— Adel Alaiev
Another Continent and a Different Time – But Not Really
Remembering Babylon by David Malouf is truly a great work. I believe this novel is a classic that must be read by every single student in university. The lessons and themes present in the story are truly relevant and highly applicable to modern times. Topics such as racism, white supremacy, xenophobia, and patriarchal norms/sexism are the forefront of the story line. As readers, we see first-hand the devastating effects of a society that accepts these standards.
Due to the unique context such as this story line, readers are able to not only conceptualize, but analyze the issues at hand. The experience of reading such a novel can have a lasting effect of confronting the mentioned topics in our own lives every-day.
When initially starting to read the novel, I was taken slightly aback by the writing style. There definitely was a learning curve associating with reading this book. Even toward the end there were still sections that I had to re-read or think a bit longer about in order to make sense of them. That being said, it’s an effort that is much worthwhile. Not only was the story itself worth the effort, but reading such a style further developed my skills as a reader. I have to say this is my favorite novel that I have read in a very long time.
