The story is about a refugee, one like those we have often seen in newspaper coverage over the last decade. Amir, a young boy who followed his uncle (actually his mother’s partner) aboard a small boat across the Mediterranean, is on a journey to somewhere that will allow him to escape the devastation of his home by war and economic collapse. The detail of where the boy is from, which is Syria, or other details of location are less important than how Amir’s experience reflects so many children who actively seek, or are taken on, harrowing journeys to unknown places in order to pursue a dream that they are not sure really exists. These children, their families and loved ones, are desperate and willing to do practically anything to MOVE to anyplace other than where they presently are. These are the political, economic, and cultural refugees of our world who want little more than a chance.
Most of the story of What Strange Paradise is set on a resort island where fleeing refugee boats often wash up on shore, thus temporarily disturbing the tourists who otherwise enjoy the pleasures of beautiful water and luxurious surroundings. Local authorities, with one being particularly pernicious, clean up the beach after bodies, clothing, and refuse washes up on the shore. They also track down any “invaders” who are seeking to transit through the resort on the way to a permanent location in displaced refugee communities. The rhythm of the book is unusual because each successive chapter is titled “Before” or “After” which vacillates between the time before and during the Mediterranean crossing and the after of the temporary respite at, and eventual escape from, the resort.
What Strange Paradise is a quick read that initially did not capture my attention (I later went back to read the first four chapters for context). I’ve purposefully not provided detail because it’s important that readers discover the story as it unfolds. One spoiler alert is that there are those who help Amir, not always with fully positive impact, but their desire to cause him less harm is clear. Sadly, many of those who are privileged to live in places that are secure, prosperous, and open simply have no idea how bad life can be within threatened or refugee communities. That kind of privilege can result in our being no more than tourists on a luxurious vacation. As El Akkad describes the tourists on the island – “these people and their concerns belong to a different world, a different ordering of the world. A fantasy.” This book offers the opportunity for a sober awakening of why refugees of various sorts want to MOVE and the challenges they face on their journeys.
