''Alif the Unseen'' is a 2012

cyberpunk Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction in a dystopian futuristic setting that tends to focus on a "combination of lowlife and high tech", featuring futuristic technological and scientific achievements, such as artificial intelligence and c ...

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...

novel by American writer

G. Willow Wilson Gwendolyn Willow Wilson (born August 31, 1982) is an American comics writer, prose author, and essayist. Her best-known prose works include the novels ''Alif the Unseen'' and '' The Bird King''. She is most well known for relaunching the '' Ms. Ma ...

. In the novel, a Middle Eastern

hacker A hacker is a person skilled in information technology who uses their technical knowledge to achieve a goal or overcome an obstacle, within a computerized system by non-standard means. Though the term ''hacker'' has become associated in popu ...

named Alif discovers a book of

djinn Jinn ( ar, , ') – also romanized as djinn or anglicized as genies (with the broader meaning of spirit or demon, depending on sources) – are invisible creatures in early pre-Islamic Arabian religious systems and later in Islamic myt ...

tales which may lead to a new age of quantum computing. The novel won the 2013

World Fantasy Award for Best Novel In its most general sense, the term "world" refers to the totality of entities, to the whole of reality or to everything that is. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the worl ...

Plot Summary

In an unnamed Middle Eastern security state, the hacker Alif discovers that his love interest Intisar is entering an arranged marriage with another man. He creates a computer program, Tin Sari, to identify Intisar’s digital footprint and block her from seeing him online. Alif’s computer is attacked by The Hand, a prince who seeks to identify and imprison dissidents. The Hand is also Intisar's fiancé. Unable to contact Alif online, Intisar sends him a book. Alif is stalked by secret police, causing him to flee with his neighbor Dina. They seek out a gang leader named Vikram the Vampire for protection. They are rescued by two djinn: Vikram and his sister Azalel, who had been living as Alif and Dina's housecat. Vikram reveals that Intisar’s book, the Alf Yeom, is a collection of djinn tales containing powerful secrets. They meet a convert who specializes in antique books, and they learn that The Hand is seeking the Alf Yeom. Dina, the convert, Alif, and Vikram seek shelter from the police in a mosque. Alif decodes the Alf Yeom and attempts to create a quantum computer. Dina and the convert escape, Vikram is killed, and Alif is captured and interrogated by The Hand. Months later, he is rescued by NewQuarter01, a prince and hacker. Alif learns that his public arrest has become a

cause célèbre A cause célèbre (,''Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged'', 12th Edition, 2014. S.v. "cause célèbre". Retrieved November 30, 2018 from https://www.thefreedictionary.com/cause+c%c3%a9l%c3%a8bre ,''Random House Kernerman Webs ...

for anti-regime activists. Alif reunites with Dina and the convert in the djinn city of Irem. Vikram died during the escape, but the convert is pregnant with his child; she uses this status to assure the cooperation of Vikram's allies. In the City, The Hand’s attempt to replicate Alif’s quantum computer has failed, leading to massive Internet outages and riots in the streets. Alif uses Tin Sari to counteract the Hand’s control of the City’s infrastructure and restore Internet Access to the City, further assisting the rioters. As Alif's djinn allies battle The Hand's, The Hand is identified and lynched by rioters. Alif and Dina escape.

Reception

''Alif the Unseen'' received positive reviews. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' described it as a genre-defying work, with elements of

, dystopian fiction,

techno-thriller A techno-thriller or technothriller is a hybrid genre drawing from science fiction, thrillers, spy fiction, action, and war novels. They include a disproportionate amount (relative to other genres) of technical details on their subject matter ( ...

, and

Islamic mysticism Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, r ...

. The ''Times'' called the novel "a resounding, heterodox alternative" to American fiction which is often safe and provincial. ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

'' praised the juxtaposition of Arab mythology and modern-day computer theory, as well as the novel's exploration of the cultural conflicts between the East and the West. This was echoed by other reviews, which praised the way in which the novel combined the threads of technology and religion. Others praised the novel's handling of relevant societal concerns, as well as Wilson's storytelling and characterization. '' Salon'' praised its scope, comparing it positively to the works of

Philip Pullman Sir Philip Nicholas Outram Pullman (born 19 October 1946) is an English writer. His books include the fantasy trilogy '' His Dark Materials'' and '' The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ'', a fictionalised biography of Jesus. In 2008, ''T ...

and Neil Gaiman. Some reviews gave the novel more mixed reviews. The ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...

'' found the novel's focus on storytelling and multiple layers of meaning to be compelling, but criticized the novel's romantic elements as "melodramatic and contrived". '' Kirkus Reviews'' praised Wilson's ambition but believed the novel to be slow-paced and bloated.

Awards

The novel won the 2013

. It was nominated for the 2013

Locus Award for Best First Novel The Locus Award for Best First Novel is one of the annual Locus Awards presented by the science fiction and fantasy magazine '' Locus''. Awards presented in a given year are for works published in the previous calendar year. The award for Best Fi ...

, as well as for the

Hammett Prize The Hammett Prize is awarded annually by the International Association of Crime Writers, North American Branch (IACW/NA) to a Canadian or US citizen or permanent resident for a book in English in the field of crime writing. It is named after crim ...

(2012), the John W. Campbell Memorial Award (2013), Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire for Best Foreign Novel (2014),

Women's Prize for Fiction The Women's Prize for Fiction (previously with sponsor names Orange Prize for Fiction (1996–2006 and 2009–12), Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction (2007–08) and Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction (2014–2017)) is one of the United Kingdom's m ...

(Longlist, 2013), the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize (2012), and the Goodreads Choice Award for Fantasy (2012).

References

{{World Fantasy Award Best Novel 2012 American novels 2012 fantasy novels Cyberpunk novels World Fantasy Award for Best Novel-winning works Grove Press books Jinn in popular culture Novels set in the Middle East