The development and interconnection of sciences have created a coherent and integrated network among various fields, which has provided a fertile and suitable ground for the fusion and interaction of disciplines in a unique way. Literary studies have not been an exception to this growing scientific progress; rather, they have become intertwined with other sciences, especially linguistics and language studies. In recent decades, Reception Theory has entered the field of literature, constituting a significant dimension in literary research as it contributes to understanding how readers interact with literary texts and reflects the diversity of human experiences.
In the mid‑1960s, a theory emerged that focused particularly on the role of the reader in generating the meaning of a text—namely, the German Reception Theory proposed by the critics Hans Robert Jauss and Wolfgang Iser. This theory emphasizes the interaction between text and reader, seeking to elevate the role of the reader, which had been marginalized in modern studies, and gives them the opportunity to produce meaning, thereby broadening the horizons of textual interpretation.
This dissertation aims to examine Saad Mohammed Rahim’s two novels, The Bookseller’s Murder and Twilight of the Cranes, in light of Reception Theory, following a descriptive‑analytical methodology. The research addresses eight key concepts derived from the views of major reception theorists—horizon of expectations, aesthetic distance, the logic of question and answer, fusion of horizons, implied reader, indeterminacy, textual register, and wandering point of view.
Among the most important findings reached through this study is that Saad Mohammed Rahim employs a variety of artistic and aesthetic techniques in his novels that enhance the reader’s interaction with the text. The results also indicate that the author seeks to involve the reader in the process of creating his narrative