Im Zwiegespräch mit Azazel, der mythischen Verkörperung des Bösen, verfasst der ägyptische Mönch Hypa 431 n.Chr. von Selbstzweifeln geplagt seine Lebensgeschichte.

Die fiktive Autobiographie ist zugleich die Geschichte des Frühchristentums und seiner Dispute und Irrwege: Hypas Vater, noch Anhänger der ptolemäischen Religion, wird von Christen erschlagen. Zum Christentum konvertiert, reist der junge Mönch in die Metropole Alexandria und gerät zwischen die Fronten der blutigen Auseinandersetzung zwischen dem Patriarchat von Alexandrien und dem Serapis-Kult, welcher in der Emordung der Gelehrten Hypatia kulminiert. Angewidert von der Gewalt zieht sich Hypa in ein abgelegenes Kloster in Syrien zurück, wo er schließlich mitansehen mitansehen muss, wie sein Mentor Nestorius im Konzil von Ephesos verbannt wird.

Ziedans Roman ist historisch hoch interessant und behandelt, gut recherchiert und mit lebendigen Szenen befüllt, die Geschichte des Orients am Scheideweg zwischen paganen Religionen, Judentum und dem Christentum. Anhand Hypas Lebensweg beschreibt er die großen Umbrüche des Frühchristentums im 5. Jahrhundert sowie die vorherrschenden religiösen Strömungen, insbesondere den Streit um das Wesen Jesu und die Trinität. Vor dem Hintergrund dieses historischen Romans ist Ziedans Werk aber auch eine Kritik an jeglicher Gewalt im Namen von Religionen und sohin ein hochaktuelles Plädoyer gegen religiösen Fanatismus und für mehr Toleranz. ( )

Do all books about monks have to be so horny? I guess it’s my fault for reading multiple books about monks this year. Religious history is not my thing, but this was an interesting enough look into Egypt’s brief Christian era, especially given the Coptic Church’s vehement rejection of the way Ziedan portrayed their beloved Bishop Cyril. Men jockeying for power over religious dogma were par for the course but the takes on sex and temptation were puerile at best. I’m disappointed I learned about Hypatia for the first time through this book. ( )

A nice read but a bit overrated. Perhaps it has its historical significance which eludes me. Nonetheless, a not-so-bad not-that-good read. A monk in turmoil between the joys of life (for a monk he was getting lots of joys) & the calling of the higher cause. ( )

Azazeel is the kind of historical fiction that I love but find so rarely: a story set during a time of upheaval, a long gone era and place we do not know much about; and it is also a human story of faith and doubt, of the nature of good and evil, of love and devotion; with the ultimate message that fanatism of any kind is evil. "Killing people in the name of religion does not make it religious."

Hypa, our 5th century Egyptian Coptic monk is a devout Christian, yet also a sensitive man who cannot reconcile his faith with the atrocities he sees committed by Christians in Alexandria. His belief is also tested by his two passionate love affairs in his life, twenty years apart from his life, both beautifully rendered. He is also a physician, a book lover, a man of learning.

One of his defining moments in life is being present at the brutal murder of Hypatia of Alexandria by a Christian mob in 415. Hypatia was the leader of the scientific academy in Alexandria, well-known, respected, erudite, dignified. Hypa is fascinated by her, and his sense of loss is profound when she is murdered. Hypatia's murder is a turnaround in history - many people hold that it started the decline of the Hellenistic art and sciences in Alexandria.

The other historical figure in Hypa's life is his mentor, Nestorius, who became bishop of Constantinople in 428, and was excommunicated for "heresy" in 431. Nestorius had a highly technical theological dispute with Cyril, the bishop of Alexandria, and lost. (Look it up if you are interested.)

The book is beautifully written often lyrical, dreamlike; Hypa is somewhat naive and often struggles to make sense of these events. His inner voice becomes Azazeel - the devil - who tempts him, but also prompts him to write, and to fulfil himself. Good and evil is all inside us, so is God and the devil - he concludes. What matters is what we believe.

This is a wonderful novel, I highly recommend it to all historical fiction lovers. ( )

Ambientato nel 4 secolo dopo Cristo racconta la vita di un monaco egiziano che si trova ad affrontare le lotte, violente e sanguinose, all'interno della chiesa. Lotte che hanno portato a scismi ed eresie a cui il monaco assiste più come spettatore che come partecipante. Pur raccontando di lotte e violenze e drammi interiori del monaco a seguito di amori, questi rimane tenacemente attaccato alla chiesa e alla sua essenzialità. Pur essendo scritto da un islamico il libro dimostra un rispetto e, direi, un affetto per la bellezza della Chiesa dei primi secoli. La visione storica è corretta e, purtroppo, fa capire come mai 2 secoli dopo su una chiesa dilaniata da lotte e violenze abbia avuto facile fascino la predicazione di Maometto, pur non parlandone per nulla nel libro. Un affresco storico corretto e interessante, scritto con maestria e coinvolgente.
Va detto che questo scrittore è considerato uno degli intellettuali più autorevoli in Egitto e uno dei pensatori che sta appoggiando la lotta contro il deposto presidente islamista a capo della "fratellanza islamica", i giornali italiani nel presentare questo scrittore dicono di questo libro che è paragonabile al "nome della rosa" per l'ambientazione storica e per il fatto che ci sia protagonista un monaco. Niente di più errato. Non è un polpettone come il libro dello scrittore che tanto piace al mainstream italico e non c'entra nulla ne come trama ne come idea. ( )