Licia Flynn's Book and Movie Review Blog

I think my mother read 1001 Arabian Nights to me as a child, but I can only vaguely remember the Arabic tales within it. What has always stood out in my memory is the framing device of the story. A King was outraged to learn that his wife was unfaithful and thus had her killed. Deciding that all women were inclined towards infidelity, the king determined to marry a succession of virgins only to execute each one the next morning. After exhausting the supply of women, Scheherazade offered herself as the next bride. This young woman was well versed in history, poetry, philosophy, the sciences, and arts. On the night of their marriage, Scheherazade began telling the king a tale but did not end it. The King was extremely intrigued by the cliffhanger and decided to postpone his new bride's execution in order to hear the story's ending. The next night, as soon as Scheherazade finished the former tale, she began another one but did not finish it, thus postponing her execution. T...

Translated from French, Siwar Al Assad's (A Coeur Perdu) Guard Thy Heart is a romantic thriller about Paul, a genteel United Nations attorney. Initially, the book appears to be about his relationships with women: his mother, wife, first love, and current conquest.  Marisa is a kind, but overly doting mother who unintentionally inhibits Paul's emotional growth. At first, she seems like a simple woman because her son mostly responds to her with trite platitudes. However, as the story develops, it is evident that Marisa has both strong character and class. After all, Paul's mother quotes Victor Hugo, a hero for anti-slavery and romanticism, and she greets Lauren, a somewhat brazen woman with complete respect and graciousness.  Elizabeth, a cut-throat American lawyer, pursued Paul like no other, and they eventually married. But instead of trying to understand her husband and accept him for who he is, Elizabeth imposed a multitude of expectations. Like a transnational deal...