Review of The Nameless Land

[Victor Nwabuisi]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Nameless Land" by M. Laszlo.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Rupert resides in Cairo, Egypt, where he works as a night clerk in a hotel called Hotel Ibis. He suffers from blurry vision, and he attributes this problem to an illusory dæmon. Rupert struggles with a deep trauma that greatly affected him, and he believes there is a dæmon in his left eye that made him this way. When Miss Maud Havelock offers him a strange deal, he should seduce a woman named Anastasia and make her fall in love with him, and in return, he will have his eye healed. He couldn’t resist the offer, so he accepted. Anastasia, on the other hand, is a blind young woman who is a dowser. She also suffers from an illusory diadem spider that seems to haunt her from within. Anastasia hopes to find love and someone she can help heal. What does fate have in store for these two protagonists as their paths cross? Read this book to find out.
 
The Nameless Land by M. Laszlo is a historical fantasy tale. The book follows the lives of two protagonists who were suffering from their own inner battles. I love how the author captures 1919 in the story, a time when the Egyptian revolutionaries are rising against the British Empire. I enjoyed the writing style, which brought the historical period to life. Because of the author’s distinctive narrative prowess, I understood the points of view of Anastasia and Rupert and also their pain and struggles. Anastasia's struggle for her freedom and control against the Westminster Spiritualist Society, where they use her dowsing skill for their own greed, was heart-touching. And even the rival spiritualist sect chasing after her seems to have its own goal shrouded under a fake disguise. Anastasia's yearning for love made me feel empathy for her, and the challenges she faced in each of her dowsing adventures, which include England, Sicily, and Sinai, were touching and sometimes heartbreaking.
 
The positive aspect about the book I enjoyed most was that even after the disappointments and betrayal Anastasia faced, she never gave up hope on finding love. Even after everything she experienced in the Sinai wilderness, she still held on to hope. However, her story conclusion took me on a whirlwind of emotion, and I wasn’t satisfied with her story conclusion; that is why I will rate the book four out of five stars. This is actually a sequel to the first book, "Anastasia’s Midnight Song", and it dives deep into the lives of two characters who both deal with hallucinations while trying to find their place in a world that seems to have nothing much to offer them. This is a story about betrayal, imagination, and mysticism. I recommend this book to lovers of fantasy.

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The Nameless Land
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[Kibet Hillary]

Historical fiction has always been an interesting way to walk down memory lane and revisit yesteryears. I would definitely be interested in visiting such a period in Egyptian history and to also follow the two protagonists. Many thanks for the review, @Victor Nwabuisi.

[Helen Waziri]

Rupert and Anastasia’s respective hallucinations serve not just as metaphors for trauma, but also as mirrors of a post-war world unraveling around them. Laszlo’s narrative invites us to question where madness ends and mysticism begins, anchoring a deeply atmospheric storyu in both emotional and political unrest.

[Etimbuk Eshiet]

This review does a great job highlighting the emotional depth and complexity of the story. Anastasia sounds like a beautifully written character—her resilience and longing for love really stood out to me. I’m also intrigued by the historical setting and how the spiritual and mystical elements are woven in. Even though the ending sounds bittersweet, I’m definitely curious to explore this world. Thanks for the thoughtful and engaging review!