No Land to Light On

A Novel

By: Yara Zgheib

Narrated by: Fajer Al-Kaisi, Ali Andre Ali, Suehyla El-Attar

From the author of The Girls at 17 Swann Street comes a “masterful story of tragedy and redemption” (Hala Alyan, author of Salt Houses) “written in soul-searing prose” (BookPage, starred review) about a young Syrian couple in the throes of new love on the cusp of their bright future when a travel ban rips them apart on the eve of their son’s premature birth.

Sama and Hadi are a young Syrian couple in love, dreaming of their future in the country that brought them together. Sama came to Boston years before on a prestigious Harvard scholarship; Hadi landed there as a sponsored refugee from a bloody civil war. Now, they are giddily awaiting the birth of their son, a boy whose native language will be freedom and belonging.

When Sama is five months pregnant, Hadi’s father dies suddenly, and Hadi decides to fly back to Jordan for the funeral. He leaves America, promising his wife he’ll be gone only for a few days. On the date of his return, Sama waits for him at the arrivals gate, but he doesn’t appear. As the minutes and then hours pass, she becomes increasingly alarmed, unaware that Hadi has been stopped by US Customs and Border Protection, detained for questioning, and deported.

Achingly intimate yet poignantly universal, No Land to Light On is “a tense, moving novel about the meaning of home, the risks of exile, the power of nations, and the power of love” (Kirkus Reviews).

Critic reviews

"Heartbreaking, powerful, and thought-provoking, this audiobook will stay with you long after you finish listening. A talented team of narrators perfectly match the characters and their joy, despair, hope, and uncertainty. Fajer Al-Kaisi portrays the narrator of the story, who provides important historical and political context. Sama, narrated by Suehyla El-Attar, and Hadi, voiced by Ali Andre Ali, came to the U.S. from Syria, met in Boston, fell in love, and are expecting a baby. When Hadi's father dies, he returns to Syria, promising to be home soon. Then the 2017 Trump travel ban takes effect, and Hadi is detained. As the story is told from alternating perspectives, the narrators are pitch-perfect in capturing the precariousness of the time. A must-listen!"

Powerfully touching and almost too realistic.

Powerfully touching and almost too realistic. Renewed my abhorrence for Donald Trump and my sympathies for refugees from across the world.

Powerful and Heartbreaking

A well written, powerful reminder that the immigration policies enacted by all governments impact real people, desperate for a safer life. Reminiscent of Exit West, by Hamid and When The Moon Is Low, by Hashimi. and so many other wonderful tales of people desperate for a better life.

A quick read, well worth the credit.

Beautiful…

…and heartbreaking. Listening to this book will bring tears to your eyes. It gives the listener a better understanding of immigrant experience.

Would recommend!

Suggested for my book club, makes you grateful for your healthy children and status as a citizen.