A Bosnian War orphan of Muslim heritage escapes his homeland, finds a new family in New England, and learns to deal with his trauma–and years later falls into the depths of post-9/11 America’s extraordinary rendition program. A piercing and resonant debut novel about war and the endurance of the human spirit, and a cautionary tale about the damage that can be inflicted upon war victims when … wealthy nations become obsessed with self-protection and retribution. This book contains an author Q&A at the back, and so is ideal for book group adoption and discussion.
The Solace of Trees tells the story of Amir, a young boy of secular Muslim heritage who witnesses his family’s murder in the Bosnian War. Amir hides in a forest, mute and shocked, among refugees fleeing for their lives. Narrowly escaping death while wandering through rural Bosnia, he finds sanctuary in a UN camp. After a charity relocates him to the United States, the retired professor who fosters Amir learns that the boy holds a shameful secret concerning his parents’ and sister’s deaths.
Amir’s years in the US bring him healing and a loving place in a new family. In college he falls in love⎯and he accepts the request of a professor of Islamic studies to edit a documentary film on the plight of Palestinians. 9/11 comes, and with it, the arrest of the professor for his ties to terrorist organizations. As Amir enters adulthood, his destiny brings him full circle back to the darkness he thought he’d forever escaped.
For fans of Sara Novic’s Girl at War, Kenan Trebincevic’s The Bosnia List, and Steven Galloway’s The Cellist of Sarajevo.
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This is a very powerful novel about war and its repercussions. This story follows a young Bosnian boy named Amir, who’s family are Bosnian Muslims and a group that was targeted for ethnic cleansing in the Bosnian War in the early part of the 1990’s where the province split along ethnic lines, and the Bosnian Serb forces began a methodical effort to seize control of as much territory as possible.
In this story we follow young Amir, eleven years old at the time of his families, death as he makes his way across the country muted by an explosion and unable to talk, sometimes meeting up with other refugees as they flee the horrors of what has happened.
Amir eventually finds a bit of refuge at a UN camp, after having done a small stint working on a farm and befriending another young boy in the same situation. Once at the camp, where he is sent to the USA by a charity group as he does not seem to have any living relatives.
Once in The United States, he is fostered by a couple of people, the second one a retired professor, decides to adopt him and does everything she can to get Amir the help that he needs for his pent up memories. In this relationship, grows a strong love between the mother and her adoptive son; extending to her daughters family as well. Amir soon begins to let go, but not forget his tortured past. He always seems to have a bit of hope for humanity despite what he has gone through.
He always kept nature close to him, and in this way he was able to feel closer to the family he lost, and the father who had taken the time to let Amir know the importance of staying still and listening to what is around you.
Once in college Amir finds a love for film making, and is able to express himself through short documentaries, which allow his feelings, about nature and war be felt by many.
Unfortunately while in college, and taking a class with a professor of Islamic Studies, Amir is asked to edit a film for his professor, on the plight of the Palestinians, but 9/11 has just happened and his professor is arrested for having ties with terrorist organizations, and Amir’s name on the documentary does not look good.
About to take a trip back to Bosnia with his girlfriend also from his home country. They are excited to see the sites but also the town where he grew up and visit with her mother and sister, who had survived the concentration camp as well. When they arrive in the country, Amir is once again thrown into upheaval and the uncertainties and terror he escaped as a child.
This story is very hard to read at times, but so well executed, and the Author has given Amir that little bit of hope as a character for humanity. Very readable, you will not want to put it down until you find out where his life takes him.
Thank you NetGalley and New Europe books for the ARC of this book.