Un cargo pour Berlin
(A cargo to Berlin) Book not yet available in English
Summary:
Nour lives in Saïda, Algeria. She is a star pupil but her family cannot afford high school. Her teacher, Madame Bouraoui, offers to take her on as a maid, housing and teaching her in exchange. Nour falls in love with Madame Bouraoui’s nephew Idriss. When their relationship is discovered, Nour is sent home in disgrace. Her pregnancy brings shame on her family. To avoid an arranged marriage, she decides to run away to Europe with her friend Tariq, who has always dreamed of emigrating to Berlin. Nour disguises herself as Youness, a boy. The pair reach the Strait of Gibraltar, but now they have to find a way to cross over to Spain…
Edited by: Université Sorbonne Paris Nord
Comment:
A powerful tale of womanhood and immigration. The author clearly depicts the violence and extreme insecurity migrants face every day. The text is unusually structured in alternating chapters spoken alternatively by Nour in the past and Youness in the present. An essential novel that approaches a difficult topic with great sensitivity.