al-Khazaali, The Male God

The Male God is the debut novel of the Finnish author Eeva Maria al-Khazaali. This stunning minimalist novel intertwines the romantic and the experimental, forming a philosophical meditation. Set in the milieu of a small northern town that could be anywhere in the world, and in a dimly lit cafe, The Male God explores the story of a feminist writer writing a novel. Written in an experimental style that blends the philosophical abstractions of limerence with contemporary romance, its fragmented structure reflects everyday unrequited desire and invites readers to question the very intersection of true human connection. The lyrical form evokes obsessive thoughts that transcend time and space. "Even if I lived alone, gave him all the suns and moons, the whole Universe, no longer belonging to anyone. I still wouldn't be irreplaceable to him. These sentences, these are all I can give to him." These sentiments echo throughout literature and culture. How does love shape one's art? Perhaps love isn't the proper word. Perhaps The Male God is an unflinching, yet sardonic gaze at the obsessions we bestow upon strangers, and the many quiet resolutions dedicated to them. The story might take place in the fictional cafe of a fictional town in the fictional early 2010's but it happens in front of the reader's very eyes. Eeva Maria will keep you engaged to the most bitter end through her minimalist style, self-reflective tone and a healthy dose of coffee.