The Country of Others
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- Create Date：2021-08-12 10:18:56
- Update Date：2025-09-23
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- Author：Leïla Slimani
- ISBN：B08W8QRZ5C
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Summary
1944。 After the Liberation， Mathilde leaves France to join her husband in Morocco。
But life here is unrecognisable to this brave and passionate young woman。 Her life is now that of a farmer's wife - with all the sacrifices and vexations that brings。 Suffocated by the heat， by her loneliness on the farm and by the mistrust she inspires as a foreigner， Mathilde grows increasingly restless。
As Morocco's struggle for independence intensifies， Mathilde and her husband find themselves caught in the crossfire。
But life here is unrecognisable to this brave and passionate young woman。 Her life is now that of a farmer's wife - with all the sacrifices and vexations that brings。 Suffocated by the heat， by her loneliness on the farm and by the mistrust she inspires as a foreigner， Mathilde grows increasingly restless。
As Morocco's struggle for independence intensifies， Mathilde and her husband find themselves caught in the crossfire。
Reviews
Stefaan Sterck
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i
Ceri
，
I thought this was beautifully written （credit to the translator！） and really evocative of post-WW2 French and Moroccan culture。 I studied French at university and learnt a little about France's colonial history and the uprisings in this region， so it was really interesting to see this dynamic play out in one family's story。 I thought the issues of displacement and cultural differences were handled really well， with both an eye for drama and for sensitivity to the emotions of the characters。 I b I thought this was beautifully written （credit to the translator！） and really evocative of post-WW2 French and Moroccan culture。 I studied French at university and learnt a little about France's colonial history and the uprisings in this region， so it was really interesting to see this dynamic play out in one family's story。 I thought the issues of displacement and cultural differences were handled really well， with both an eye for drama and for sensitivity to the emotions of the characters。 I believe Slimani's family history bears some resemblance to that of her characters so she has a good understanding of the issues and can explore them beautifully。 I would like to read this book again and pick up more books from the author。 。。。more
Femi Kayode
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I really enjoyed reading this book。 Although there were many parts that made me cringe in horror （the domestic violence， the overt and unabashed racism are just a few） but I also feel the author was being true to the era and the thinking of the time。 The effortless switches in POVs was what stood out for me。 And the way the writer created so many different characters， but still manage to tell a cohesive story。 While The Country of Others is very well written， I can't help thinking that it would I really enjoyed reading this book。 Although there were many parts that made me cringe in horror （the domestic violence， the overt and unabashed racism are just a few） but I also feel the author was being true to the era and the thinking of the time。 The effortless switches in POVs was what stood out for me。 And the way the writer created so many different characters， but still manage to tell a cohesive story。 While The Country of Others is very well written， I can't help thinking that it would have been a much more sublime work if I had read it in its original French — some English words did not quite sit right and I felt it gave the novel an over-the-top feel that did not resonate so well with such a genre。There have been several references to the author's past works， and I must say reading this has inspired me to go get some of Ms Slimani's works。 Lullaby has moved up on my TBR pile。 Thanks to The Pigeonhole for the opportunity to experience Ms Slimani's lovely writing。 。。。more
tejal
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an interesting time period of unrest and some thought provoking themes spanning the novel but unfortunately I felt like I couldn't relate to any of the characters。 an interesting time period of unrest and some thought provoking themes spanning the novel but unfortunately I felt like I couldn't relate to any of the characters。 。。。more
Ana Rita Ramos
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Mathilde tenta adaptar-se a uma realidade diferente da sua para fugir a uma vida que não quer。 Muda-se para Marrocos por amor onde o clima e a cultura são muito diferentes daquilo a que está habituada na Alsácia。 Um relato sentido e sofrido de uma mulher e da sua família na Segunda Guerra Mundial。
Rachel Dixon
