A book about surviving conflicting loyalties and longing in the 20th century shifting sands of Iraq history, A Stranger in Baghdad by Elizabeth Loudon is a well researched impressive debut novel.
Moving from Britain to Iraq at the beginning of the century for love, Diane switches the comfort of her family, opening up her destiny to a new world. But love rarely suffices, and being a foreigner in a new country is far from being easy, especially when the loyalties in the region are dramatically changing. And they keep changing until our current times.
Her own family, especially the children growing up in Iraq in a bi-racial family, will reflect the diverse identities of Iraq and the author creates both the conflict and the family and social loyalties in a very elaborated and realistic way. I particularly appreciated the portrayal of the human interactions, without taking sides, both in terms of human and political terms. It allows the reader to take his or her own sides, and better understand the characters.
The descriptions of both places and historical encounters do create the right context for the story, build its authenticity. I also loved how the story has its own dosis of suspense, surprise, and some intelligence games that makes the reading even more eventful.
A story about living between two worlds, without condescending Orientalist takes, A Stranger in Baghdad shows that there are so many intelligent ways to write about the Middle East. I can only long for more and more such intellectually honest takes.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
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