"Jarawan has just the right touch on some of the finer details, as when he writes in Samir's voice that he remembers the date Nov. 22, 2000, not because it was when he lost his virginity but 'because that's the day Mother died.' His depiction of a Lebanon once torn apart by civil war is also well-nuanced..." —Kirkus Reviews
"The Storyteller by Pierre Jarawan is one of those rare books that takes you on both the internal and external journeys of a character. We not only see how far Samir travels emotionally, but follow him on the geographic journey required for him to grow up and accept himself. A brilliant work for our times."—Qantara
"A literary debut of astounding maturity, refinement, and narrative power."—Literatur Abendzeitung
"Jarawan’s narrative is captivating, fast-paced, and true to life—a fascinating exploration of the question of what it means to be influenced by several cultures at the same time."—Frankfurter Neue Presse
"The Storyteller is a moving and nuanced account of a young man’s search for identity." —The Bend Bulletin
"His masterful debut successfully interweaves historical events and a suspense-filled investigation of one family’s fate into a novel that deeply moves its readers."—New Books in German
"In a sweeping style reminiscent of oriental storytelling, Jarawan tells of escape, migration, and a family torn between two cultures. His debut succeeds in bringing foreign culture into focus and awakens in the reader a fascination with the The Storyteller."—Kulturtipp
"The story of an escape, of a family, and of the Far East: how the fate of one family is inevitably linked with Lebanon’s history. An enthralling novel which couldn’t be more timely."—Rhein-Zeitung
"Pierre Jarawan has worked Lebanon’s complicated history brilliantly into his debut novel." —TAZ
"This new literary voice is particularly melodious and memorable. The Storyteller is an elegantly and unobtrusively narrated novel that shows us what is behind and beyond the narrow stuffy rooms that we call 'our world,' our Europe, our West. With this novel, the doors open to a thousand other beautiful incomprehensible worlds."—Alexander Solloch, NDR Culture New Books
"This book is a masterwork—a debut of great class."—Booklover & Dreamcatcher
"A moving and wonderfully constructed story, full of beautiful images—Jarawan teaches us about both history and the future, without ever becoming didactic." —Tzum
"An exciting family mystery, focusing on both historical and current political situations; a testimony to the way migrants are torn between their old homeland and their new." —Ruhr Nachrichten
"A wonderful and authentic way of storytelling."—Boekenkrant
"A beautiful book full of fascinating storytelling and poetic language, that you devour without stopping for breath. If you start reading this book, you’ll want to keep reading it, rereading it. A masterful and particularly fascinating debut for such a young writer—one we can hopefully expect a lot more from."—Leeskost
"Jarawan has produced a fairy tale that could be straight out of One Thousand and One Nights. From the very beginning, you float away on the story as if on a flying carpet."—NRC
"An engaging novel."—Mappa Libri
"A story worth telling." —De Volkskrant
WHAT BOOKSELLERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD ARE SAYING
“Pierre Jarawan is a true storyteller whose vivid writing is able to evoke urgency and empathy where factual reporting can’t. Khaled Hosseini gave us an understanding of Afghanistan. In the same way, Jarawan changes our perception of the conflict in the Middle East.” —Juliane Ziskoven, Mayersche Buchhandlung, Germany "Extremely absorbing! Wonderful!" —Lilian Dionysia, Saraiva, Brazil ”In The Storyteller, German-Lebanese author Pierre Jarawan has created a work of art that explores the importance of family and nationality in the creation of an identity. Jarawan fills the book with stories of the Lebanese civil war, teaching the history of the country and the event without making it feel like you are learning anything or reading a history book. A definite must read.” —Portia Turner, The Book Cellar, USA "The Storyteller is truly a work of art, one of those masterful books that from the moment you start reading it you began to live two lives, moving back and forth between your own reality and Samir’s story. I loved every page of this book." —Shonee Mirchandani, Bookazine, Hong Kong "Reading those descriptive words, I felt myself in Lebanon. A true depiction of culture and identity. A story about history, family and the secrets that bind them. The Storyteller is a beautifully written novel that you do not want to miss." —Tamar Kassabian, Virgin Megastore, Egypt "A lovely -and perfectly titled book - the storytelling is WONDERFUL! The Storyteller follows a son in search of his father and explores cultural identity and displacement but is ultimately a story about family secrets, love and friendship." —Drake The Bookshop, UK "The Storyteller seamlessly integrates history and human reality into a beautiful fictional narrative. The author takes us on a journey with Samir, a Lebanese boy born a refugee in Germany. Through the immersive stories of his father about the beautiful country of Lebanon, its damaged history and its proud cedar trees Samir is constantly reminded of his roots, and so his cultural identity crisis is alleviated. It accounts for what it feels like for humans living in diaspora to search for love and belonging in both their country of residence and country of origin. Above all, it illustrates a relationship bond that is rarely accounted for – a strong and loving relationship between a father and a son." —Khadija Lawal, Virgin Megastore MENA, United Arab Emirates “A great personal story intertwined with the 1982 Lebanon war. It’s story of love, religion, race and politics. A surprising ending after a fast-paced investigation into one’s root.” —Frank, Bluefountain, China “I am most affected by this incredibly vivid language, the subtle urgency. An important book at the right time.” —Martina Kraus, Ravensbuch, Germany “As if in a fairy tale you are visiting a foreign country, smelling the cedar trees and learning about Lebanon’s history in this deeply touching story.” —Ayşen Boylu, Homer Books, Turkey “This is a book everyone should read, everyone in the world. It’s an important book, a beautiful book, a book that changes the way you look at the world. This book really opens your eyes and your heart for Lebanon and the people who are living there. It’s a book you must read.” —Manda Heddema, de Koperen Tuin, Netherlands “Jarawan builds an incredible tension; seduces the reader into wildly speculating about a lost father’s fate, and, in the end, surprises completely. The author creates a wonderful balance between a sensual tale and factual story – he both moved and mesmerized me.”