Publisher's Synopsis
In a small town on the bank of the river, 16 year-old Asha is struggling to find a meaningful role for herself. She has already survived a traumatic childhood and her education has been brought to a halt by an abusive stepfather. But now her life is thrown into fresh turmoil by a series of unforeseen events and she moves to the capital to continue her education. There she discovers love but also becomes aware of a dark secret in her family's past that she begins to unpick with devastating consequences. This tale of love and grief observed through the eyes of a young woman on the verge of emancipation is set in a young African country riven by ethnic and religious tensions. The novel explores issues of identity, faith and justice, and the impact of rapid change on an emerging nation torn between its Arab-Muslim heritage and distinct African character.
