Azik Chowdhury
Naguib Ghali has to say goodbye to his family as they leave for America, due to the turmoil in the Middle Eastern country where they live. Naguib cannot go with them, since he is unable to get a legitimate passport. The family get a fake passport from the gangster who runs the city, Khaled Sharif.
The fake proves unusable, and while Naguib is alone, he is determined to make the most of life. When his friend Hassam flees the city to escape jail, Naguib learns of Khaled’s involvement in the death of his wife Rashida.
Naguib seeks revenge, but through his actions, he makes the unlikeliest of friendships, and they form the basis of his life. This story tells of lives destroyed, but also of lives lived.
This story is not set in the backdrop of one Middle Eastern crisis, since there has been a constant crisis in this region since the early 1900’s. The current death toll stand at over 6 million, and is still rising.
It is a story of friendship, love, life, death and of letting go. It expresses the healing power of forgiveness, and how the act of forgiving allows hope to thrive.
Very well written in a way that the reader feels the real emotions of the characters. Beautiful enlightening story, highlighting the realisation that as humans we are all similar in our basic desire to live our lives in a safe and happy environment. - Clare
Amazing. Muslims being shown as ordinary, caring, and hating violence. That aside, a really well told story. Naguib's character is amazing. Loved the humour, it was just the right amount. - Saleha Chowdhury
The book was very moving and it touched me. While the refugee crisis is a current topic, the story is about the human experience, and that’s timeless -
Najmun Sehar
I read a lot of books and this has definitely been my best read of 2022. I fell in love with all the characters and didn’t want the story to end. There was so much kindness in the book that shone through to overshadow the heartache of what the characters endured in their worn torn country. I look forward to reading Azik’s next book and hope I don’t have to wait too long - Ann