The fictional revolution in the book became a reality in spring 2011 when ordinary people across many middle eastern countries rose up against their rules. Alif the unseen is a book about language, subversion, and the arab spring. Along with all of the mythological fun and interesting characters, alif the unseen is an all around great read. Published in 2012, the book won the 20 world fantasy award for best novel and was nominated for the 20 locus award for best first novel. A brash, illtempered, love sick loser, who becomes a hero, alif may not break the mold, but hes pretty interesting.
Embarrassing first name alif refuses to be called by his first name for much of the book, since he says its too common. Willow wilson worthy of its name unseen is an adventure story like this filled with humans and jinn fighting for truth, knowledge, and justice through technology in a corrupt, tyrannical kingdom somewhere in the persian gulf. The alcatraz the only way out of hell hole prison is through a burning dangerous desert. The setting is the capitol of a nameless persian gulf emirate the characters refer to it only as the city and our hero is teenage alif. My favourite character was vikram the vampire, who is not so much a. Alif is a simple man who lives his life shielding clients on the internet. Nov 05, 2017 alif the unseen by g willow wilson introduced by lesley arrowsmith, hay cinema bookshop g willow wilson is better known for her work on comics, particularly ms marvel. To ask other readers questions about alif the unseen, please sign up. The web where alif operates is not the only unseen world here not by a long shot. The fantastical world alif inhabitsat once recognizable and surreal, visible and invisibleis all the more fantastic for the meticulously detailed koranic theology and islamic mythology wilson expertly reveals. Alif the unseen is also at times unexpectedly moving, especially as it detours into questions of faith.
The characters in this novel, while not being teenagers, are young adults and therefore. They seek out a gang leader named vikram the vampire for protection. And what i like the most about alif the unseen is the atmosphere of the book. Alif the unseen was an amazing blend of fantasy and scifi taking place in an undisclosed middle eastern country, and steeped in the culture of the area. Tumblr is a place to express yourself, discover yourself, and bond over the stuff you love. Aug, 20 alif the unseen is a book about language, subversion, and the arab spring. It will whisk you away to the new vistas of wonder and wisdom. Alif the unseen is one of those novels that has you rushing to find what else the author has written, and eagerly anticipating what shell do next. A muslim hacker and the secrets of the jinn, in alif the unseen. Alif, the pseudonym of the arabindian hero of this novel, is a young hacker living in an unnamed city in the persian gulf, providing support to various groups who want to avoid government censors. The first edition of the novel was published in june 19th 2012, and was written by g. An interfaith protagonist one of my favorite books of the past year, alif the unseen grove press, 2012, is a ripsnorting adventure tale of computer hackers and mythical genies set in an imagined arab spring, infused with a critique of the binary and an embrace of bothness. Alif the unseen takes place in an unnamed middle eastern country.
If someone forgets and posts a spoiler, the comment will be screened with a reminder note. In the novel, a middle eastern hacker named alif discovers a book of djinn tales which may lead to a new age of quantum computing. Computer hackers, genies, government agents and arab spring revolutionaries are thrown together in g. The characters are all ferociously alive, and its terrific fun to watch alif gradually gain common sense and courage while hes hunted by the hand. A muslim hacker and the secrets of the jinn, in alif the. Alif, the eponymous main character, is a pseudonym for a young hacker in an autocratic islamic country where he is a poor immigrant offering anonymity and internet access to anyone who wants it. Taking place in an unnamed country in the middle east, alif the unseen is a mix of alternate historycontemporary political thriller with fantasy elements. Willow wilson includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 17 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. From awardwinning graphic novelist g willow wilson comes a stunning debut novel, blending cyberpunk adventure with the enchantment of middle eastern. This virtual unrest eventually leads to a revolution of sorts. Alif the unseen is a rich blend of storytelling magic.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading alif the unseen. Willow wilson audiobook edition finished on 6232018 goodreads description. He goes by alif the first letter of the arabic alphabet, and a convenient handle to hide behind. Willow wilson, an americanborn writer of comics and prose who lived in egypt for a time and converted to islam in 2003. Alif is about to be separated from her, perhaps forever, and has realized that he loves her. Willow wilson, author of the criticallyacclaimed graphic novels cairo, air, and vixen. Matt ruff, author of fool on the hill and the mirage. Character profile for alif from alif the unseen page 1. Forced into evil intisar is somewhere between this and faceheel turn genie in a bottle of mecca cola girl next door. While alif himself comes across as rather lame at first, especially since we can see from the beginning that intisar isnt all that great and hes simply infatuated with her, dina, his childhood friend, is a kickass protagonist to contend with. Alif is astonished to find internet access in jinnland. I love the way alif finds out there is something just beyond the realm of what he believes to be reality, and the denial that ensues. Alif the unseen is an unusual blend of middle eastern mythology, islam. Gwendolyn willow wilson born august 31, 1982, known professionally as g.
