Secret Son (Audible Audio Edition) Laila Lalami Lameece Issaq Audible Studios Books
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Youssef el-Mekki, a young man of 19, is living with his mother in the slums of Casablanca when he discovers that the father he believed to be dead is, in fact, alive and eager to befriend and support him. Leaving his mother behind, Youssef assumes a life he could only dream of a famous and influential father, his own penthouse apartment, and all the luxuries associated with his new status. His future appears assured until an abrupt reversal of fortune sends him back to the streets and his childhood friends, where a fringe Islamic group, known simply as the Party, has set up its headquarters.
In the spirit of The Inheritance of Loss and The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Laila Lalami's powerful first novel explores the struggle for identity, the need for family, and the desperation that overtakes ordinary lives in a country divided by class, politics, and religion.
Secret Son (Audible Audio Edition) Laila Lalami Lameece Issaq Audible Studios Books
This is a tale that, in other variations, could happen in any inner city slum. This is the story of Youssef, who lives in a slum in Casablanca with his "widowed" mother. The story is told against a background of hopelessness in a country where a good education is free--but amounts to nothing when there are no jobs. And all around are the deadly traps of crime and becoming radicalized as a pawn of political factions including radical Muslims, socialist-communists and the government snitches.Youssef is the son of a hospital worker. She is an orphan and a widow, or...is she? The neighbors shun her--even in a slum, there are social distinctions. She raises her son the best she can but he eventually ferrets out her secret, actually secrets. This book has layers of them and they are slow to be unveiled, which is one of the pleasures of this novel. The surprises are laid out along the path Youssef takes to his eventual fate at the end of the novel and each one is a shock, and yet, sometimes, it's not a shock but an "of course."
The interesting part of this book is how the actions of the two mothers have such unintended consequences. All along, Youssef's mother Rachida struggles to keep him safe, safe from knowledge of his past, safe from his rich connections,and perhaps selfishly, safe from changing his fate as the son of a poor mother in a slum and leaving her behind. The outcome is astonishingly bad. Every good intention based on a lie pushes Youssef down a spiral of desperation. Even though Youssef isn't strictly speaking "radicalized" as we'd know it in the press, this novel gives you a good idea of how it can take place with appalling ease, for young people who have poor prospects ahead of them, but a good mind and good upbringing.
The setting is in Lalami's native Morocco, in the largest city, Casablanca. Many Moroccan words in Darjia Arabic are used and they are difficult to look up--sometimes the translation of the word is in French. Though the words give great local flavor to the wonderful prose, they are stumbling blocks as they are sometimes not easy to understand what is meant. I wish the author had not used some of them, or had woven in more of their meaning. This is a small criticism--I loved this book so much, I'm re-reading it and want to read more of this author's writing. Five stars, and I couldn't put it down for a second. Really good.
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Secret Son (Audible Audio Edition) Laila Lalami Lameece Issaq Audible Studios Books Reviews
Modern day story about Morroco told from the point of view of a young man who had the misfortune of being born poor with little hope for his future. Fate plays many tricks on his young life and he will pay the ultimate price.
This novel sweeps the reader along on a fast-paced journey that examines the lives of mother, son, father, friends, and various other characters in contemporary Morocco. Everyone and every thing, it seems, is flawed in one way or another. The mother, thinking her lies are protecting her bastard son, sets him on a path of self-destruction. The son, yearning to escape abject poverty, is willing to desert family and friends for the comfort and ease of the good life, forsaking the spiritual for the material. The recently-discovered absentee father thinks that doing the "right thing" means bending the world and everyone in it to his will--and ends up driving away all those close to him.
This book is a page-turning tragedy of larger proportions. It examines by proxy the corruption of government, helplessness of the lower class, and the futility of trying to escape the vicious circle of poverty and corruption.
Author Lalami is a wonderful storyteller whose prose is as much factual social commentary as it is fiction. Once you start, you won't be able to rest until you reach the startling conclusion.
