Otherness and the Fragmented Self: A Review of The Return by Hisham Matar

Abstract

Existing models in writing reviews underscore the form and content of works of art with scarce attention to the philosophical maxims upon which the works are based. Most adopt journalistic models that are more or less book reports to advertise works of art for commercial purposes. New voices such as Allyson Skene (2015) underscore theoretical frameworks in laying down major arguments of the work to give book reviews a scholarly trajectory. This review extends Skene’s argument by taking literary book reviews away from journalistic models.