Details

ISBN-10: 1565129792
ISBN-13: 9781565129795
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Publish Date: 03/09/2010
Dimensions: 8.14" L, 5.62" W, 0.86" H

Secret Son

Paperback

Price: $16.95

Overview

Raised by his mother in a one-room house in the slums of Casablanca, Youssef El Mekki has always had big dreams of living another life in another world. Suddenly his dreams are within reach when he discovers that his father–whom he’d been led to believe was dead–is very much alive. A wealthy businessman, he seems eager to give his son a new start. Youssef leaves his mother behind to live a life of luxury, until a reversal of fortune sends him back to the streets and his childhood friends. Trapped once again by his class and painfully aware of the limitations of his prospects, he becomes easy prey for a fringe Islamic group.

In the spirit of The Inheritance of Loss and The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Laila Lalami’s debut novel looks at the struggle for identity, the need for love and family, and the desperation that grips ordinary lives in a world divided by class, politics, and religion.

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Reviews

A "powerful debut novel. . . .The culture and politics of contemporary Morocco are well displayed in this beautifully written tale, with the talented Lalami deftly portraying Youssef's struggles for identity, work, and family. A brilliant story of alienation and desperation that easily transports readers to hot, dusty Casablanca; highly recommended."–Library Journal, starred review

Library Journal
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Details

ISBN-10: 1565129792
ISBN-13: 9781565129795
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Publish Date: 03/09/2010
Dimensions: 8.14" L, 5.62" W, 0.86" H
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