ALABASTER BY CHRIS ASLAN







I received this book for free from the site netgalley.com in exchange for my unbiased review.







About :Maryam ,Marta and Eleazer live in a world with strict rules in a strict religious middle eastern village where the men learn ,study and the women draw water from wells ,clean , do the housework ,plant and weed the garden and do whatever is asked of them .Any disgrace or misbehavior and there is a danger of being shunned or stoned to death . Maryam's father meets a leper in their olive orchard , he holds the leper as he dies singing the prayers that are sung when someone is passing . As a gift the leper gives her father a jar made of precious alabaster .Maryam and her father hope to use it as dowry for her sister Marta but things go awry when its discovered that their father has contracted the leprosy disease. Maryam's father is then cast out from the village .Maryam and Marta are shunned and their brother runs off to the city leaving them to deal with the fall out .There are rumors of a doctor than can cure anything so there might be hope after all .







What I liked: While I want so bad to do a full in depth review of this book it would contain way to many spoilers and I hate reviews with spoilers . I loved this book , the anger and pain I felt for the main characters was intense. Maryam and Marta both went through so many struggles and the abandonment they felt when their brother left them was horrible .I was shocked and pleasantly surprised by this book it took me to a frame of mind to think about how women are treated in that culture .Its so easy to dismiss it because I don't live in it every day or suffer the way they do .I t opened my eyes to the burdens they suffer and that basically women are property in that society, they don't matter for much than manual labor, cooking and children .The doctor is and up lifting character that gives hope where there was none and changed the lives of many in the story. I will say this if you are looking for something else to believe in and to have a story that will give you hope and see things differently this is the book for you . Amazing job, very well done .







You can find Chris Aslan on Goodreads : https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15487288.Chris_Aslan
Also on :

https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/chris-aslan/

THIS BOOK WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ON NOV 18, 2016

I was kind of torn on how to rate this novel. The writing is wonderful, the main characters is interesting and sympathetic, the plot has a lot of potential and the world-building is great. Unfortunately, the last 25% of the novel just didn't do it for me. The first part of the novel focuses on the women's struggle for a better life and the problems they face living and making it on their own. But then the story just suddenly takes a religious turn with the appearance of Jesus and his ability to heal all diseases and wounds. This could have been well done, but the supernatural elements just seem out of place and it takes the focus of Mariam who I found to be a great protagonist. The relationship between her and Jesus could have been developed better, especially since there are some hints that they would get along well and might build a strong and interesting relationship. For me, the ending seemed kind of rushed with better character development shoved to the side to make place for a religious statement that I could have done without. This novel is at its best when focusing on female relationships which it does for the first half of the novel. I still gave "Alabaster" four stars because the author just has an amazing style of writing which I would like to see more of.

“You see, there is something more contagious than leprosy that people fear catching through contact with the sufferer, and that’s misfortune.”

Alabaster in the title refers to the perfume jar that is given to Maryam’s father, one that should have boded well for her family’s future. Instead, her father contacts leprosy and is shunned as well as exiles from his village. Early on, it is understood how life went for women in bygone times in the middle east. They mustn’t shame their family and especially their husband. Abuse isn’t just expected but some women get seem downright gleeful when a woman is beaten for her behavior, more often than not something unintended. The rules are severe, the women are loaded with chores and restrictions and men are judge and jury in the household and outside of it. The shame Maryam and each member of her family suffers because of a disease their father contacted is heartbreaking. The sisters are stained by everything that happens to them, but they will find a way out of a dismal future. A story of abuse, loss, but one too of hope. Misfortune is a disease itself, as if by shunning families that suffer you can dodge the cruelty of fate yourself. It was easier to think people deserve it, certainly they must have done something to suffer so, than to feel compassion or help.

As the reader lives alongside Maryam, the history of how those with leprosy depended on each other when pushed out of their homes changed the attitudes about men and women and what was proper and not. What good are such restrictions in the face of death when you must hold each other up? There is a mysterious doctor who is rumored to cure the sick, the dying. Can her father make it to this blessed doctor in time? What will he have to do with Maryam? Early on their brother begins to become overbearing, with the same dismissive attitude towards women. Despite abandonment by their brother in the face of shame, the sisters will find their strength. Strange in a culture where men are in charge, the two women are left on their own to face the ostracism and fight for survival. With her sister’s skill and her own cleverness, the two will strive to survive out from under the rule of bad men.

I thought this was a bible story rehashed tbh?? An interesting story all the same though and quite beautiful in places, Maryam is in an abusive marriage after marrying very young and she has nobody as the only person she loves (her dad) has been banished from the town as he has leprosy!

A well written tale read through Maryam POV, some parts are brutal and some sad but in all an entertaining read. Can't say too much as it will spoil it for everyone else, short read so give it a go!!

When going into reading this I didn't know that this was based on a story from the Bible, a biblical retelling of sorts. I found out from reading other reviews afterwards.

It deals with themes such as loss, rape, domestic violence and leprosy and the stigma that surrounds it. I'm not going to go into much detail about the story but this story is much about the oppression of women as much as anything else and was quite a quick read. It delves into religion, and prophets so if you're not keen on religious stories or reading about that then this won't be for you, otherwise I'm sure it'll make for an interesting read as it did for me.

Loved it. Interestingly, I had forgotten what the blurb said by the time I came to read the book, and as I got into it I wondered where and when it was set ... could be Middle East, Turkey, could be one of many centuries. Village life, with its well, marketplace and olive groves, was lovingly described. As the story unfolded, told by Mariam, the time period and location became crystal clear. Cleverly written and very enjoyable! Had I known beforehand what the story was based on, I might not have been so keen to read it - this would have been my loss.
Thanks to the publisher for a digital review copy.