A story of friendship over time. A story of exile. A story of revolution. My Friends had good meat in there but the pacing really was very hard for me. I see so many people I respect giving this 5 stars and am sad I am maybe not cool enough to also give it 5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

This book was really thought provoking and moved at what I would call a "thoughtful" pace. I love stories of people who you would never normally pick up, and this is one of those. I enjoyed it, but I don't know that I'll remember it after a while.

This book follows a young man from Libya who leaves his homeland to attend college in Scotland. After making a new friend and attending a political protest at the Libyan embassy in London that turns violent, he knows he can't go home without the threat of danger to himself or his family. He makes up stories to tell his family about why he stays away for years as he rebuilds his life. The story is focused on the relationships between he and two of his male Libyan friends also living in exile from the Gadaffi days to the Arab Spring.

Matar's lyrical writing really emphasizes the emotional/inner thoughts of the main character (Khaled) in a way that can be exhausting in the same way it is for Khaled. Most of us don't think through what it's like to be a political refugee, but this makes it real. There are definitely ups and downs as he creates a life for himself in London while having mixed feelings about his former home. I really enjoyed the story, particularly because of the style of writing. It's not rushed and forces the inner turmoil on the reader.

If you're someone who needs heavy action and a faced-paced narrative, this isn't the book for you. If you're interested in inhabiting a life that is likely far from anything you've experienced and enjoy lyrical prose, pick this up. You won't regret it.

Not familiar with this author I found this to be a beautifully rendered work. Fascinating,informative and extremely moving and well-written.

Thanks for the chance to read the review copy! Unfortunately, the story and I just didn't click. I got lost in the plot and characters, so I called it quits at 20%. Judging by other reviews, I'm definitely in the minority here—so let's chalk this up to "it's not you, it's me." Still grateful for the experience!

The novel is beautiful. A story of three Libyan men both inside and outside their home country from the late 70's through the years following the Arab Spring and the fall of Qaddafi. We learn what it is like to live under a tyrannical regime where those brave enough to oppose the regime are silenced. Hosam writes a political allegory that is read in place of the news one night on the BBC-sponsored Arabic radio station. This story captivates the narrator of the novel, Khaled, who later goes to study at the University of Edinburgh and at the urging of his much more politically fearless friend Mustafa, attends the protest at the Libyan Embassy in London in 1984 and, along with Mustafa, is seriously wounded when the embassy soldiers open fire. Khaled tells us the story as he walks through London after saying goodbye to Hosam, for what he thinks will be the last time. These early actions shape and resonate through the lives of the three friends over the succeeding thirty years. It is also a novel about violent action and its aftermath, but mostly about the loss of deep connections--to homeland and family and what that does to the friends over the course of their lives.

Thank you netgalley for this eARC!

This was a great book! I very much enjoyed it and I look forward to reading the author’s next work! Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.

I was not previously familiar with this author before reading this so I was surprised to like it so much. I usually find literary fiction hit or miss but this was indeed a hit. It was quite engrossing and heartbreaking to read, with beautiful prose to match. It is not a novel I could bring myself to re-read but I am glad to have read it now.

Thank you NetGalley for the early digital ARC for 'My Friends'!

This is a deeply moving emotional story . It dives into the heartaches of leaving your home for a chance at a better opportunities elsewhere.

A portrait of displacement, a blueprint of friendship beyond everyday acquaintance. Award-winning author Hisham Matar combines tragic real world events with the surprising contrast of remarkably uplifting and inspirational relationships of several young characters living far from their home of Libya in the 1980s and early 90s.
In 1980, the narrator, Khalid was 14 and heard a story from a groundbreaking and controversial author, Hisham Zowa, read over the air of BBC Arabic world service. “The Given and the Taken” and it stuck with him ever after. Read by Mohammed Mustafa Ramadan. The story is about a man slowly being eaten by a cat. Starting with his toes.
Later, as a student living abroad, Khalid is involved in a shooting at the Libyan embassy in London in 1984 that actually happened. A police woman was killed. Narrator is shot in the chest and kept in the hospital under guard while he recovers. At this time, he receives a copy of Hisham Zowas book The Given and the Taken.

Khalid learns that those present at the London protests are denounced as traitors, and fears the reprecussions if he returns to Edinburgh college. Returning home to Libya is definitely out of the question. He is given an opportunity to stay in London to heal. In a series of cryptic calls to his family, he remains uncertain if returning home will endanger the people he loves, so he decides to remain in London, for the next thirty years.