This is a complex story with layers and layers of intrigue, familial betrayal, and political corruption. The characters captured my interest, even throughout their changes in station, and held it until the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the depiction of life in Casablanca, not only in the wealthy circles but in the lowest of ghettos, as well.
I surprisingly liked this book. It's not my normal genre. I had to read it for school (English major). I liked learning about an entirely different culture, one that often gets a lot of negative criticism, through a great piece of literature. It was well written and entertaining.
Lalami's book is in many ways an exposition upon Shakespeare's famous "All the world's a stage" monologue from William Shakespeare's As You Like It
"All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages."
Her characters play out their individual roles with no understanding of the playwright's overall plot - leading as often to tragedy, but tragedy by circumstance rather than by intent. A wonderful read - I highly recommend it.
"Secret Son" is the story of one young Moroccan's struggle for self identity in the midst of a society that is undergoing economic, political and cultural changes, albeit changes that are not enough to keep up with the country's population growth and aspirations. It could easily be the story of similar individuals in any number of developing countries, and in fact, echoes one such tale in the memorable recent Egyptian novel, "The Yacoubian Building."
As poignant and uncomfortable as Youssef El Mekki's story in "Secret Son" is, it is an engaging one, beautifully told by Moroccan writer Laila Lalami. Lalami knows her country and its modern society well and has created wonderful characters in Youssef, his mother, Rachida, Youssef's friends Amin and Maati, and the Amrani family members.
A wonderful cautionary tale that makes a great read. Highly recommended.
I have read many, many, novels by Middle Eastern, Asian, East European, authors. I seek them out...What impresses me is that i find myself reading their books with pencil in hand, underlining thoughtful passages...meanings and thoughts that enlighten me and that I could not have put into words. I found none of that in this writing. Aside from the story, it was exceptionally ordinary writing ...ordinary thinking in the characters... I was disappointed. Cannot recommend to friends...not a keeper .
This is a tale that, in other variations, could happen in any inner city slum. This is the story of Youssef, who lives in a slum in Casablanca with his "widowed" mother. The story is told against a background of hopelessness in a country where a good education is free--but amounts to nothing when there are no jobs. And all around are the deadly traps of crime and becoming radicalized as a pawn of political factions including radical Muslims, socialist-communists and the government snitches.
Youssef is the son of a hospital worker. She is an orphan and a widow, or...is she? The neighbors shun her--even in a slum, there are social distinctions. She raises her son the best she can but he eventually ferrets out her secret, actually secrets. This book has layers of them and they are slow to be unveiled, which is one of the pleasures of this novel. The surprises are laid out along the path Youssef takes to his eventual fate at the end of the novel and each one is a shock, and yet, sometimes, it's not a shock but an "of course."
The interesting part of this book is how the actions of the two mothers have such unintended consequences. All along, Youssef's mother Rachida struggles to keep him safe, safe from knowledge of his past, safe from his rich connections,and perhaps selfishly, safe from changing his fate as the son of a poor mother in a slum and leaving her behind. The outcome is astonishingly bad. Every good intention based on a lie pushes Youssef down a spiral of desperation. Even though Youssef isn't strictly speaking "radicalized" as we'd know it in the press, this novel gives you a good idea of how it can take place with appalling ease, for young people who have poor prospects ahead of them, but a good mind and good upbringing.
The setting is in Lalami's native Morocco, in the largest city, Casablanca. Many Moroccan words in Darjia Arabic are used and they are difficult to look up--sometimes the translation of the word is in French. Though the words give great local flavor to the wonderful prose, they are stumbling blocks as they are sometimes not easy to understand what is meant. I wish the author had not used some of them, or had woven in more of their meaning. This is a small criticism--I loved this book so much, I'm re-reading it and want to read more of this author's writing. Five stars, and I couldn't put it down for a second. Really good.
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