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Leila Slimani gives a beautifully written insight into Forties Morocco as a country of others。 Mathilde is "other" both being French， being a woman and being a Christian。 Her status in Morocco is always subjugated as a women but her nationality sometimes gives her privilege， sometimes marks her out。 Her education is little use here but she learns to use to it help others with their health。 She is naive and immature but thrown into a culture she has only viewed romantically。 Slimani uses very few Leila Slimani gives a beautifully written insight into Forties Morocco as a country of others。 Mathilde is "other" both being French， being a woman and being a Christian。 Her status in Morocco is always subjugated as a women but her nationality sometimes gives her privilege， sometimes marks her out。 Her education is little use here but she learns to use to it help others with their health。 She is naive and immature but thrown into a culture she has only viewed romantically。 Slimani uses very few words to mark the passage of time and easily slips between the voice of Mathilde and that of her daughter， Aicha。 Her relationship with Amine is a difficult one and her experience of motherhood equally fraught。 A trip back to France highlights the life she could have led and the hardship of her choice to marry Amine。 The descriptions of Morocco are evocative and earthy， all life and death is here， war and survival。 。。。more
Kirsty Connell-Skinner
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A stark， thoughtful family saga， set in Morocco in the 1950s。 Very different from Slimani’s earlier works， but with the same harsh fine delineation of character and insight into what drives people through love and hate。I received an advance copy of In the Country of Others from NetGalley in return for an honest review。
Helene
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Have you ever read a book set in Morocco？ As a French person， I was intrigued by The Country of Others by Leïla Slimani， published on the 5th。 It was translated from French （Le Pays des Autres） by Sam Taylor， so a perfect read for Women in Translation month。 I am ashamed to say that I never read anything else by Slimani， even though she is extremely famous in France。 Anyway。 The Country of Others is a historical fiction book about Mathilde， a young French woman from Alsace， who meets a Moroccan Have you ever read a book set in Morocco？ As a French person， I was intrigued by The Country of Others by Leïla Slimani， published on the 5th。 It was translated from French （Le Pays des Autres） by Sam Taylor， so a perfect read for Women in Translation month。 I am ashamed to say that I never read anything else by Slimani， even though she is extremely famous in France。 Anyway。 The Country of Others is a historical fiction book about Mathilde， a young French woman from Alsace， who meets a Moroccan soldier called Amine， in 1944。 They fall in love， she gets pregnant， they get married and move together to Morocco。This is not a romance。 We follow all the difficulties that the couple experience， as the land that Amine was planning to cultivate turns out to be dry and really hard to exploit。 What I liked:- The descriptions of the landscapes and the towns。 I was immersed in the sounds and smells of North Africa。 - The political background of the novel。 Morroco was a French colony at the time， and the tensions between the French colonists and the Arab population was well-presented， without falling into manichaeism。- The account of various women's lives is an important reminder of the freedom （or lack of） they had in France and Morocco at the time。 What bothered me:- The constant switch of narrators was distracting， points of view often changing within the same paragraph。 - I found every single character unlikeable。 Mathilde is naive and immature， Amine is violent。。。 It made it really hard to empathise with them。- The blunt writing style made some passages really hard to read， and some trigger warnings for domestic violence are definitely needed here。- There are many characters in the background who never get given a voice， but maybe that was the point， as they are slaves and labourers？- The book starts really slow， and plot-wise nothing much happens， until the last third or so of the book。 - I did not realise that this book was part of a planned trilogy until I read an article about it when I was about 60% in。 This means that the ending does not really tie anything in。。。 All in all， I would give The Country of Others ⭐⭐⭐💫 （rounded down to 3）Reading this book felt like an effort and was a frustrating experience， especially in the first half。 Fewer narrators would probably have helped me connect with the protagonists more。 I think I would still read the second volume （when it gets published） as I want to know what happens to the characters， but it's not a book I would recommend to everyone。 It is a solid piece of historical fiction if you are interested in France and/or Morocco。 Thank you @NetGalley and @faberbooks for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review！ 。。。more
Star
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**3 stars**
Nicola Mackenzie-Smaller
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Beautifully written tale of Mathilde， a woman from Alsace who marries a soldier from Morocco after the Second World War and returns to his remote， arid farm to live。This book explores the feeling of difference that all the family members have。 Not just Mathilde， but daughter Aïsha， husband Amine （judged for bringing an outsider to a country trying to rid itself of the impact of French influence and occupation） and Amine’s sister，who wants to escape with her foreign boyfriend。This is a book where Beautifully written tale of Mathilde， a woman from Alsace who marries a soldier from Morocco after the Second World War and returns to his remote， arid farm to live。This book explores the feeling of difference that all the family members have。 Not just Mathilde， but daughter Aïsha， husband Amine （judged for bringing an outsider to a country trying to rid itself of the impact of French influence and occupation） and Amine’s sister，who wants to escape with her foreign boyfriend。This is a book where seemingly not much happens， until you reach the end and realise that in fact， there’s been a lot going on！Beautifully written。 。。。more