While the novel includes and portrays a number of appalling acts of violence enacted by the Libyan state, the major focus of this novel is the relationships and bonds that Khalid forms with the people around him. The friendships that Khalid makes, based on mutual trust, respect, admiration, and sometimes desperation convey a number of important and profound themes.

Hisham Matar generates a moving and compassionate story, similar to many of the tribulations that the author and close acquaintances have endured in real life.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Random House for allowing me to read and review My Friends on NetGalley.

Published: 01/09/24

Stars: 2.5

Underwhelmed.

Recently I have discovered Literary Fiction is a complicated genre for me. My Friends solidified my findings.

This story is layered from one perspective. My problem: the author expected me to know too much. No explanations were given for thoughts, patterns, or fears. The main character was afraid of every one. And, once again a cultural story where disappointing parents is the root of all evil. The child -- parent relationship has no age cap.

Khaled complicates his own life. Again, as many times in this genre, I didn't connect.

There is a story here: however, I didn't find enough of it. I wish you well with it.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and after seeing so many people rave about the book I had very high expectations. For me, the book was good but not "book of the year" exceptional. It felt long. It was quite character-driven, so if that's not your type of book be aware of that coming into it. What I did like: the self-reflections and personal growth of the protagonist in having to create a new home in the UK unexpectedly and the strong portrayal of male friendship over decades. I learned a lot of things about Libya I previously did not know. What didn't work for me is the distinct last of action for many parts of the book -- which is more a reflection of me as a reader. The writing is beautiful and I can see how this is an exceptional book for some people. Overall, glad I read it though!

A stunning new voice in literary fiction. Highly recommended, but the cover doesn’t seem to best sell the book in my opinion..

Walking home from the train station where he has just bid his good friend farewell, Khaled reminisces on the many twists and turns his life has taken in the last few decades. He recalls the time, back home in Benghazi, when he heard a bizarre short story read aloud on the radio. This might possibly be the moment his life was launched on its current trajectory, first pursuing an education in literature and eventually meeting the author himself. Khaled traces his life across miles, through violence, under dictatorships, and between ties of family and friends.

Author Hisham Matar has beautifully crafted the story of Khaled’s life, blending it with historical context culminating in the uprisings known as the Arab Spring. Relationships, particularly friendships are at the heart of this novel. Matar’s writing feels profound yet uncomplicated, beautiful but supremely real.

I began to lose track of time while reading this book. It would always take me by surprise when I'd raise my head and realize I am not actually in London nor am I Libyan, this is not actually happening to me. The prose is gentle, almost a lull, and builds this story beautifully. Highly recommend to every litfic reader.

My Friends
By Hisham Matar

This is the story of three Libyan young men who are sent from Qaddafi's Libya to the UK for their education. Two of them – Mustafa and Khaled – meet while studying in Edinburgh. Mustafa is the more adventurous of the two, while Khaled is cautious.

In 1984 there was a massive protest rally at the Libyan embassy in London over the Libyan government's treatment of its citizens. Embassy personal opened fire on the protestors, killing a police woman and injuring eleven protestors. In this novel, Mustafa and Khaled were both injured, Khaled the most severely. The third man, Hosam, was a writer critical of the regime. Both Mustafa and Khaled admire his work. It is only years later that we find out that he was also present at that protest.

All three became persona non grata in their homeland and attempted to reconcile themselves to life in the UK. But being expats not by choice eats away at all three in different ways according to their personalities. Being forced to leave all you knew and loved behind can do damage to the soul.

Fast forward to the Arab Spring of 2011. The governments of Egypt, Tunisia and Libya begin to crumble and the three now middle-aged men must decide on their course of action with regard to their homeland.

This is a heart-wrenching book. Due to personal circumstances, I was able to relate to the torments these young men lived with – but I believe anyone with a heart would have to feel moved by tis story.

When Khalid is 14, he and his family listen to a story on the radio of a cat devouring it's owner. I'm not sure what the significance of this story was, but Khalid remembered it throughout his life.
A few years later, he leaves Libya for the UK where he attends the University of Edinburgh and develops a friendship with Mustafa. The two are pulled into a protest against the Qaddafi regime at the Libyan Embassy in London where they are critically shot and hospitalized. After discharge, the two part ways, although they are not permitted to return to the University. Eventually, they become involved in the Libyan civil war.
This is the story of relationships within the background of political events. The writing is beautifully descriptive, although at times overdone. The author hones in on the agony and internal struggles of the friendship. in the men as they mature.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

A deeply moving and thought-provoking read that stays with you long after you've turned the last page.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

My Friends is poetic, emotional, and just absolutely stunning. It portrays so well the heartache of leaving home for better opportunities. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with this eARC.