Description

The plot of desert or sea is shaped by the history of Algeria, the recent Arab spring revolution and widespread corruption. Fatou's experiences and Kémal Fadil's investigations show us the fate of those who have been displaced and the plight of the refugees who leave their countries for various reasons.

reviews

We learn from within the causes of the flight, the conditions in which the migrants travel, the consequences that this flight entails, especially for women who are exposed to even greater dangers than men.

– bepolar.fr

Our Niamey migrants are strong characters. With the beautiful Fatou, whom the author spares, Johnny the Christian from Niger, and Ali the battered boy, we witness a journey that I would not even wish on my worst enemy.

– The Cannibal Reader

A moving novel that confronts us with the suffering of thousands of people trying to escape from misery and violence; People who have nothing left to lose and who risk their lives trying to reach this European Eldorado.

– babelio.com

Algerian commissioner Kemal Fadil discovers the bodies of African migrants who drowned at sea while fleeing to Europe. His investigations lead him to a brutal ring of people smugglers. At the same time, a group of migrants from Niger set out to get to Algeria in order to risk the life-threatening crossing to Europe from there. But also the journey through the desert
poses deadly dangers. The small group, including the young nurse Fatou, encounters brutal violence and deceit on their way, which makes their group smaller and smaller, but also kindness and helpfulness. The narrative threads come together in the port city of Oran.

Fatou's experiences and the police investigation in Oran paint a striking picture of the fate and plight of African refugees and highlight the many different reasons why people are forced to leave their homes. Despite the somewhat bumpy translation, the novel is easy to read, with a lot of situational comedy and well-done dialogues. Recommended.

– Daniela Neuenfeld-Svolksy from the EKZ library service