RaveAsymptote... an exhilarating novel, a saga, a journey through literature, language, and postcolonialism. As the spiraling and lyrical prose proceeds, it becomes clear that Kamel Daoud did not intend for this novel to be straightforward. Daoud—in Ramadan’s exquisite translation—makes the reader work, immersing them deep into Zabor’s plagued mind and troubled thoughts on language, literature, and his gift. I can only imagine the huge challenge that Ramadan has conquered in translating this incredibly lyrical prose that jumps back and forth between times, flits between thoughts, and sits upon layers and layers of metaphor. Her translation is impeccable, allowing the reader to easily immerse themselves into Zabor’s strange world ... At times, this ambitious novel does get close to doing \'too much,\' the metaphors that Daoud weaves almost becoming too intertwined; however, he never quite crosses this line, consistently bringing his prose back down to earth when necessary. This is a book of immersive qualities, the dictum of compulsive reading mirroring Zabor’s compulsive writing—a magical ode to the potentialities of literature as well as a powerful, yet subtle confrontation of colonialism.
