Review: A Boy from Makkah

I read two Islamic novels last week. This week I will review them, beginning with A Boy from Makkah.

I bought this book years ago, hoping it would inspire my sons. Unfortunately, being the teenagers they were, they didn't want to read anything I had recommended. So this book sat on the shelf, except when I packed it up to move with us from Kansas City to Worcester to Milwaukee to Lexington. After this last move, I decided to read the book even if no one else would.

As a writer I was a little disappointed. Many scenes were rushed, told with sweeping overviews and only minimal conversation or description. Years passed on a single page. I wanted more detail. But as a writer I'm overly critical.

As a reader I enjoyed this book. It told the story of a young man, brought to Makkah by his father because the family needed him to work, and his life as a servant. I became involved in the young man's story because the characters were portrayed well. I was able to envision the Makkah scenes, though I've never been there. The story had the feel of a real story, though it was fiction.

The author wrote this book after 9/11 to help people know more about Islam and have more positive feelings about Muslims. Through his narration of the journey of this boy as he grew into manhood, I think the author, Dr. Muhammad Abdu Yamani, succeeded.