In the Country I Love

A heartrending and unforgettable novel written with texture and profundity, this debut is the next great read that fans of Sabaa Tahir’s All My Rage (2022) and Tahereh Mafi’s An Emotion of Great Delight (2021) have been waiting for.
—Booklist (starred review)

A multi-layered, deeply vulnerable novel about three young protagonists reckoning with grief, family expectations, and their faith against a backdrop of bigotry and hate.

—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)

Al-Barkawi leads with a strong setup: flawed characters dealing with family tensions, lapsed religious observance, and the increase in institutionalized Islamophobia. The taut writing pulls readers in, and the surprise reveal is utterly devastating. The author explores the atrocities of the Iraq War in raw and unflinching ways. . . . A gripping debut about generational trauma that mirrors many present realities.
—Kirkus Reviews

A textured exploration of Shia Muslim life in the United States and the pressures ­facing immigrant youth. Recommended for all collections.
—School Library Journal

A moving exploration of the ties that bind us in community, and the engulfing heartbreak that ensues when they break.
—S. K. Ali, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of Saints and Misfits and Love from A to Z

An intricately woven story that proves just how important it is to fight for the ones we love: our community members, our friends, our families, and ourselves.
—Aamna Qureshi, bestselling and award-winning author of When a Brown Girl Flees

With care, heart, and nuance, Alaa Al-Barkawi has crafted a story that delves into the tangled pain between two best friends and their families to lay bare the love worth fighting for.
—Randy Ribay, award-winning author of National Book Award Finalist Patron Saints of Nothing

Truly the debut book of the year and a story our time desperately needs.
—Sarah Mughal Rana, bestselling author of Hope Ablaze and Dawn of the Firebird

In the Country I Love shines as brightly as it aches, commanding you not to look away. Unflinching and heartfelt.
—Maria Ingrande Mora, award-winning author of Fragile Remedy and The Immeasurable Depth of You

As heartfelt as it is heartbreaking, Alaa Al-Barkawi gracefully unspools decades of secrets and injustice into the light of modern day. An elegant debut with a place on any bookshelf.
—Amanda DeWitt, author of The Underwood Tapes

Al-Barakawi’s stunning narrative and lyrical writing kept me gripped long after I turned the final page. This book is three folds stunning, gutting, and haunting.
—Heba Al-Wasity, author of Weavingshaw