In alif the unseen, she conflates a neal stephensonesque thrill of playing with the way digital intelligence is shifting the way we view the world with a zany twist on the arab spring and creates an entertaining fantasy that checks the genres boxes while rising somewhat above the ordinary. All that adds immeasurably to this books worldbuilding, stakes, and character development. As alif, he is unseen, a straight line, a wall 10, hence the title of the book. Its his screen name spelled a1if and he uses it on the computer and in the outside world. One of the brilliant things about the book is the complexity of the overlapping layers social, political, religious, modern day technology, and the fantasy elements of the jinn all overlap to create an interesting and unique setting that is simultaneously somewhat. Alif explains whats happening so shiekh bilal lets them stay for a night. Im amazed at just how much i liked reading this book. Author avatar the convert has many similarities to. I particularly loved the way dinas faith shapes her moral backbone and her decision to help alif, even when alif is being a total jerk towards her. It is also a passionate romance and a delirious urban fantasy. In an unnamed middle eastern security state, a young arabindian hacker shields his clientsdissidents, outlaws, islamists, and other watched groupsfrom surveillance and tries to stay out of trouble. The terrible risks run by alif the unseens online activists are no magicalrealist device, and just as in the reallife arab spring, the internet.
Aug 15, 2018 alif the unseen is a story of djinn and hackers, mosques and smart phone smugglers. Alif alif is the novels protagonist and the character through which the variations of seen and unseen are explored. Featured content includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay topics, and key themes like magic versus technology and names and identity. Other characters change and reveal their true selves throughout the story including intisar, the hand, newquarter, azalel, and many other of the jinn. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Alif has taken the first letter of the arabic alphabet as his internet handle and ultimately his name. Willow preslotted wilsons marvelous first novel, alif the unseen, takes events similar to those of the arab spring, adds a runaway computer virus, an unconventional love story and. With shades of neal stephenson, neil gaiman, philip pullman. This is her first novel, and it is wonderful in the old sense of being full of wonders, as well as the newer sense of being very fine writing.
Alif the unseen is a 2012 cyberpunk fantasy novel by g. Willow wilsons new novel alif the unseen, in which a female character, dina, lifts her hijab and allows the protagonist, alif, inside. All the characters in alif the unseen are given personalities that are larger than the book they live in. An unseen character in theatre, comics, film, or television, or silent character in radio, is a character referred to but not directly known to the audience, but who advances the action of the plot in a significant way, and whose absence enhances their effect on the plot. Alif is stalked by secret police, causing him to flee with his neighbor dina. Willow wilson promised my favorite cyberpunk features in a new setting, a nameless emirate in the middle east, so i was immediately drawn in. Apr 12, 20 one of the best elements of alif the unseen is, handsdown, the characters. Willow wilsons alif the unseen, an ambitious mashup of fantasy, technothriller, political drama and mythology that is as likely to frustrate and exhaust as it is to enchant.
Willow wilson worthy of its nameunseen is an adventure story like this filled with humans and jinn fighting for truth, knowledge, and justice through technology in a corrupt, tyrannical kingdom somewhere in the persian gulf. Alif the unseen confronts some of the most pressing concerns of our young century, but its also hugely entertaining. The novel won the 20 world fantasy award for best novel. Alif s character annoyed me a lot due to his immaturity which was clearly how he was intended to be portrayed. Alif the unseen major character analysis supersummary. What i did not realize was that indeed his immaturity was a consequence of the societys structure. Pdf alif the unseen download full pdf book download. In an unnamed middle eastern security state, a young arabindian hacker shields his clients, dissidents, outlaws, islamists, and other watched groups, from surveillance and tries to stay out of trouble. In a middle eastern police state which is in the middle of an anticorruption purge, alif is a greyhat hacker who provides internet security against both black hat hackers aka criminals and white hat hackers aka government censors. Alif the unseen is a novel about political unrest in the middle east, fueled by hackers and subversives on the internet who are angry about the way their governments are controlling their lives and cracking down hard on the digital world.
