Why a Booktrail?
Winner of The best Omani novel, 2010
Celestial Bodies
Why a Booktrail?
Winner of The best Omani novel, 2010
What you need to know before your trail
Celestial Bodies is set in the village of al-Awafi in Oman, where we encounter three sisters: Mayya, who marries Abdallah after a heartbreak; Asma, who marries from a sense of duty; and Khawla who rejects all offers while waiting for her beloved, who has emigrated to Canada. These three women and their families witness Oman evolve from a traditional, slave-owning society slowly redefining itself after the colonial era, to the crossroads of its complex present. Elegantly structured and taut, Celestial Bodies is a coiled spring of a novel, telling of Oman’s coming-of-age through the prism of one family’s losses and loves.
Travel Guide
Travel BookTrail style to Oman
The book is set in the village of al-Awafi which is fictional but the village is typical and representative of any village in this country.
The novel shows the way of life, the way of family life here, and the sense of community which exists despite the war around them. The country is unique in the sense of its geographical location, political landscape and culture so it’s interesting to see how people deal with events, problems and the most human emotions of all.
Muscat, the capital of Oman is mentioned and referred to throughout and the village could be in the immediate area.
BookTrail Boarding Pass: Celestial Bodies
Destination: “al-Awafi” Oman Author/guide: Jokha Alharthi Departure: 1950s onwards
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