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A review by hugobernard
The Arabian Nightmare by Robert Irwin
4.0
An interesting book and great writing, but I am not too sure if the plot is satisfying, the overall effect certainly is. I was trying to think of exactly what I wanted to write for this review. I decided to go out for a walk with the hardcover of the book in hand.
I crossed an old man wearing a white turban.
He stopped me and asked, "Is that The Arabian Nightmare, you are holding."
I showed him, a bit stunned that he had recognized it since I had removed the dust jacket and it was only a blue book, the title along the spine hidden by my hand.
"Follow me," he said, I noticed that his left eye was not real, only a sad imitation that had lost its glossiness.
Curious, I followed along. He opened a gate into a private garden. The flora seemed foreign and not suitable for our frigid Québec City weather. On the table were two cups of tea waiting for us, steaming hot. We sat and sipped them in silence. Next to us was a smaller table with a typewriter on it, the letters of the keys hidden by a layer filth.
"So, what did you think of the book?"
I had been so entranced by the inner garden and the typewriter that I hadn't noticed the monkey that had come to sit next to the white turban man to have his head scratched.
"It has an interesting effect, but..." The man lifted his hand to stop me.
"Wait and watch."
He handed a blank page to the monkey who took it and reeled it into the typewriter. The monkey pounded on the keys boisterously and with apparent mirth. I drank tea and laughed at the scene. The man did not laugh, his seriousness silenced me. Once the monkey was done typing, he hopped over and handed me the page with a smirk on his face.
He had written a perfect review of The Arabian Nightmare. It described how the novel mysteriously brought the reader into a dreamlike state and it discussed the many parallels with One Thousand and One Nights.
"Your turn. Write a review worthy of this monkey," The man said pulling a scimitar sword from under the table. "Or I shall keep your left eye."
"Sure, but first tell me how you knew I was holding the Arabian Nightmare when you saw me walking...
.....
I highly recommend this novel, the magic the mystery and the writing are worth it. I lost my left eye writing this review so I will give it four stars.
I crossed an old man wearing a white turban.
He stopped me and asked, "Is that The Arabian Nightmare, you are holding."
I showed him, a bit stunned that he had recognized it since I had removed the dust jacket and it was only a blue book, the title along the spine hidden by my hand.
"Follow me," he said, I noticed that his left eye was not real, only a sad imitation that had lost its glossiness.
Curious, I followed along. He opened a gate into a private garden. The flora seemed foreign and not suitable for our frigid Québec City weather. On the table were two cups of tea waiting for us, steaming hot. We sat and sipped them in silence. Next to us was a smaller table with a typewriter on it, the letters of the keys hidden by a layer filth.
"So, what did you think of the book?"
I had been so entranced by the inner garden and the typewriter that I hadn't noticed the monkey that had come to sit next to the white turban man to have his head scratched.
"It has an interesting effect, but..." The man lifted his hand to stop me.
"Wait and watch."
He handed a blank page to the monkey who took it and reeled it into the typewriter. The monkey pounded on the keys boisterously and with apparent mirth. I drank tea and laughed at the scene. The man did not laugh, his seriousness silenced me. Once the monkey was done typing, he hopped over and handed me the page with a smirk on his face.
He had written a perfect review of The Arabian Nightmare. It described how the novel mysteriously brought the reader into a dreamlike state and it discussed the many parallels with One Thousand and One Nights.
"Your turn. Write a review worthy of this monkey," The man said pulling a scimitar sword from under the table. "Or I shall keep your left eye."
"Sure, but first tell me how you knew I was holding the Arabian Nightmare when you saw me walking...
.....
I highly recommend this novel, the magic the mystery and the writing are worth it. I lost my left eye writing this review so I will give it four stars.