Title: Kahraman: The Bare Feet Belly Dancer
Author: Rima Jbara
Publisher: AuthorhouseUK
ISBN: 978-1-4490-3310
Pages: 96
Genre: Fiction
Reviewed by: Suzanne Gattis
Pacific Book Review
“I do not know why people like to criticize me? Why can’t they accept me as I am?” One of the first questions posed in this book by the character Kahraman, as it gives great insight to the story which is about to unfold. In Rima Jbara’s book, Kahraman: The Bare Feet Belly Dancer, you know right away the heroine of this book, Kahraman, was going to set out to be herself and let no one get in her way of her dreams and accomplishments. With her everlasting love of her Grandmother Hanan, readers witness the journey Kahraman takes to achieve greatness through her innate talent and sheer determination.
Author Rima Jbara wrote a story that follows the journey of the main character, a beautiful and masterful belly dancer, as she finds success, love and fame. Her choice of careers often led some to look down upon her, especially in Egypt in the 1950s; as many had old attitudes despite this time when theatre, music and cinema were at their peak of glory. However there were others who were drawn to her magic in dance; a beautiful and mystical aura of feminine power which attracted many of the young girls who wanted to grow up to be just like her. Her dance led her into the movie industry and she became a star. Yet with the mixture of criticism and adoration which she received, Kahraman remained consistent in many areas of her life. She knew what she wanted out of life, and she was unwilling to settle.
Despite her fame and fortune, there were things that Kahraman, like many of us, had to learn to live without. Her inability to have children was a reminder that we all have issues we must deal with emotionally and internally; it made this great star seem human. Also at times, I found she needed to have her humanity expressed throughout the book. I found there is a fine line between knowing yourself and coming across as being a little conceited. In this novel, I found at times the book walked the fine line between confidence and conceit. Skillfully and luckily, Rima Jbara always brought the story back just in time before you started to resent the character with her charmed life; as this technique showed mastery of the author’s storytelling to push and pull the readers, keeping the book alive with credibility.
The writing was also very entertaining and easy to read, enabling readers to learn much about the world over half a century ago while enjoying the story. With lovely descriptions, readers could see and feel the sheer beauty of her dance abilities as the book unfolded. You could also feel her pain and determination. The writing took you into her day and time, a period piece so to speak, a true glimpse of her world through her eyes. Overall, Kahraman is a very intriguing character put into a fascinating time, making a truly interesting read which I recommend for young adults as well as connoisseurs of historical fiction.