Cecile Hascoet
，
The Country of Others， war， war， war by Leila SlimaniSynopsis:Mathilde and Amine， she Alsatian， him， Moroccan who fought in the French army， fell in love after the second world war。 The mixt couple ， freshly married， leave for Morocco， to settle on a rocky land that he dreams of cultivating 。 Mathilde， young and impulsive， struggles with isolation but also to set in a colony where she is seen as a French invader and seen as the woman who married an Arab by the european。 This book is beautiful。 F The Country of Others， war， war， war by Leila SlimaniSynopsis:Mathilde and Amine， she Alsatian， him， Moroccan who fought in the French army， fell in love after the second world war。 The mixt couple ， freshly married， leave for Morocco， to settle on a rocky land that he dreams of cultivating 。 Mathilde， young and impulsive， struggles with isolation but also to set in a colony where she is seen as a French invader and seen as the woman who married an Arab by the european。 This book is beautiful。 From the first pages， I am in Morocco， I can see Mathilde， Amine， the harsh live， feel their struggles， Mathilde's solitude， Amine's struggles with his own culture。The writing is fluid and makes the reading a delight。 There are some wonderful scenes in this first saga。 The most beautiful and metaphorical one is the 'Lemange' tree。 At the birth of their first daughter， Amine plants a lemon tree on top of an orange tree， renamed the Lemange tree。 The tree grows to a beautiful tree but the fruits are inedible。 This is by far the most poetic image in the book。 A metaphor for their own family but also the country itself。 The book questions colonisation （ the book ends in 1956 at the dawn of the country independence）， wars， mixt culture。， but also women place in a Muslim country ，in 1950's （ in France also） The Country of Others can also be thought as the country of Men。The book generates a sensuality as hot as the Moroccan sun。 So， yes， I loved every pages of the Country of Others。Leila Slimani is a well-known writer for mostly having won the Goncourt for 'Chanson douce。 This time， Leila Slimali embarks on her own family history。 It is the first of a trilogy and I am looking forward to know more about the Aisha， the small child with unruly hair who excelled in Latin and Maths。I was not a big fan f Ferrante because of the writing style， but there is a new genre emerging these days， the re birth of family saga。 。。。more
Louise
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Raw， brutal， and unsettling， this book is a window on life as a French woman in post-war Morocco。 When Mathilde marries Amine and leaves her native Alsace to make a new life with him in his homeland， she expects an exotic， interesting life， something that she craves after her wartime experience。 The reality is quite different。 Life is brutal and harsh but Mathilde adapts through hard work and determination。 As Morocco struggles for independence， life becomes even more challenging for Mathilde an Raw， brutal， and unsettling， this book is a window on life as a French woman in post-war Morocco。 When Mathilde marries Amine and leaves her native Alsace to make a new life with him in his homeland， she expects an exotic， interesting life， something that she craves after her wartime experience。 The reality is quite different。 Life is brutal and harsh but Mathilde adapts through hard work and determination。 As Morocco struggles for independence， life becomes even more challenging for Mathilde and her family。 。。。more
Rachel Matthews
，
Before going into The Country of Others， I think it's important to understand that it is the first in a family saga trilogy。 As is typical for the first book in a series this novel is all about setting the scene。 It spans a period of about 11 years from 1944 to 1955。 During this time， French colonisation of Morocco leads to tensions that eventually escalate into death and violence。 We see events from a few different points of view but our main character is Mathilde， a white French woman， who mar Before going into The Country of Others， I think it's important to understand that it is the first in a family saga trilogy。 As is typical for the first book in a series this novel is all about setting the scene。 It spans a period of about 11 years from 1944 to 1955。 During this time， French colonisation of Morocco leads to tensions that eventually escalate into death and violence。 We see events from a few different points of view but our main character is Mathilde， a white French woman， who marries a dark-skinned Moroccan man。 She moves from France to Morocco to be with her husband and， there， they start a family。 The life Mathilde ends up living is nothing like the romanticised version of African life she was expecting。 She is ashamed of the poverty and drudgery she endures and hides this from her family and friends。 Their daughter Aicha is acutely aware of the fact that she's different - her mixed race means she doesn't fit in with the white children or the dark-skinned children at her school and she withdraws into herself choosing to find refuge in religion and in her studies。 