by Leïla Slimani (Morocco)
Paperback ISBN: 9780571361632
Pages: 336

Alsace, 1944. Mathilde falls in love with Amine Belhaj, a Moroccan soldier fighting for France. After the war she leaves her home behind and travels with him to Morocco, where they settle near Meknes on his family’s farm. But the new life she imagined proves far more difficult than she expected. As Mathilde struggles with isolation, cultural differences, and the rigid expectations placed upon her, she finds herself caught between two worlds.

Set against the political tensions of colonial Morocco and the growing movement toward independence, The Country of Others traces the story of Mathilde, Amine, and their family as they try to build a life together amid the pressures of history, identity, and belonging. The novel is the first in a trilogy inspired by Leïla Slimani’s own family history and explores how private lives are shaped by the upheavals of the twentieth century.

About the author

Leïla Slimani is a French-Moroccan novelist and journalist born in Rabat in 1981. After studying in Paris she worked as a journalist before turning to fiction. Her novel Lullaby (Chanson douce) won the Prix Goncourt in 2016, one of France’s most prestigious literary prizes. The Country of Others is the first volume in a trilogy based on her family’s history during Morocco’s path toward independence.

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