Granada

Radwa Ashour (1946–2014) is a highly acclaimed Egyptian writer and scholar. She is the author of more than fifteen works of fiction, memoir, and criticism, including Granada (AUC Press, 2008) and The Woman from Tantoura (AUC Press, 2014), and was a recipient of the Constantine Cavafy Prize for Literature and the prestigious Owais Prize for Fiction.Kay Heikkinen is a translator and academic who holds a PhD from Harvard University. She was previously Ibn Rushd Lecturer of Arabic at the University of Chicago. Among other books, she has translated Naguib Mahfouz’s In the Time of Love, Radwa Ashour’s The Woman From Tantoura, and Huzama Habayeb's Velvet, for which she was awarded the 2020 Saif-Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation. She lives in Seattle, Washington.

"The publication of the complete Granada trilogy, by the Egyptian writer Radwa Ashour (1946–2014), in Kay Heikkinen’s vivid and elegant translation, is a moment of grand culmination, rather like the much-awaited final volume of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy. Like Mantel’s series, Granada—which chronicles the two-century destruction of Moorish Spain—is a feat of profound scholarship, an examination of how history is invented, imagined and instrumentalized in contrast to how it is experienced and lived. "—Patricia Storace, Times Literary Supplement“A magnum opus of prose fiction, Granada can take its place in the long tradition of Arabic elegy, of laments for ruins and lost loves.”—Marina Warner, author of Once Upon a Time"This translation, bringing us the entire trilogy into English for the first time, earns its own accolades as a stunning rendition of a masterful work of Arabic literature."—Nashwa Nasreldin, 2025 Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize Judge"An exceptional book. . . . It is a testament to what a truth-seeking individual, like Radwa Ashour, can accomplish as the novel rollicks through revelations of hidden lives, suppressed truths, and inhumane atrocities."—ArabLit"Ashour’s trilogy is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, multigenerational tales, and stories of displacement and survival."—Book Riot“There’s much to like about Kay Heikkinen’s new translation of Radwa Ashour’s Granada trilogy, from the timeless appeal of a multigenerational saga to the way these stories reflect a seismic moment in the region’s history. In showing how various characters reckon with questions of assimilation and social control, Ashour’s trilogy meticulously shows a status quo slowly disintegrating.”—Words Without Borders"An astonishing work of Arabic and world literature that covers 100 years, against the backdrop of 16th century Andalucia, and reverberates in the wars of conquest and occupation taking place today."—Guy Mannes-Abbott, The Markaz Review"Radwa Ashour’s wide-sweeping historical trilogy, set during a time of occupation for the Muslims of Spain, still shines like gold 'at the bottom of the river.'"—Gretchen McCullough, World Literature Today"Radwa Ashour’s Granada evocatively transports readers to the Andalus with expertly woven layers of story, emotion, and kinship. What a privilege for the English-speaking world to finally be able to read in full this seminal trilogy, so long a book of conversation and connection for Arab readers. That it comes at a time when another nation of Arabs are facing censorship, brutal persecution, and extermination only adds to its poignancy. A feast, a balm, and a heartache."—Ruqaya Izzidien, author of The Watermelon Boys"A monumental accomplishment. The eloquence and excitement of Radwa Ashour's trilogy is brought to life in lucid and beautiful prose by Kay Heikkinen."—Mohamad Ballan, Stony Brook University"[An] absolute must-read. For anyone interested in Muslim life in Spain, or anyone visiting Granada . . . because it’s astounding historical fiction, but truly for anyone who loves a good multigenerational novel. . . . Populated by bold, subversive female protagonists and a poetic narrative about the pain and suffering of seeing your culture be suppressed and erased. . . . simply excellent."—Leah Rachel, While Reading and Walking“Swirling imagery of a bygone era illuminates this epic story of the waning days of Muslim power in 16th-century Spain through the experiences of one family. . . . Highly recommended for any reader seeking a deeper understanding of Arab culture past and present through powerfully emotional and moving family stories.” —Historical Novels ReviewPRAISE FOR RADWA ASHOUR:"Radwa Ashour was a powerful voice among Egyptian writers of the postwar generation and a writer of exceptional integrity and courage."—The Guardian“An important writer whose exemplary work we need more of in English”—The Independent“Ashour writes beautifully, balancing her own talent for evocative.”—India Stoughton, The Daily Star“One of the most influential writers in Arab