Bewitched by Love

In Ahmed Abdo‘s evocative novel, Bewitched by Love, translated by Dr. Hatem Mohammed Al-Shamea, the line between dream and reality blurs in a rural Egyptian village. We follow Ibn Hathout, a man entangled in a surreal web of accusations and desires, stemming from a past love for Faten and the collective anxieties of a community grappling with perceived impotence and shifting gender dynamics. Abdo masterfully weaves themes of forbidden love, masculinity in crisis, and the potent mystique of women, all set against a backdrop rich with folklore and allegorical depth. This is a tale where dreams hold sway over waking life, and the whispers of a village can condemn a man to a fate both absurd and profound.