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This is the fourth translation of Arabian Nights I've read and is without doubt the best!
It really makes a difference when the translator is also a skilled novelist.
One Thousand and One Nights is more of a re-telling than translation. Al Shaykh's own assessment is it is a "reimagining".
Some of the original tales have been more or less translated directly, but they have been embellished and changed so that they all flow into one continuous tale. Other tales appeared new to me. The tales have b ...more
It really makes a difference when the translator is also a skilled novelist.
One Thousand and One Nights is more of a re-telling than translation. Al Shaykh's own assessment is it is a "reimagining".
Some of the original tales have been more or less translated directly, but they have been embellished and changed so that they all flow into one continuous tale. Other tales appeared new to me. The tales have b ...more
A retelling of the classic Arabian Nights.
In some places, it sticks close enough to the original to qualify as a translation or straight adaptation. But in others, it drifts pretty far afield.
The prose is good enough that I'd give that it 4 stars, but I had some issues with the compilation as a whole and that drops it down to 3.
I think my biggest issue is that the wonderful Shahrazad (Scheherazade) really gets lost in all of this. It starts out traditionally with her story but it never returns ...more
In some places, it sticks close enough to the original to qualify as a translation or straight adaptation. But in others, it drifts pretty far afield.
The prose is good enough that I'd give that it 4 stars, but I had some issues with the compilation as a whole and that drops it down to 3.
I think my biggest issue is that the wonderful Shahrazad (Scheherazade) really gets lost in all of this. It starts out traditionally with her story but it never returns ...more
In this version of The Arabian Nights, Al-Shaykh both translates from the original while at the same time mixing in her own Arabian Nights-esque tales. At least, I think they're her own variations, as some of the tales aren't in the two other versions I've read (not that I remember, anyway).
This is my third Arabian Nights translation, and while the writing is strong, I still prefer the Haddawy translation. Haddawy combines ease of reading with the feel of an oral text, whereas this version feels ...more
This is my third Arabian Nights translation, and while the writing is strong, I still prefer the Haddawy translation. Haddawy combines ease of reading with the feel of an oral text, whereas this version feels ...more
Note: This is the first version (retelling, translation, etc) that I have read of One Thousand and One Nights. Before reading this I knew:
- It revolves around a woman named Shahrazad
- To escape death she tells a new story every night
- A lot of classic stories came from this.
- Bugs Bunny did an episode about this a long long time ago
That's it. How does it end? I don't know. What are the stories? Aladdin? Sinbad? Some other smaller ones?.... basically, I was in the dark.
I decided to read this a ...more
- It revolves around a woman named Shahrazad
- To escape death she tells a new story every night
- A lot of classic stories came from this.
- Bugs Bunny did an episode about this a long long time ago
That's it. How does it end? I don't know. What are the stories? Aladdin? Sinbad? Some other smaller ones?.... basically, I was in the dark.
I decided to read this a ...more
My first experience with reading any version of Thousand Nights. The tales from the Dervishes and the Sisters were my favorites from this version.
4 stars
4 stars
Was always fascinated by these stories. Just wish it had a proper end
Jun 21, 2013
Sue
marked it as zz-sort-through
Aug 17, 2013
Trinity
marked it as to-read
Apr 13, 2014
Beth
marked it as retelling-anthologies
Jun 21, 2014
Natacha Pavlov
marked it as to-read
Jan 01, 2017
Delanie
marked it as to-read
Jul 01, 2017
Spikeabell
marked it as to-read
Dec 29, 2019
Neverdust
marked it as to-read
Aug 13, 2020
Carrie
marked it as to-read
Oct 06, 2020
Caridad
marked it as to-read
Jan 24, 2021
Julia
marked it as to-read
