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The latest addition to our Reviews section is a by Lori Feathers on Kamal Jann by Dominique Eddé, translated by Ros Schwartz and published by Seagull Books.

Lori helped us out in the World Cup of Literature round for the U.S. vs. Belgium, and is also a member of the Board of Dallas-based Deep Vellum Publishing.

Here’s the beginning of Lori’s review:

Kamal Jann by the Lebanese born author Dominique Eddé is a tale of familial and political intrigue, a murky stew of byzantine alliances, betrayals, and hostilities. It is a well-told story of revenge and, whatÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s more, a serious novel that contemplates what it means to accept your past.

It is 2010. Kamal Jann, a successful, middle-aged lawyer and human rights activist, lives in New York City. He is tormented by the horrors that he suffered at the hands of his uncle, Sayf, the powerful head of SyriaÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s intelligence services. Sayf began sexually molesting Kamal when the boy was twelve years old, and three years later, Sayf ordered the murders of KamalÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s mother and father (the latter of whom was SayfÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s only sibling). KamalÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s hatred for his uncle is compounded by the fact that he later allows Sayf to sponsor his college and law school education in the United States. Murad, KamalÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s brother, remains in Syria and becomes radicalized, eventually agreeing to become a martyr in a suicide bombing intended to kill the Syrian president. Kamal learns of MuradÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s intentions and travels back to Syria in an attempt to save his brother and, at the same time, avenge the murders of his parents.

For the rest of the piece, go here.