By the end of the book， I sensed that Aicha will have an important role in the next book and think she will make for a fascinating character to follow as she gets older。 The two previous books I have read by Slimani - Adele and Lullaby - had political undertones。 In those books， there was some commentary on race， immigration and the role of women in society but The Country of Others tackles these political elements much more overtly。 Slimani explores how narratives about race and class can permeate all parts of society and be internalised by the people living within that society。 At one point in the book， little Aicha asks her father "are we the goodies or the baddies？" and it's a question I think is central to any political conflict， the answer to which will differ depending on the individual's perspective。 This book is a bit of a slow burn， no doubt in part because Slimani has another two books to further develop the story， but there is a lot running under the surface。 Topics including inter-racial relationships， female sexuality， religion and violence are all addressed and I am intrigued to see how the story progresses over the series。 。。。more
Ellena Downes
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This is a beautifully written novel about the end of the French occupation of Morocco。 Harrowing in places with the tension of up rising bubbling in the background throughout the story of Amine and Mathilde grips you from the start。
Trish
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Thank you NetGalley and Faber for an ebook ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review。 The Country of Others is a historical family saga set in Morocco across the 1940s-1950s。 It starts with a young French woman， Mathilde marrying a Moroccan soldier， Amine。 They meet in her village whilst he is fighting for the French during WW2。 She moves to his family home in Meknes filled with excitement and wonder at her new surroundings。 Amine relocates them to an isolated farm and she quickly realis Thank you NetGalley and Faber for an ebook ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review。 The Country of Others is a historical family saga set in Morocco across the 1940s-1950s。 It starts with a young French woman， Mathilde marrying a Moroccan soldier， Amine。 They meet in her village whilst he is fighting for the French during WW2。 She moves to his family home in Meknes filled with excitement and wonder at her new surroundings。 Amine relocates them to an isolated farm and she quickly realises this is not a romantic adventure。 She must adjust to this lifestyle she is unaccustomed to。 They have 2 children and the novel moves between their perspectives， along with their eldest daughter， family members and friends。 All of this takes place against a tense political backdrop with the nationalists fighting for independence。This is a shift from Slimani's first two novels that were translated into English by Sam Taylor。 Lullaby and Adele were short and sharp。 Apart from the obvious distinction with it being historical fiction， there is a very different feel to the prose。 It is still very abrupt and in your face in parts as you would expect from Slimani but there is a lot more depth and beauty to it。 The descriptions of the Moroccan villages， their farmland， the surrounding landscapes are vivid and really paint a picture for you to envision。 I really enjoyed the different perspectives of the characters and how they each dealt with their circumstances。 The novel isn't long but with the different perspectives you really get a feel for the tension in this family， in this country。 Upon requesting a copy I did not realise this was the first in a planned trilogy。 I am excited to see how this family saga develops。 Definitely recommend！ 。。。more
Christine
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So good， I bought her previous novel which won the Prix Goncourt in France！ In The Country of Others， by Leïla Slimani。For me an exceptionally excellent novel！ Based on the life of the author's family history， this novel tells of Mathilde's marriage to Amine and her move to Morocco in 1947。 The love that binds them together will experience lots of upheavals due to political， social and religious conditions。 This novel is a fight for personal identity， and I really mean a fight。 An identity which So good， I bought her previous novel which won the Prix Goncourt in France！ In The Country of Others， by Leïla Slimani。For me an exceptionally excellent novel！ Based on the life of the author's family history， this novel tells of Mathilde's marriage to Amine and her move to Morocco in 1947。 The love that binds them together will experience lots of upheavals due to political， social and religious conditions。 This novel is a fight for personal identity， and I really mean a fight。 An identity which will prove difficult to acquire: whether for Mathilde who is a foreigner among a completely different culture （can/should she give up her own traditions and fully embrace her new community？）; or for Amine who fought alongside the French in WWII， but who is also （first？） Moroccan impregnated， attracted and disturbed by his wife's foreignness and her influence on their children。 Not easy to handle all those emotions！ Violence is part of their life， domestic and political。 Their story raised in me anger， incomprehension， but also understanding （though not condoning the violence） for all characters living in a country on the verge of getting independence。 A brilliant history lesson with complex and compelling characters！ The writing is powerful and has deeply anchored the story in me。 Can't wait for the sequel。Thank you so much Leïla， for letting me read your novel for free on Pigeonhole。 。。。more
