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Iran. 1979. The mullahs have come to power and they want everyone to know. Two young Kurdish brothers, Saladin and Ali, are forced to swear their loyalty to the new regime by taking part in a massacre. In the traumatic aftermath of the killing they flee. For Saladin, the younger, the decision to travel west is exciting; this is the direction of Hollywood, Los Angeles, America. But his euphoria is not enough for the reluctant Ali, who belongs, heart and soul, to the mountain town of his birth. As they cross the treacherous Zagros mountains by foot to Istanbul, to the Azores by freighter and finally as smuggled cargo aboard a plane to Los Angeles, Saladin realises that his dream of a better future can only be fulfilled alone. And as he walks along the hot, shimmering beaches of the promised land, unbearably dislocated, Saladin must define who he will become - and who he's always been. Haunting and beautifully-written, The Walking is a story of exodus; of those many people torn between the lure of home and the lure of hope.… (more)
User reviews
The format of the book resembles that of Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath. Even numbered chapters tell Saladin's story, moving back and forth through time. The odd numbered chapters are written in first person and paint a picture of the times, with anonymous narrators sharing their thoughts on the very situations Saladin is living. These chapters are full of details that emphasize the difficulties of daily decisions Iranians were forced to make, along with the resultant heartache. "The favorite towel does not come after us. Where did it come from anyway? We can't remember, but it was always there, waiting for us to come out of the bath. Soft enough to absorb water, thin enough that we could still feel our muscles and bones beneath. Who would have thought a towel could be kind, but it was, in its own way." This book is about Iranian emigration, but its theme is universal. Recommended.