Dina truly knows and sees herself, it is up to the reader and alif to move her from unseen to known. While i didnt find alif an entirely sympathetic character, i believe that to be in keeping with wilsons intentions. I dont know that id like alif not to struggle with his privilege, or to simply replace him with a less irritating, squeaky clean character. Alif the unseen book charlotte mecklenburg library. Willow wilson, is an american comics writer, prose author, essayist, and journalist. He goes by alif, the first letter of the arabic alphabet, and a convenient handle to hide behind. This is a breezy yet thoughtprovoking blend of techno. The journey transforms him into someone more mature and. For this weeks characters article, id like to talk about the title character. The terrible risks run by alif the unseen s online activists are no magicalrealist device, and just as in the reallife arab spring, the internet. This character gives wilson plenty of room to comment on americans and presumed antiamerican sentiment from the other characters.
The global cyber muslim feminist punk fantasy world of g. Wilson has a dickensian gift for summoning a city and peopling it with memorable characters. The interesting thing about alif is that he doesnt. Intisar sets up alif and the military are all surrounding the mosque. That opens up a whole new layer of understanding about the. He hates the state, which he views as corrupt and oppressive. Free download or read online alif the unseen pdf epub book.
As its characters careen from the empty quarter to the mosque, alif the unseen covers everything from theological questions to whether a westerner has ever written a novel that fully. Alif the unseen is a terrific metaphysical thriller, impossible to put down. She is one of the stronger and more intelligent characters in the novel. Willow wilson was living in egypt when she started writing alif the unseen in 2010. Alif is the main character of our story so here are some things about him. He goes by alifthe first letter of the arabic alphabet, and a convenient handle to hide behind. Jan 28, 2014 alif the unseen doesnt feature a single bored, tired person having sex. Wilson has a dickensian gift for summoning a city and peopling it with memorable characters, and she doesnt shy away from showing us the terrible price alif pays, first for his ignorance, then for his courage. Modern hacker culture and ancient muslim mysticism collide in the debut work of fiction from wilson, better known as a graphic novelist. Alif the unseen has a prologue about a secret book given by a.
The computer above show what alif does as a living. The main characters of this fantasy, science fiction story are dina, alif. Alif and dina are on the lam for most of the book, running from both the state and demonic forces with the help of their kick ass djinn pals. He doesnt want to mess up alif, he wants to get the alf yeom and build a super computer. When alif discovers the thousand and one days, the secret book of the jinn, which both he and the hand suspect may unleash a new level of information technology, the stakes are raised and alif must struggle for life or death, aided by forces seen and unseen. He is immature for his years and a typically selfinterested teen, waffling from angst to sarcasm to selfreproach. Its where your interests connect you with your people.
Vikram and his sister azalel, who had been living as alif and dinas housecat. Featured content includes commentary on major characters. Alif the unseen by g willow wilson is in part a novel about the need for faith, belief and religion in a technological age. Featured content includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay. Alif the unseen writing through rose tinted glasses. The programs based upon the alf yeom have an unexpected effects.
I usually enjoy stories that involve scifi and suspensethriller elements with a cultural twist, and i think this first read ive had. Character profile for dina from alif the unseen page 1 goodreads. Given relatively short shrift are samples from the alf yeom itself, which, when they do appear, offer some wry fables that are engaging in their simplicity. San francisco chronicle an ambitious, welltold, and wonderful story. Dec, 2012 alif the unseen by g willow wilson is in part a novel about the need for faith, belief and religion in a technological age. Perseus publishingin an unnamed middle eastern security. These clients could be terrorist or anyone who wants things protected very well by alif. In an expansive moment, a secondary character an imam who like alif has been tortured by the state describes a hardearned revelation.
I usually enjoy stories that involve scifi and suspensethriller elements with a cultural twist, and i. Alif the unseen discussing through chapter 6 no spoilers beyond chapter 6 in this post. One of my favourite characters is vikram the vampire who is actually a djinnjinnifrit. September 2012 daisy rockwell white chick with a hindi ph. Bookslut the global cyber muslim feminist punk fantasy. Dina is a fascinating character, one of the most multifaceted heroines ive had the pleasure to meet. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 433 pages and is available in hardcover format. Feel free to repost your comment without the spoilers in there. The most interesting characters in alif the unseen are mainly women, and they do not fall into the trope of the submissive passive muslim woman.