Review by: Laura Robinson

The short
A story of a young Moroccan man’s identity and family with one foot in two different worlds.

The long
Laila Lalami expertly combines the personal and the political in an engaging coming-of-age story with insight into the variation in class status, lifestyles, and influences in Moroccan society. Secret Son follows the story of 19-year-old Youseff El-Mekki and his life in Casablanca as he navigates his identity and place in his community and family after news of deep-rooted family secrets shifts what he knows about himself and his place in society. Lalami intertwines engrossing stories and characters

with accounts of influence from social systems, politics, and culture in Morocco.

To read or not to read?
This is your go-to read if you’re looking to learn more about social, political and cultural dynamics in Morocco without the Wikipedia style fact listing. Secret Son has all the must-have elements of a page- turner novel intertwined with scenes of daily life in Casablanca and insight into Moroccan society.