Ahdaf Soueif begins her multidimensional novel, In the Eye of the Sun, by reflecting on the cancer operation of Hamid Mursi, Asya al-Ulama's beloved uncle. The introductory episode and a host of other impressive family scenes focusing mainly on the extended nature of the family of Soueif's beautiful protagonist, Asya, are all set against the backdrop of the Arab-Israeli War. As Asya gradually develops from a charming, albeit naive girl into a more mature and well-educated young woman, the detailed dynamics of her relationships with parents, siblings, friends, husband, and, subsequently, lover, are all defined and colored by the complicated Middle East situation.

Regional politics in general and Egyptian politics in particular parallel the events in Asya's personal life. The author implies that vital experiences such as love, friendship, and education in the life of her protagonist are inseparable from what takes place on the larger...