Overview

'A gut punch of a novel' BOBBY PALMER 'Thrillingly alive' ANDREW McMILLAN ‘A storm of a novel' LUCY ROSE 'Truly propulsive writing' IRISH TIMES ‘One of the most gripping novels I've read in a long time’ SAMIRA AHMED, Front Row, BBC Radio 4 A powerful new novel following a young man as he weighs up the life of safety that his parents want for him and another path on the streets outside his door, from the acclaimed author of Good Intentions. Amir has grown up in Alum Rock, Birmingham, under the care of his sensible older brother, Bilal, and his cousin Saqib, born just a few days before Amir. Alum Rock can be a troubled place, but Amir has managed to keep his head down, worked hard and stayed out of trouble … until now. When Saqib is killed in a gang fight and Bilal announces his engagement, Amir suddenly loses the two men who keep him grounded. Amir’s university grades are collapsing, he’s running out of money, and pressure mounts from every direction. As tensions flare, the friends left around him start to draw Amir into their more dangerous pursuits, and the family ties that have bound him so completely begin to unravel. Amir decides he only has himself to rely on and must take his future into his own hands. This is a blistering story of social expectations and social condemnation, of dead ends and divided loyalties, and of what’s left behind when you have nothing left to lose. 'An unflinching meditation on fractured loyalties … Reminiscent of the great modernists, Ali has written a quietly seething novel' Zain Khalid, author of Brother Alive 'A stirring story of love and loss … will stay with you forever’ Saima Mir, author of The Khan 'A powerful story exploring cultural expectations and what it means to go against them’ Hyphen 'One of the most exciting writers working right now’ Bobby Palmer, author of Isaac and the Egg ‘I was blown away … Heartbreaking, captivating and real’ Justin Myers, author of The Glorious Dead 'Devastating … propulsive … Ali once again wields his enthralling, singular voice’ Gaar Adams, author of Guest Privileges 'Brilliantly involving … Mesmerising’ Harriet Vyner, author of Among Ruins

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9780008450595

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Reviews

Praise for Good Intentions: ‘A gorgeous, unbelievable debut’ Angie Kim, author of Miracle Creek ‘[A] clever debut… Ali explores racism, the difficulty of navigating cultural heritage and the travails of early adulthood [with] a climactic sucker punch’ Metro ‘[A] clever novel about vulnerability and victimhood that subtly subverts the reader’s expectations’ Sunday Times ‘Family obligation and racial prejudice sit alongside the flush of first love. Expect to be heartbroken’ Elle ‘Kasim Ali boldly grasps the nettle of South Asian prejudice in his debut novel, a story of divided loyalties… what a tonic’ The Times ‘A beautiful and honest story… from a fantastic new talent’ Sareeta Domingo, author of If I Don't Have You ‘[A] compelling debut reminiscent of The Big Sick in storyline and Ordinary People in feel’ Living Magazine ‘Moving, modern and utterly engaging. What a talent’ Rhik Samadder, author of I Never Said I Love You ‘A love story full of hard choices and tensions, family obligations and racial prejudices. Not to be missed by fans of Modern Love’ Vogue India ‘Tender, authentic and candid … A must-read’ CultureFly

Author Information

Kasim Ali works at Penguin Random House and has previously been shortlisted for Hachette's Mo Siewcherran Prize, longlisted for the 4th Estate BAME Short Story Prize, and has contributed to The Good Journal. He comes from Birmingham and now lives in London.

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