The state of affairs in modern Syria has produced some of the most impactful fiction in Arabic literature.
Across decades marked by the decline of Ottoman rule, the French mandate, coups, authoritarian rule and war, Syrian authors have used fiction not only to reflect political upheaval, but also to show its effects on families, cities and culture.
These books span much of the 20th and early 21st centuries, moving from the final years of Ottoman rule and the mandate period into the decades of Baathist control, repression and the conflict that followed.
Some focus on political awakening and resistance, while others explore fear, memory and exile. These works are highlighted in The National’s list of the most important Arabic novels of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Together, they offer a literary portrait of Syria, tracing how writers have confronted questions of freedom, dignity, belonging and survival through stories rooted in both history and lived experience.
With Syria marking Independence Day on April 17, here are nine books to read.
1. The Cane by Sidqi Ismail (1964)
The Cane explores the development of political thought and Arab nationalism in Syria.
It begins during the country's Ottoman era before delving into the period of the French mandate, following a group of characters who begin to rally for independence. The book is significant for its literary and historical merit, providing insights into the politics of Syria in the first half of the 20th century.
2. The Epidemic by Hani Al Rahib (1981)
A novel that spans a century of Syrian history, The Epidemic is an ambitious work that resonates as sharply today as when it was published.
The book intertwines a panoply of remarkable fictional characters with real political figures, most of whom embody marginalised ideologies. The Epidemic challenges totalitarian rule that snuffs out creativity and individual expression.
According to Bassam Frangieh, who translated an excerpt of the novel for Banipal, the book was passed around among Syrian political prisoners. The author's own tattered copy was circulated in prison, with comments and signatures being added by the inmates.
3. The Vortex by Qamar Kilani (1981)
The Vortex reflects on the cycles of daily routines and communal traditions, showing how difficult it is to be extricated from them.
The novel is often lauded for its pace, with studies dedicated to its structure and the literary techniques used to accelerate and slow time. Set around the time of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, The Vortex is replete with memorable characters, but at its core is Haniyeh who, along with her daughter Samia, is on a journey of self-affirmation away from societal expectations.
4. A Banquet for Seaweed by Haidar Haidar (1983)
A Banquet for Seaweed is as controversial as it is admired. It tells the story of an Iraqi communist who flees to Algeria, where he meets an activist who has become disheartened by a failed revolution.
The book was banned in Syria and several other Arab countries, and was deemed blasphemous by Al Azhar Al Sharif, an Islamic institution in Egypt. In 2000, however, Egypt decided to republish A Banquet for Seaweed, 13 years after its release – a move that sparked protests in Cairo. Nevertheless, the novel remains an important and sober work, challenging both authoritarian rule and revolutionary movements.
5. The End of a Brave Man by Hanna Mina (1989)
A seminal work, The End of a Brave Man tackles themes of self-fulfilment and masculinity through a coming-of-age story set during the French mandate in Syria.
At the novel’s centre is the son of a domineering farmer named Mufid, who runs from his village and is soon imprisoned following an argument with a French officer. The novel follows Mufid across a series of misadventures before coming to an unforgettable ending.
The End of a Brave Man was adapted for television in 1994 with Syrian actor Ayman Zeidan in the lead role.
6. No Knives in the Kitchens of This City by Khaled Khalifa (2013)
This multigenerational story, which centres on a middle class family in Aleppo, unfolds between the 1960s and the 2000s. Its shadowy narrator is born around the time of the 1963 Baathist coup.
In a way, the novel shows the mechanism of control and fear that the Baath imposed on the country, without actually naming the party or its leaders. It explores a culture of shame, fear and mourning – the stifling precursors of the revolution.
No Knives in the Kitchen of This City is a tale of a city contorting and disintegrating under a dictatorship, told beautifully through lyrical prose and a cast of larger-than-life characters.
7. Remorse Test by Khalil Sweileh (2018)
Remorse Test is a novel based in war-torn Syria. Split into two parts, the novel begins with a series of online exchanges between journalist Narinj and actress Hamida.
While their private messages begin with formal pleasantries, they develop from there, with both offering their reflections on the war and ultimately an unrequited romance. The second half takes the reader into Damascus, as Narinj wanders the streets in an attempt to capture the mood of a city living on edge.
The novel won the Sheikh Zayed Book Award. It came as a follow-up to Writing Love, which received the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature in 2009.
8. The Russian Quarter by Khalil Alrez (2019)
The Russian Quarter does not concern itself with traditional storytelling, nor does it follow the tracks of a chronological narrative. Instead, the novel is written as a collection of scenes.
Its premise is this: war encroaches on the Russian Quarter, a fictional neighbourhood on the outskirts of Damascus. Its populace has, for years, resisted slipping into the bloody conflict that has upended the rest of the country and displaced its citizens.
But now, it seems there is no staving off the war any longer. However, rather than picking up arms, the denizens of the Russian Quarter resort to telling stories to see that they survive through the conflict.
The novel is narrated by a translator living in the neighbourhood zoo with Nuna, a knitter. Its characters also include a former journalist who now works as the zoo manager, a French teacher, an oud player in a cabaret, and a little-known Russian writer.
9. Suleima's Ring by Rima Bali (2022)
Set between Aleppo and Toledo, Suleima’s Ring switches between several narrators from disparate backgrounds, including its Syrian protagonist Selma, Italian musician Shams Al-Din and Spanish-Jewish photographer Lucas.
What unites them is a shared love for Aleppo. Suleima’s Ring pays tribute to the ancient city, while also lamenting the afflictions and suffering it has endured in recent years. Its title references a magical ring that may be the city’s salvation. The novel was shortlisted for the 2024 International Prize for Arabic Fiction.