Ryo
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I received a copy of this book for free in a Goodreads giveaway。The story follows Mathilde， a French woman who marries a Moroccan man named Amine。 In the 1940s and 1950s， they move to Morocco， where they struggle to run a farm， raise two children， and experience the revolution going on around them as Morocco struggles to gain independence。 The setting and characters are well-developed; even though it's not a part of the world I'm particularly familiar with， the area that Mathilde and Amine live I received a copy of this book for free in a Goodreads giveaway。The story follows Mathilde， a French woman who marries a Moroccan man named Amine。 In the 1940s and 1950s， they move to Morocco， where they struggle to run a farm， raise two children， and experience the revolution going on around them as Morocco struggles to gain independence。 The setting and characters are well-developed; even though it's not a part of the world I'm particularly familiar with， the area that Mathilde and Amine live their lives seemed very real from the descriptive prose。 Plot-wise， though， there's not much of an overarching plot， and with the perspective shifting between characters frequently， I was sometimes not very motivated to keep going。 The novel ends just as more fighting breaks out， and though I realize this is the first novel in a planned trilogy， it still felt unresolved at the end。 。。。more
Lese lust
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Eine junge， schöne Elsässerin heiratet am Ende des 2。 WK einen attraktiven Soldaten aus Marokko und geht mit ihm in seine Heimat， um dort eine Farm zu bewirtschaften - mitten hinein in die marokkanischen Unabhängigkeitsbestrebungen。 Neben den persönlichen Herausforderungen sind es auch die gesellschaftlichen Umbrüche， die dieses Buch so lesenswert und interessant machen。 Die Autorin greift hier auf die Geschichte ihrer Großmutter zurück und ich bin gespannt auf die zwei Bände， die noch folgen so Eine junge， schöne Elsässerin heiratet am Ende des 2。 WK einen attraktiven Soldaten aus Marokko und geht mit ihm in seine Heimat， um dort eine Farm zu bewirtschaften - mitten hinein in die marokkanischen Unabhängigkeitsbestrebungen。 Neben den persönlichen Herausforderungen sind es auch die gesellschaftlichen Umbrüche， die dieses Buch so lesenswert und interessant machen。 Die Autorin greift hier auf die Geschichte ihrer Großmutter zurück und ich bin gespannt auf die zwei Bände， die noch folgen sollen。 。。。more
Karen
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Dieses Buch gefiel mir wesentlich besser als Dann schlaf auch Du。 Eine Französin heiratet in der Nachkriegszeit nach Marokka。 Eine tumulte Ehe wird geschildert vor dem Hintergrund einer gespaltenen Marokko。 Animositäten zwischen den Einhemischen und den französischen Kolonisten nehmen zu。 Mathilde und Armin lieben sich， auch wenn die kulturellen Unterschiede groß sind。 Obwohl sie ein Kopf größer ist als er， hindert es ihn nicht， sie zu ohrfeigen。 Sogar ihre Nase wird gebrochen， was ihr Libido ke Dieses Buch gefiel mir wesentlich besser als Dann schlaf auch Du。 Eine Französin heiratet in der Nachkriegszeit nach Marokka。 Eine tumulte Ehe wird geschildert vor dem Hintergrund einer gespaltenen Marokko。 Animositäten zwischen den Einhemischen und den französischen Kolonisten nehmen zu。 Mathilde und Armin lieben sich， auch wenn die kulturellen Unterschiede groß sind。 Obwohl sie ein Kopf größer ist als er， hindert es ihn nicht， sie zu ohrfeigen。 Sogar ihre Nase wird gebrochen， was ihr Libido kein Abbruch tut。 Sie steckt einiges ein。Das Buch handelt von Freiheit für den Unterdrückten - die Frauen， die Marokkaner。 Am Ende brennt es。。。。 。。。more
Lou
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The Country of Others is an atmospheric and compelling family saga from the acclaimed Franco-Moroccan author， Leila Slimani。 It highlights a woman entangled between two cultures， divided between her dedication to her family and the love of freedom with which she grew up。 In 1944， Catholic Mathilde， a young Alsatian， fell in love with Muslim soldier Amine Belhaj， a Moroccan fighting in the French army against the Nazi occupation。 After the Liberation， she leaves her country to follow to Morocco t The Country of Others is an atmospheric and compelling family saga from the acclaimed Franco-Moroccan author， Leila Slimani。 It highlights a woman entangled between two cultures， divided between her dedication to her family and the love of freedom with which she grew up。 In 1944， Catholic Mathilde， a young Alsatian， fell in love with Muslim soldier Amine Belhaj， a Moroccan fighting in the French army against the Nazi occupation。 After the Liberation， she leaves her country to follow to Morocco the one who will become her husband。 The couple moved to Meknes， a garrison and colonist city in Morocco and near Rabat， where the colonial segregation system applied rigorously。 Marriage， relocation， first child， second child - Aïcha and Sélim。 