When Quiet Uncle sneaks out of the apartment late one night, Amir follows him. Amir becomes suspicious of Quiet Uncle after seeing a mysterious text message on his phone. After taking refuge with family, to whom the fighting and devastation of the war is nothing but propaganda, they cross into Egypt and begin to establish themselves in the port city of Alexandria. Amir initially has hearing damage from the bomb that destroyed their house. Amir travels with his mother, Iman, his stepfather, his Uncle “Quiet Uncle” Younis, and his new half-brother. As an award-winning journalist, he has reported on major conflicts across the world including in war in Afghanistan, the trials at Guantánamo Bay, the Arab Spring in Egypt, and Black Lives Matter in Ferguson, Missouri.Ĭontent warning: This guide contains references to distressing scenes (including multiple human deaths and the death of children), xenophobia, and post-traumatic stress disorder.Īmir Utu is a nine-year-old Syrian boy who is forced to flee his hometown after it is leveled by bombings during the Syrian Civil war. Born in Cairo, Egypt, Omar El Akkad grew up in Doha, Qatar, moved to Canada, and currently lives in Portland, Oregon. The novel won the 2021 Scotiabank Giller Prize and was a finalist for the 2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize and the Oregon Book Award. What Strange Paradise was a New York Times notable book of the year in addition to being rated as one of the best books of 2021 by the Washington Post, NPR, and Buzzfeed, among others.

El Akkad’s novel sheds light on the motives of migrants and refugees, as well as the insecurities and violence that plague the countries that receive them.

The plot is split between “Before” chapters, depicting protagonist Amir’s life as a refugee fleeing Syria as well as his time aboard an ill-fated refugee boat, and “After” chapters, in which he meets the secondary protagonist, Vänna, and contends with the perils of a country hostile to immigrants. What Strange Paradise is a 2021 novel written by acclaimed writer Omar El Akkad, author of American War.

Author omar el akkad