Synopses & Reviews
In her exciting debut, Laila Lalami evokes the grit and enduring grace that is modern Morocco and offers an authentic look at the Muslim immigrant experience today.
The book begins as four Moroccans illegally cross the Strait of Gibraltar in an inflatable boat headed for Spain. There's Murad, a gentle, educated man who's been reduced to hustling tourists around Tangier; Halima, who's fleeing her drunken husband and the slums of Casablanca; Aziz, who must leave behind his devoted wife to find work in Spain; and Faten, a student and religious fanatic whose faith is at odds with an influential man determined to destroy her future.
What has driven these men and women to risk their lives? And will the rewards prove to be worth the danger? Sensitively written with beauty and boldness, this is a gripping book about people in search of a better future.
Review
"Laila Lalami's compelling work of fiction provides an anatomy of hope and struggle. Building with quiet urgency, these tales gradually transform into the story of a nation and a profound moment in history." Diana Abu-Jaber, author of Crescent and The Language of Baklava
Review
"Lalami writes in a style both pragmatic and poetic, with romance and the human condition coiled together.
An excellent book." Whitney Otto, author of How to Make an American Quilt
Review
"Lalami's story lines are evocative, her characters arresting, the settings vivid, and her voice pure and penetrating, ensuring that these striking tales of unsanctioned journeys and urgently improvised lives are at once timely and timeless." Booklist
Review
"With spare prose and superb characterization, these tales of determined struggle command fierce credibility and irresistible empathy....This is an unexpected and enthralling read from a promising new voice." Boldtype
About the Author
Laila Lalami was born and raised in Morocco. Her work has appeared in the Baltimore Review, the Los Angeles Times, the Independent, Moby, and elsewhere. She is the creator and editor of the literary blog www.moorishgirl.com, which has been the subject of articles in USA Today and the Washington Post. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and daughter.