this book was recommended to me. I don’t have a strong preference for any specific genres, so I’m open to reading anything. Yasmina Khadra has received many accolades and awards, which is commendable, but honestly, I don’t see the appeal. Perhaps the essence of his writing is lost in translation, given that this is originally a Francophone work. I read a bit about him, and honestly, most of what’s available doesn’t offer much insight into who he is. With his particular career background, I believe it’s fair to approach his work with a critical lens. This is especially true given the absence of a preface or foreword in this book, which would have been helpful to contextualize his intentions. Therefore, in my opinion, it leaves the field open for questions.
One question that lingers for me is: why write about a Libyan as an Algerian writer? Or, for that matter, why write about Afghanistan or Iraq? It strikes me as odd. Khadra seems drawn to stories in countries deeply affected by recent and ongoing conflicts. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with writing about foreign nations, and it’s natural to ask questions, after all, writing is both self-expression and art. With his background and the sense of vagueness surrounding him, I feel a bit iffy in a way I can’t exactly put my finger on. Writing about places that seem unrelated to him feels bizarre. The stories might feel less dissonant if they were set in the distant past. But when writing about contemporary struggles, I believe it’s crucial to hear these stories from the voices of the people who lived them, particularly when the author’s background might relate, even indirectly, to the root causes of their suffering.
Passages like, “All have the same look about them, the look that says one-way ticket, that says they will never be seen again,” or, “Stockholm syndrome is the only remedy for nations full of cheats,” strike me as unsettling. There’s an almost intrusive insight into the psyche of the writer himself. I am saying this because this is not the first time I have noticed this in certain books. But I won’t get into that today.
When I finished the book, I was left wondering: what was the purpose or benefit of this piece of fiction? At its core, it felt like yet another tale of a man who gains power through relentless abuse, rationalized by the same delusions and circular arguments to justify his actions. It’s a familiar story of someone with a background of dysfunctional family dynamics, lies and betrayal, and abuse transforming a man into an abuser himself.
A person is reduced to nothing without a singular goal or obsession to drive them. By the end, the entire facade crumbled at the mere witness of the worship fatigue his most loyal servants started to display. Nobody is ever this powerful, and he only was because of the same people he was kicking around on the ground. Being alone, his finale mirrored the fate of his victims, and his downfall was swift. Yet, comically, even in his final moments, he still saw himself as a martyr.
As much as I would rather not, I am now curious to pick up “The Sirens of Baghdad” to see if Khadra's work has a recurring pattern. ...more

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