Kamilah Salim is an award winning Egyptian author and poet whose latest novel entitled, Anansh, centres on the story of a young girl, Salima, who belongs to a mixed nationality: Pakistani and Egyptian. Born in Kuwait, Salima’s parents are of Indian and Egyptian nationalities; her childhood is spent in Kuwait, where her father works as an architect; her mother is a British national. As a teenager, Salima has several friends in common with other teenagers from her area of origin, particularly from Nigeria, Pakistan and Bangladesh. However, when a series of events result in Salima being taken to Egypt, and then to the ancient Phoenician city of Aqaba, where she is forced to marry a rich man, a deep relationship is formed between the young woman and this seemingly wealthy stranger; and as history unfolds, both of them become immersed in each others lives, whilst learning much about the other.
This relationship is both romantic and tragic; as it is also filled with secrets, deception and intrigue. As times pass by, we get to see what exactly was going on in Salima and Abubacer’s marriage. We also learn more about the backgrounds of the people they were married to. At one point, we are told that Salima had once dreamed of having children of her own; and we also see that at the time of their marriage, she was undergoing the pre-menopause; which means that her body was no longer fertile.
The novel is written in the third person; and though Kamilah Salim has been an acclaimed writer before, this novel stands well above the other books written about her. As was the case with other works by Salim, it is clear that this was a story written with her heart and mind, as she relates her experiences as a young woman from her native land of Egypt. And what an author such as Salim does with her pen is an impressive feat. She describes her characters, gives us a background of the Nation of Islam and portrays a real life, yet funny, yet tender portrait of young love.