A review by margaret21
Watch Us Dance by Leïla Slimani

4.0

An intergenerational family saga set in Morocco during its period of turmoil as relationships with France deteriorate into violence and unrest. This is the second part of a trilogy whose first part I am yet to read, but this didn't interfere with my understanding and enjoyment of this book. It concerns Amine Belhaj, patriarchal father and serial womaniser, his unhappy Alsatian-born wife Mathilde and their children. There's bookish Aïcha, now studying medicine in Strasbourg, and the younger and academically-challenged Selim. Much of this book concerns the struggles of these two young people to find their place in this world of theirs, itself undergoing huge turmoil and change. As we watch their saga unfold over several years, we witness their own identity crisis and that of the country they call home. An engaging and illuminating story.