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The Black Crescent
- Author
- Jane Johnson
- Narrator
- Walles Hamonde
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Publish Date
- 5 March 2024
- Run Time
- 13 hours 55 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Historical fiction
What to expect
A captivating historical novel set in postwar Casablanca about a young man marked by djinns who must decide where his loyalties lie as the fight for Moroccan independence erupts.
Hamou Badi is born in a village in the Anti-Atlas Mountains with the markings of the zouhry on his hands. In Morocco, the zouhry is a figure of legend, a child of both humans and djinns, capable of finding treasure, lost objects, and even water in the worst of droughts. But when young Hamou finds the body of a murdered woman, his life is forever changed.
Haunted by this unsolved murder and driven by the desire to do good in the world, Hamou leaves his village for Casablanca to become an officer of the law under the French Protectorate.
But Casablanca is not the shining beacon of modernity he was expecting. The forcible exile of Morocco’s sultan by the French sparks a nationalist uprising led by violent dissident groups, none so fearsome as the Black Crescent. Torn between his heritage and his employers, Hamou will be caught in the crossfire.
The lines between right and wrong, past and future, the old world and the new, are not as clear as the magical lines on his palms. And as the danger grows, Hamou is forced to choose between all he knows and all he loves.
Critics Review
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“Engrossing, offering a compelling portrayal of a pivotal era in Moroccan history through a relatable and empathetic protagonist.”
Booklist
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“Johnson imbues 1950s Morocco with some light magic in this robust tale about a man favored by djinns…This is one to savor.”
Publishers Weekly
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Jane Johnson
- Narrator
- Walles Hamonde
- Duration
- 13 hours 55 minutes
- Release Date
- 5 March 2024
- ISBN
- 9798212221511
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Genre
- Historical fiction
Synopsis
A captivating historical novel set in postwar Casablanca about a young man marked by djinns who must decide where his loyalties lie as the fight for Moroccan independence erupts.Hamou Badi is born in a village in the Anti-Atlas Mountains with the markings of the zouhry on his hands. In Morocco, the zouhry is a figure of legend, a child of both humans and djinns, capable of finding treasure, lost objects, and even water in the worst of droughts. But when young Hamou finds the body of a murdered woman, his life is forever changed.Haunted by this unsolved murder and driven by the desire to do good in the world, Hamou leaves his village for Casablanca to become an officer of the law under the French Protectorate.But Casablanca is not the shining beacon of modernity he was expecting. The forcible exile of Morocco’s sultan by the French sparks a nationalist uprising led by violent dissident groups, none so fearsome as the Black Crescent. Torn between his heritage and his employers, Hamou will be caught in the crossfire.The lines between right and wrong, past and future, the old world and the new, are not as clear as the magical lines on his palms. And as the danger grows, Hamou is forced to choose between all he knows and all he loves.
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