— Jacqueline Masuck, Dussman Das Kulturkaufhaus, Germany “Jarawan's adeptness in the storytelling genre mixed with his knowledge of the Lebanese civil war creates a work that is both intensely lyrical and a power reflection on an important piece of recent history. This book has everything you could want: love, loss, mystery, history, and the wisdom gained from an insightful dive into very complex political and religious history.” —Hannah, Malaprop's Bookstore, USA “The Storyteller is one of those rare novels that elegantly interweave history, culture, religion, identity and family together in a heartbreaking and fascinating story of a young man’s search for his father in Lebanon. A relevant story so many people can relate to. Pierre Jarawan is a true storyteller!” —Kristina Hauberg, Politiken, Denmark “Lyrical prose, characters that claim your empathy, and an intriguing plot prove Pierre Jarawan is a gifted storyteller. A beautifully written saga of a troubled land.” —Deon Stonehouse, Sunriver Books, USA “I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a story about family, secrets, the history of a country and the love between fathers and sons.” —Christoph Hänni, Buchhaus, Switzerland “A wonderful book; an enchanting family story; a perfect novel. The reader is continuously reminded of the great Rafik Schami.” —Walter Reimann, Buchhandlung Hirslanden, Switzerland “What a debut! With this book, Jarawan joins the rank of the very best contemporary authors in Germany.” —Volker Keidel, Hugendubel Germany “I just picked up The Storyteller and was greeted by such an evocative first chapter— a father installing a satellite dish, Lebanese food, neighbors — that now I have to read the whole book. And it does not disappoint!” —Mary Cotton, Newtonville Books, USA "The Storyteller thrilled me! I joined Samir on an exciting and touching journey, and spent the entire duration of the book in Lebanon." —Michaela Maczejka, Buchhandlung Zweymueller, Germany “Wow. Just wow. I can't recommend this book highly enough. It will stay with you long after you turn the last page.” —Tanya Mills, The Book Bungalow, USA “A miraculous book.” —Jennifer Mertens, Kurt Heymann, Germany “A powerful, moving, beautiful narrative.”— Anna Eklund, UniversityBookstore, USA “Beginnings and endings cycle through Pierre Jarawan's tightly interlaced story which never tries to separate personal lives from the larger world in which the characters are living. Because they cannot be. It is life. He creates a sense of urgency. The desire to unravel a central mystery seems overwhelming yet there are pockets of space throughout as details of the character's live unfold and episodes unwind before the road twists and turns once more.” —Connie Griffin, Bookworks, USA “A magnificent writer. Very personal, emotional, stirring and outstandingly well-written. A wonderful story of home, family and the search for one’s own roots.” —Hans Grünthaler, Buchhandlung Schmid, Germany “What a pleasure and delight it was to read this novel! The reader is fully immersed in the story, completely captivated, enchanted, mesmerized. Jarawan is an exceptionally gifted storyteller.” —Christian Niedermeier, Thalia Buchhandlung, Germany
2019-01-21
A Lebanese man disappears and his young son goes on a Telemachus-like quest to find him.
Born to a German mother and Lebanese father, German poet Jarawan opens his debut novel with a lively portrait of life in an immigrant neighborhood in Germany, its rooftops studded with satellite-TV antennas pointing in every direction. Young Samir's father, Brahim el-Hourani, is up on the roof, aiming his new antenna with the help of friendly Arabic-speaking neighbors ("Too far to the left and you'll get Italian TV," warns one), then cheerfully explaining to his 7-year-old boy how satellites work in relation to earthly beings. Brahim is full of stories, particularly of the pungent, entrancing smell of the cedar trees of their native Lebanon. (The German title of the novel translates to "In the End, the Cedars Remain.") Brahim is also resolutely apolitical, saying, "We all came here because we want peace, not war. It's not about Christians and Muslims here." But, one day, Brahim, showing slides of their homeland, lingers on an image showing him in a strange uniform, inciting questions from his son and worried demands from his wife that he destroy the thing. Instead, Brahim vanishes, and a decade later his son is in Lebanon looking for some trace of meaning: What did that troubling image mean? Why did his father go? Jarawan has just the right touch on some of the finer details, as when he writes in Samir's voice that he remembers the date Nov. 22, 2000, not because it was when he lost his virginity but "because that's the day Mother died." His depiction of a Lebanon once torn apart by civil war is also well-nuanced, though, once stripped of these elements, the novel is overall a more or less standard procedural: Someone disappears, someone goes on the hunt, assembles clues, hears from many voices, and solves the mystery. In all that Jarawan is a competent but not yet distinguished storyteller, and the plotline predictable.
A middling story, then.
