The Black Crescent
by Jane Johnson
The Black Crescent by Jane Johnson is a historical novel set in 1950s Morocco, during the politically unstable final months of the French protectorate, following the exile of the Sultan of Morocco to Madagascar. The protagonist of the book is Hamou Badi. Badi was born in a rural mountain village where he is deemed to have the tell-tale signs of a “zouhry”, a figure of North African folklore who, as a hybrid between humans and djinns, purportedly holds special powers, particularly related to the uncovering of treasure and hidden springs of water. Perhaps it is precisely thanks to these magical powers that he discovers the body a murdered woman – a traumatic experience which leads him towards a career in law-enforcement. When Hamou Badi grows up he joins the French-run police force in Casablanca, adamant that he would like to do good. But in the increasingly violent struggle for Moroccan independence, Hamou Badi feels increasingly conflicted, until the time comes when he needs to choose whether to be complicit in the occupation of his country or to rebel against the foreign structures which have given him his education and job.
There is much that I liked about the The Black Crescent. The geographical and historical setting is conveyed in great and loving detail, with colourful descriptions of the sights, sounds and smells of Morocco. The story evidently has personal meaning for the author – in the Author’s Note at the end of the book, she explains that she is married to a Moroccan and that the novel reflects the experiences of his family and friends in the 1950s. The story, in fact, feels particularly authentic, and reading it is an immersive experience in a specific culture at a time of upheaval. The character of Hamou Badi is beautifully drawn, and the pangs of guilt he feels in his role as enforcer for the protectorate are poignantly brought out.
On the other hand, I also had some reservations. First of all, I could not help feeling that the novel is slightly overlong and although I didn’t much mind the leisurely pace of parts of the book, it would probably have been more effective had it been tighter. I also felt rather misled by the blurb – much is made of the fact that Hamou Badi is a zouhry, giving the impression that the novel has a supernatural element to it. It turs out, this is not particularly relevant to the novel, except to justify some improbable coincidences which, frankly, would have otherwise been unbelievable. What bothered me most, however, was the fact that the third-person narrative voice is not particularly distinctive. It certainly meets it purpose especially in the descriptive passages, but can at other times feel detached and rather bland.
Still, I would recommend this book, particularly to lovers of
historical fiction and those who like good, “old-fashioned” storytelling which
combines human drama, adventure, mystery, romance and a (small!) touch of magic.
No comments:
Post a Comment