The Country of Others

The first volume of a new trilogy telling the saga of one French family between 1946 and 2016. 'A panoramic, ambitious tale.' The Times'Exceptional.' Salman Rushdie'Powerful.' Christine Mangan'Captivating.' ElleFrom the internationally bestselling author of Lullaby, The Country of Others is perfect for fans of Elena Ferrante, Tracy Chevalier, and Maggie O'Farrell.1944. After the Liberation, Mathilde leaves France to join her husband in Morocco.But life here is unrecognisable to this brave and passionate young woman. Her life is now that of a farmer's wife - with all the sacrifices and vexations that brings. Suffocated by the heat, by her loneliness on the farm and by the mistrust she inspires as a foreigner, Mathilde grows increasingly restless.As Morocco's struggle for independence intensifies, Mathilde and her husband find themselves caught in the crossfire.

Alsace, 1944. Mathilde finds herself falling deeply in love with Amine Belhaj, a Moroccan soldier billeted in her town fighting for the French. After the Liberation, Mathilde leaves her country to follow her new husband to Morocco. But life here is unrecognisable to this brave and passionate young woman.Suffocated by the heat of the Moroccan climate, by her loneliness on the farm, by the mistrust she inspires as a foreigner and by their lack of money, Mathilde grows restless. As violence broods and Morocco\'s own struggle for independence grows daily, Mathilde and Amine\'s refusal to take sides sees them and their family at odds with their own desire for freedom. How can Mathilde - a woman whose life is dominated by the decisions of men - hold her family together in a world that is being torn apart?