Scan barcode
A review by indahmarwan
The Fortune Men by Nadifa Mohamed
5.0
THE FORTUNE MEN
Nadifa Mohamed’s third book is released this summer!
It is a historical fiction of Mahmood Mattan, a Muslim Somali man who was wrongfully executed for a murderer of a Jewish shopkeeper in 1950’s Cardiff. It is Mohamed’s fiction version of Mahmood Hussein Mattan’s real life.
It was depressing and emotionally draining to learn about the characters’ lives but the complexity of issues brought up here is exceptional.
Mahmood Mattan was addicted to gambling, forcing his White wife Laura to kick him out from home, but they still loved each other and care for his three children. When Violet Volacki was murdered with a wide cut on her throat, her sister Diana was teaching her daughter Grace dancing a few steps away from the crime scene. Once the family mentioned that they saw a dark man left the front porch of the shop, the police led by Inspector Powell started their search of local boarding houses around the port. They were looking for the culprit who disrespected the authorities and Inspector Powell hated interracial marriages so Mattan was the one to arrest.
As the story moved to when Mattan was waiting for his trial, I learned about Mattan’s inner self and history: about him growing up in Somalia in the times of British colonial time, Italian occupation and post war phase. The development of Mattan’s character moved religiously as I reached to the conclusion. The prose of Mattan in his final moments was heart wrenching and poignant.
The ending was surprising for someone who went reading this book cluelessly. Mattan was resilient and hopeful in the legal systems, but still the state failed him. The final showed a strength of love between Mahmood and Laura and the boys, friendship between him and Berlin, and lastly, faith between Mahmood and his Creator.
I was drowning into reading the chapters as Mohamed has beautifully narrates Mahmood Mattan’s life into fiction with sensitivity and power.
Our forever fave @leilaabouleila was even under the spell of this book saying it was potent and urgent new novel. To everyone who loves historical fiction focusing on racial prejudice and faulty British justice system, this one is for you!
Post-read: Googled right away Mahmood Mattan right away and learned about the history of Somali sailormen from BBC and found the news that the family who’ve fought for justice for decades was finally compensated by the state. He was named “The Last Innocent Person to be Hanged in Wales” by Wales Online as the UK abolished hanging by murder in 1969.
Thank you @NetGalley and Viking for the e-ARC in return for an honest review.
#IndahMarwanReads
#TheReadingMama
#NadifaMohamed
#TheFortuneMen
Nadifa Mohamed’s third book is released this summer!
It is a historical fiction of Mahmood Mattan, a Muslim Somali man who was wrongfully executed for a murderer of a Jewish shopkeeper in 1950’s Cardiff. It is Mohamed’s fiction version of Mahmood Hussein Mattan’s real life.
It was depressing and emotionally draining to learn about the characters’ lives but the complexity of issues brought up here is exceptional.
Mahmood Mattan was addicted to gambling, forcing his White wife Laura to kick him out from home, but they still loved each other and care for his three children. When Violet Volacki was murdered with a wide cut on her throat, her sister Diana was teaching her daughter Grace dancing a few steps away from the crime scene. Once the family mentioned that they saw a dark man left the front porch of the shop, the police led by Inspector Powell started their search of local boarding houses around the port. They were looking for the culprit who disrespected the authorities and Inspector Powell hated interracial marriages so Mattan was the one to arrest.
As the story moved to when Mattan was waiting for his trial, I learned about Mattan’s inner self and history: about him growing up in Somalia in the times of British colonial time, Italian occupation and post war phase. The development of Mattan’s character moved religiously as I reached to the conclusion. The prose of Mattan in his final moments was heart wrenching and poignant.
The ending was surprising for someone who went reading this book cluelessly. Mattan was resilient and hopeful in the legal systems, but still the state failed him. The final showed a strength of love between Mahmood and Laura and the boys, friendship between him and Berlin, and lastly, faith between Mahmood and his Creator.
I was drowning into reading the chapters as Mohamed has beautifully narrates Mahmood Mattan’s life into fiction with sensitivity and power.
Our forever fave @leilaabouleila was even under the spell of this book saying it was potent and urgent new novel. To everyone who loves historical fiction focusing on racial prejudice and faulty British justice system, this one is for you!
Post-read: Googled right away Mahmood Mattan right away and learned about the history of Somali sailormen from BBC and found the news that the family who’ve fought for justice for decades was finally compensated by the state. He was named “The Last Innocent Person to be Hanged in Wales” by Wales Online as the UK abolished hanging by murder in 1969.
Thank you @NetGalley and Viking for the e-ARC in return for an honest review.
#IndahMarwanReads
#TheReadingMama
#NadifaMohamed
#TheFortuneMen