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A review by schnauzermum
What the Day Owes the Night by Yasmina Khadra
4.0
Reading the World: Algeria
Set during the Algerian struggle for independence, this novel tells the story of Younes, who is brought up by his prosperous uncle when his own family falls into poverty. Known as Jonas, he becomes friends with European boys, although the undercurrent of racism is ever-present. We follow Younes/Jonas as he grows to adulthood and the novel ends in the present day, where he is an old man.
I found Younes very believable, although I did wonder how much he really would have been accepted by the colonials in 1940s Algeria. The pacing of the novel was well-judged, with introspection and action sensitively balanced. I would read more by Khadra.
Set during the Algerian struggle for independence, this novel tells the story of Younes, who is brought up by his prosperous uncle when his own family falls into poverty. Known as Jonas, he becomes friends with European boys, although the undercurrent of racism is ever-present. We follow Younes/Jonas as he grows to adulthood and the novel ends in the present day, where he is an old man.
I found Younes very believable, although I did wonder how much he really would have been accepted by the colonials in 1940s Algeria. The pacing of the novel was well-judged, with introspection and action sensitively balanced. I would read more by Khadra.