Balcony of shame

A new novel by the poet and novelist "Ibrahim Nasrallah" has been issued, titled "The Balcony of Shame," and it is the third novel within his literary project: "Balconies," which includes a number of novels, each of which is completely independent of the others. As usual, Ibrahim Nasrallah remains the best to express the contradictions of social life, the best critic, and the best at boldly and rarely conveying images through breaking the traditional novel form. He is now addressing a current, highly sensitive, and simultaneously alarming issue: "Honor Crimes," victims of which are women oppressed by both family and society, helpless against the cruelty of society, its customs, traditions, and canned cultural frameworks that want to make a girl a moving doll in the family home and the marital home at the same time. These are balconies from which the novelist wanted to look out on the reality that Arab women live, especially in the middle and poor classes, by placing all his aesthetic, cognitive, and creative experiences into the character of "Manal," whom her father insisted on educating and provided her with the necessary support until she graduated and obtained a job as a social supervisor. At that moment, she found that the world, as if, suddenly expanded for her. But? Suddenly, her life changes and what is not to be praised happens! "Suddenly, Younes opened the car door from outside, and in less than a second, Manal felt the cold blade of that dagger on her neck. 'I will slaughter you if you breathe!' (...) In front of the door of that small room, he paused for a moment, then pushed the door with his right foot, and it opened. They entered. He closed the door with his foot, and in a quick movement, he raised the dagger from her neck, pressed her back to the door, and returned the dagger to its place, and with his free hand, he turned the key. At that moment, he was sure that his prey had lost all her strength, as she had lost her voice; her hands fell to her sides like two tattered pieces of cloth on a clothesline. He dragged her toward that bed, lit that small red lamp, which he apparently prepared specifically for that moment, and under its heavy light, she could see the face of the human transforming into a face of a monster." So, what happened after that? We will discover this together as we read this purposeful novel, which its author wanted to be a loud cry against anyone who deprives women of their humanity, their right to live, choose, and defend themselves. Until when will society and men continue to see women as prey they hunt whenever they wish, and their shame is only washed away with blood? Did the man's concern in traditional societies to defend the family’s honor reflect his concern for himself, or for the woman whom he considers an eternal possession? And his concern for her is not open to discussion, as it is considered an act of chivalry. Is that so? A novel containing a brave defense of a woman's right to preserve her life and humanity, which is a right granted to her by God before humans. Author: Ibrahim Nasrallah Pages: 146 The Arab House for Science Publishers