Illusions soon collide with reality。 While Amine cultivates rocky soil， Mathilde suffocates from the harsh climate - hated by French settlers because she married a Moroccan and rejected by Moroccans because she is not one of their own。 Mathilde works hard to cultivate the family farm but the rocky land makes it far from easy。 At the cost of many sacrifices and vexations， Amine manages to organize his domain， by allying with a Hungarian doctor， Dragan Palosi， who will become a very close friend。 Mathilde feels suffocated by the harsh climate of Morocco， by her loneliness on the farm， by the mistrust she inspires as a foreigner and by the lack of money。 Relations between the settlers and the natives were very tense， and Amine found himself caught in the crossfire: married to a French woman， landowner employing Moroccan workers， he was assimilated to the settlers by the natives， and despised and humiliated by the French because he is Moroccan。 He is proud of his wife， of her courage， of her particular beauty， of her strong temperament， but he is also ashamed of it because she does not show proper modesty or submission; certainly not as much as he would like her to。 Aïcha grew up in this climate of violence， following the education given to her by the Sisters in Meknes， where she saw French girls from rich families who found enjoyment when they humiliated her。 Selma， Amine's sister， nourishes dreams of freedom that are constantly bullied by the men around her。 While Amine begins to reap the fruits of her exhausting labour， riots break out， the plantations are set on fire: the novel ends with scenes of violence inaugurating the country's access to independence in 1956。 This is a captivating， richly atmospheric and intricately detailed portrayal of Morocco in the mid-twentieth century and Slimani evokes this convoluted and complex geopolitical period with ease and vigour。 Mathilde fights against poverty and the ruling patriarchy with the tale also exploring identity， womanhood， belonging， freedom， heritage， discrimination， religion， culture， family， race and tradition。 This colourful， thought-provoking family saga is set against the backdrop of the independence struggle of the Protectorate of Morocco against France， in which Mathilde and Amine do not want to take sides。 But then comes the day when the battle reaches their region as well。 It's a beautifully written and extensively researched piece of character-driven writing on hybridity， foreignness， indigenousness and touching on France's colonial past， inspired by the author’s own family origins。 In this great fresco， the memorable first part of a trilogy in which each volume covers a period of 10 years， Slimani revives a not so distant epoch and its actors， with a pronounced humanity， accuracy and refined sense of narration。 It is a powerful， immersive and engaging novel about a family's struggle against hostile surroundings。 But it is also a story that in an original way sheds light on the origins of many of the most acute conflicts of our time。 All the characters in the novel live in the land of others - settlers， natives， peasants and refugees。 Women， above all， live in the country of men and must constantly fight for their emancipation。 Highly recommended。 。。。more
Pheadra
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This is a well written chronicle set in the 1950s about Mathilde， a woman from Alsace， France， who marries Amine a Moroccan soldier。 She moves to his country with idolized visions of what her life will be like but all too soon discovers just how far removed reality actually is。 The dusty hot weather， scant existence， racism and cruelty she experiences at the hands of her husband， his family and others left me with a feeling of sadness and despondency。 The story was best summed up with this parag This is a well written chronicle set in the 1950s about Mathilde， a woman from Alsace， France， who marries Amine a Moroccan soldier。 She moves to his country with idolized visions of what her life will be like but all too soon discovers just how far removed reality actually is。 The dusty hot weather， scant existence， racism and cruelty she experiences at the hands of her husband， his family and others left me with a feeling of sadness and despondency。 The story was best summed up with this paragraph "After quietly closing the door and walking into the hallway， Amine thought about how the fruit of the lemange tree was inedible。 Its pulp was dry and its taste so bitter that it brought tears to his eyes。 And the world of men is just like the world of botany， he thought。 In the end one species dominates another。 One day the orange will win out over the lemon， or vice versa， or the tree will once again produce fruit that people can eat。 4 Stars。 。。。more
Christine Rennie
，
In the country of others by Leila Slimani is the story of an interracial passionate love of a Morracan soldier who served France in the Second World War and Mathilde his French wife who moved to Morocco to live and bring up her children。It is a story of a different time and a different culture brought vividly to live by the author。Highly recommended
Lynne Smith
，
