"The author laces together legend and myth, epic and quest, realism, fantasy into a complex novel, rich with meanings... everywhere the writing sings of the literary talents and acuity of its author. Hers is a new voice to listen out for."

"Dreams of Maryam Tair is an arresting tale with extraordinary appeal. There is here a real talent at work. Peoples and places come alive and are fully recognizable. In a sober style the author says it all, as it is: violence, abjection, misery, class arrogance, but also wonders and, perhaps, regenerative forces..."

– Abdellah Hammoudi, Princeton University, author of A Season in Mecca

"Linking fairy-tale magic with harsh realism, Moroccan writer Mhani Alaoui tells a captivating story that draws on the mythological past, yet has much relevance for contemporary social and political problems in the Arab world... This novel is a delight to read as much for its lyrical, incisive prose as for its hopeful message that serves to remind of the original goals of the Arab uprising which are hard to discern today. Alaoui skillfully matches her prose to her subject, waxing lyrical in the imaginative passages and abruptly changing to a sharper style in the realistic parts of the novel. She has broad knowledge of ancient texts and mythology, whether Arab, Berber or Greek, and uses it to show how history can be told and retold, interpreted and reinterpreted according to who is in power... Alaoui's story suggests new ways of addressing gender inequality and social injustice. One doesn't have to ride a bicycle around the world, but one must respect individual differences and rely on the power of love not coercion."