Gurnah, Abdulrazak

Will appeal to aficionados of historical fiction but could leave others yearning for a deeper understanding of the characters’ motivations for their sometimes inexplicable actions. Still, the Nobel Prize bestowed renewed international acclaim on Gurnah’s body of work, making this novel a must-have.

Though it would have benefited from some tightening to make the narrative to flow more smoothly, this novel is ultimately compelling, drawing the reader directly into the life of young Salim and his pursuit of answers and understanding. [See Prepub Alert, 2/13/17.]

Zanzibar-born Gurnah (Paradise; By the Sea) offers intense, meticulously rendered portrayals of characters struggling to make something new in a new land. Particularly haunting is Abbas, the wanderer, who has lost his place in the world, if only for a while. For all readers of literary fiction.