Set in the 1950’s， Mathilde from Alsace falls in love with Amine a Moroccan soldier with the French army， she marries him and returns to Morocco with him， imagining it to be exotic and romantic; instead she finds herself on a remote， dusty， very basic farm where life is brutal and harsh。 I felt as if I were inside Mathilde’s life which was not as she expected but where she eventually found a kind of peace。 It was interesting to consider a life in the country of others that was so alien to a Euro Set in the 1950’s， Mathilde from Alsace falls in love with Amine a Moroccan soldier with the French army， she marries him and returns to Morocco with him， imagining it to be exotic and romantic; instead she finds herself on a remote， dusty， very basic farm where life is brutal and harsh。 I felt as if I were inside Mathilde’s life which was not as she expected but where she eventually found a kind of peace。 It was interesting to consider a life in the country of others that was so alien to a European reader rather than the experiences of a North African in France。 It is important to remember the period in which it is set where Muslim women were subjugated wholly to men and the country was rising up against the French colonists。 It has the stamp of authenticity but is also a savage and sometimes cruel life and as such is not an enjoyable or sometimes easy read， although undoubtedly well written。 。。。more
Aoife McMenamin
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I’m a fan of Leïla Slimani。 I loved Lullaby and Adèle， and also her non-fiction Sex and Lies。 The Country of Others is her new book （published today） and it’s a marked departure from her earlier work。 It’s the first in a planned trilogy and in it Slimani draws on her own family history。 It’s historical fiction and opens in 1944 with Mathilde， a strong-willed French woman who meets and falls in love with Amine， a Moroccan man fighting for the French in WWII。 They marry and move to Morocco， where I’m a fan of Leïla Slimani。 I loved Lullaby and Adèle， and also her non-fiction Sex and Lies。 The Country of Others is her new book （published today） and it’s a marked departure from her earlier work。 It’s the first in a planned trilogy and in it Slimani draws on her own family history。 It’s historical fiction and opens in 1944 with Mathilde， a strong-willed French woman who meets and falls in love with Amine， a Moroccan man fighting for the French in WWII。 They marry and move to Morocco， where the grim reality of a hot， dusty climate， an isolated， decrepit home and a frosty reception both from the French colonialists and the natives greets her。The book is expansive in that we get to know a host of characters - Mathilde and Amine， their children， their friends and Amine’s family， all set against a backdrop of a politically unstable Morocco beginning to strike out for independence and shake off the shackles of French colonialism。 It can feel at times as though the author has overreached with too many characters - I’ve seen this criticism of the book。 My sense was that she is building a cast of characters for the trilogy， not unlike Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend。 The prose is much less spartan that what you’d expect from Slimani。 It’s more exploratory， it’s sensuous and brimming with feeling。 The sense of place is magnificent。 It is different from her previous work though so I’ll be really interested to hear what people think about it。 I really enjoyed it。 I found it thoroughly absorbing and I’m already looking forward to the next instalment。 4/5 ⭐️ **The Country of Others by Leïla Slimani is published today， 5 August 2021。 I was grateful to have the opportunity to read an advance copy of the book courtesy of the publisher @faberbooks via @netgalley。 As always， this is an honest review。** 。。。more
✨ Anna ✨ | ReadAllNight
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Another Economist review。https://www。economist。com/books-and-a。。。 Leïla Slimani tells the story of her own family in her new novel。 Another Economist review。https://www。economist。com/books-and-a。。。 Leïla Slimani tells the story of her own family in her new novel。 。。。more
Clémence d'Harville
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Très beau texte qu'on devine semi-autobiographique sur une famille singulière。 Leïla Slimani maîtrise parfaitement l'art de raconter。 Très beau texte qu'on devine semi-autobiographique sur une famille singulière。 Leïla Slimani maîtrise parfaitement l'art de raconter。 。。。more
Rebecca Cook
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A beautifully written and heart rending story， told in the voices of several characters， about the period leading up to Moroccan independence。 I found the writing to be incredibly beautiful and evocative but at times the books jumps time periods and we see from perspectives of characters we have not previously heard of quite abruptly。 This book focuses on some intense and difficult subjects but is definitely worth reading and is very thought provoking。 Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher fo A beautifully written and heart rending story， told in the voices of several characters， about the period leading up to Moroccan independence。 I found the writing to be incredibly beautiful and evocative but at times the books jumps time periods and we see from perspectives of characters we have not previously heard of quite abruptly。 This book focuses on some intense and difficult subjects but is definitely worth reading and is very thought provoking。 Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more
Chiara Liberio
