Radwa Al-Aswad’s Latest Novel Hailed by Critics

Acclaimed Egyptian novelist Radwa Al-Aswad received wide praise from leading writers and critics in Egypt and abroad for her latest novel "Be Al Ams Kont Mayetan - Hakayet Al Arman Wal Al Akrad" (Yesterday, I Was Dead – A Tale of Armenians and Kurds). 

The work, which blends history with imagination, has been described as a bold, emotionally charged epic that reopens painful questions from the past and reflects on their impact today.

The novel traces stories of love, hatred, displacement, and survival across more than a century, spanning the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the Armenian genocide, and Kurdish history, while also connecting these legacies to Egypt. 

Critics highlight the book’s ability to merge historical events with a modern, innovative narrative style.

Kurdish writer and poet Jan Dost called the novel “a geography of brokenness, tears, and defeated love” that exposes how politics corrupts nations, religions, and identities.

Egyptian critic Nasser Al-Laqqani described it as “a magnificent epic filled with battles that remain unfinished, echoing humanity’s struggle for dignity and justice.”

Other prominent voices also joined in their praise. Dr. Mohamed Abdel Hamid Khalifa, professor of literature and criticism at Damanhour University, emphasized the novel’s mastery of narrative techniques and its ability to merge fact with fiction, while Iraqi writer Tahir Alwan praised its “aesthetic depth and powerful emotional resonance.”

Renowned Egyptian novelist Ibrahim Abdel Meguid thanked Al-Aswad for her “exceptional language and courage in tackling complex historical and political terrains,” while Ahmed Sabry Abu El-Fotouh said the novel was “worthy of placing its author at the forefront of contemporary Egyptian fiction.”

Critics agreed that the novel stands out for its unique literary voice, weaving together history, memory, and identity into a multilayered text open to diverse interpretations. The novel has quickly established itself as one of the most significant works to emerge in recent years, confirming Al-Aswad’s place among the most distinctive voices in modern Arabic literature.