Syrian writer Mervat Ali’s “September Tulip” novel wins the grant of Lebanese Qumra Publishing House

Damascus (ST) – Syrian writer Mervat Ali, a member of the Arab Writers Union, added a new award to the basket of literary awards she has achieved over twenty years, with her new novel “September Tulip” winning first place in the Best Arabic Novel Competition announced by the Lebanese Qumra Publishing House.

“September Tulip” is a social novel with a deep human content, relying on sarcasm and highlighting the evil that distorts human relations, and disregards moral values, concepts and ideals”, Ali said.

Through her novel, the author sounds alarms to warn of the war declared against humanity and the violation of human dignity.

In the novel, the writer exposes the ruptures in ties and relationships in favour of selfishness and exclusivity in everything, and touches on the homeland and the political and security crises that have befallen Arab countries with the launch of the false promise called the era of the “Arab Spring”.

What is striking in the novel is that three women have taken upon themselves the responsibility to expose and criticize the disappointing human reality, so that the novel reminds us of the status of women in action and change and their right to express their opinions.

There is no individual heroism in Mervat’s “Tulip”, but rather there are female heroics in which each of the women in the novel proves that they are leaders of the word and free opinion.

The writer emphasizes the status of  Syrian writers in the Arab creative arena; as Arab literary awards have witnessed notable Syrian competition despite the materially and psychologically stressful reality in a besieged and steadfast country like Syria.

Ali pointed out that the Arab Writers Union in Syria has worked to review its publications and achievements to rise to the level of the trust of readers, judges, the union and its tireless leadership.

It is noteworthy that the total number of awards obtained by writer Mervat Ali has reached 19, including the “Nelson Mandela” for literature in the first edition and the “Cesar Serrano Aguido” in its fifth edition, which both are two international awards.

Najla Khoury