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“At that moment， they both belonged to a camp that didn’t exist… All the feelings that rose inside them seemed like a form of treachery， and so they preferred to stay silent。”Otherness， identity， culture clash and non-belonging are at the core of this sweeping historical novel set in Morocco in the period 1947 to 1955， the dawn of Moroccan independence from France。 In this time of growing discontent toward the French occupiers we meet Mathilde， a tall， green-eyed Alsatian woman married to Amine， “At that moment， they both belonged to a camp that didn’t exist… All the feelings that rose inside them seemed like a form of treachery， and so they preferred to stay silent。”Otherness， identity， culture clash and non-belonging are at the core of this sweeping historical novel set in Morocco in the period 1947 to 1955， the dawn of Moroccan independence from France。 In this time of growing discontent toward the French occupiers we meet Mathilde， a tall， green-eyed Alsatian woman married to Amine， a Moroccan soldier in the French army she met during WW2。 They have just arrived in Meknes on an old cart， ready to take possession of Amine’s inherited farm 15 miles from town。 Is it going to work？ Soon the two are at odds。 Amine desires his wife but starts feeling the pull of the local male-dominated culture; he wishes his wife would let go of her spontaneity and European manners， which had attracted him in the first place， to become a more subdued woman。 In her extreme loneliness and sense of foreignness， Mathilde will have to learn how to fit in – often the hard way – while still trying to keep an emancipated role in the world and ties with French culture。 Characterisation is superbly nuanced and， despite the novel not being plot-driven， the account of how Mathilde and Amine's relationship unfolds is an engrossing reading experience。 The author paints a truly complex picture as the two are pariahs rejected both in their respective and adoptive communities。 This is the first volume of an intended trilogy。 Here Sleimani is intent on setting the scene， wonderfully recreating the complex historical context and the sense of place， the heat， life on the farm and in the town – the medina with its “ancestral values” and “the European town， a laboratory of modernity”。 She also gives life to a strong cast of secondary characters， representing different positions from superstitious peasants， to fanatics， colonists and Francophiles 。 An excellent postcolonial novel and a thought-provoking read。My thanks to the publisher for an arc of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Karen Radford
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Full disclosure， I loved Leila Slimani’s previous book “Lullaby” so was thrilled to have the opportunity to read her latest novel “In The Country of Others”。 It tells the story of Mathilde a young French woman who leaves her home for a new life in Morocco having married Amine。 Mathilde is desperate for adventure and bored with small town life， so when she meets and falls in love with a dashing young army recruit she thinks her life has changed for the better。 She moves to his family farm in Moro Full disclosure， I loved Leila Slimani’s previous book “Lullaby” so was thrilled to have the opportunity to read her latest novel “In The Country of Others”。 It tells the story of Mathilde a young French woman who leaves her home for a new life in Morocco having married Amine。 Mathilde is desperate for adventure and bored with small town life， so when she meets and falls in love with a dashing young army recruit she thinks her life has changed for the better。 She moves to his family farm in Morocco to begin her new life and has to learn the traditions， and language of her new homeland。 Life is hard for her and soon she understands what she has sacrificed for love。 I found this book heartbreakingly sad at times。 The depiction of life for women in a country full of traditions and ideas that mean they have no say and virtually no freedom seems alien to a modern day reader。 Mathilde’s desperate search for happiness and fulfilment is so movingly portrayed。 Amine is at times a modern thinker - especially when it comes to the education of his daughter and his farming practices but then he contradicts this by his attitude to his younger sister who is forced into a marriage against her will。 I loved all the characters in this book as they were so clearly depicted - I felt I knew them。 The book is set against the backdrop of Morocco fighting for independence from France and I found this fascinating as its a subject I know virtually nothing about and it made me want to find out more。 I realise I haven’t said a great deal about the story in this review and I have done this on purpose as one of the delights of this book is discovering where life takes Mathilde and Amine so to say too much would spoil that。I loved this book and giving it only 5 stars seems inadequate for what is in my opinion fabulous， masterly writing。 I can’t wait to read Leila Slimani’s next book， and the one after too…。。Thanks to NetGalley， Faber and Faber Ltd for the opportunity to read this ahead of its UK publication。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Country of Others
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Country of Others&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Country of Others&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0