What it means to be in exile: the new great novel by Pulitzer Prize winner Hisham Matar. 'A brilliant novel about friendship, family and exile.' Colm Toibin London, 1984: When the two students Khaled and Mustafa, in their youthful exuberance, decide to take part in an anti-Gaddafi demonstration in front of the Libyan embassy, they have no idea how much it will change their lives. Government officials fire at the demonstrators in broad daylight, a policewoman dies, the two are injured and have to realize that from now on there will be no return home, even a phone call with their parents is too dangerous. The friendship that develops between Khaled and Mustafa as well as that of the dissident writer Hosam becomes all the closer, it replaces their family and their homeland. Until many years later the Arab Spring begins and the revolutionary climate also reaches Libya - suddenly the way back home seems clear. And the three friends are forced to choose: between the life they have built for themselves in London and the life they had to leave behind as young men ...