A Bed for the King's Daughter

A Bed for the Kings Daughter by Shahla Ujayli is a groundbreaking collection of experimental short fiction that explores themes of womens agency, the decline of collective life and imagination, and the effects of social and political corruption on daily life through surrealism and irony.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 72 pages
Publication date: 09 February 2021
Publisher: University of Texas Press

A groundbreaking collection of experimental short fiction by award-winning Syrian author and Booker International Prize for Arabic Fiction nominee Shahla Ujayli, A Bed for the Kings Daughter uses surrealism and irony to examine such themes as women's agency, the decline of collective life and imagination under modernity, and the effects of social and political corruption on daily life. In "The Memoir of Cinderella's Shoes," Cinderella uses her famous glass slipper as a weapon in order to take justice into her own hands. In "Tell Me About Surrealism," an art history professor's writing assignment reveals the slipperiness of storytelling, and in "Merry Christmas," the realities of apartheid interfere with one family's celebration. Through twenty-two short stories, Ujayli animates—with brevity and inventiveness—themes relevant to both the particularities of life in the Arab world and life outside it.

Ujayli's writing is characterized by its experimental nature, which blends surrealism and irony to create a unique and thought-provoking narrative. In "The Memoir of Cinderella's Shoes," Cinderella uses her famous glass slipper as a weapon to take justice into her own hands. The slipper becomes a symbol of her power and determination, as she uses it to confront the injustices of her society. In "Tell Me About Surrealism," an art history professor's writing assignment reveals the slipperiness of storytelling. The professor's assignment is to write a story about a pair of shoes, but he becomes so engrossed in the story that he forgets the shoes themselves. The story becomes a metaphor for the slipperiness of reality and the way that stories can shape our understanding of the world.

In "Merry Christmas," the realities of apartheid interfere with one family's celebration. The family is forced to celebrate Christmas in a refugee camp, and the holiday is marred by the harsh realities of their situation. The story highlights the effects of social and political corruption on daily life and the ways in which people are forced to adapt to their circumstances.

Through her twenty-two short stories, Ujayli animates themes relevant to both the particularities of life in the Arab world and life outside it. She explores the struggles of women, the decline of collective life and imagination under modernity, and the effects of social and political corruption on daily life. Ujayli's writing is characterized by its ability to make readers think and feel, and it has received critical acclaim for its innovative and thought-provoking approach to storytelling.

In conclusion, A Bed for the Kings Daughter by Shahla Ujayli is a groundbreaking collection of experimental short fiction that uses surrealism and irony to examine themes relevant to both the particularities of life in the Arab world and life outside it. Ujayli's writing is characterized by its experimental nature, which blends surrealism and irony to create a unique and thought-provoking narrative. Her stories explore the struggles of women, the decline of collective life and imagination under modernity, and the effects of social and political corruption on daily life. Through her twenty-two short stories, Ujayli animates themes relevant to both the particularities of life in the Arab world and life outside it, and her writing has received critical acclaim for its innovative and thought-provoking approach to storytelling.

Weight: 118g
Dimension: 139 x 216 x 8 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781477322284