As Rich as the King

AS RICH AS THE KING is coming-of-age love story set in Casablanca during the 90's that felt entirely raw and gritty. Reserved and wealthy Driss opens poor yet courageous Sarah up to his rich, luxurious life that Sarah so desires to live. Even though Driss and Sarah are together, in a way they have this star-crossed lovers feel to them, in which they come from two entirely different worlds and will Driss's family and society accept Sarah? I was surprised by how much I was affected by the emotional yet beautiful ending.

Thank you to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

As Rich as the King by Abigail Assor was an entertaining read. It was emotional, well written and done well. I think this will resonate with a lot of people and will definitely be recommending it.

Set in 1990's Casablanca, Abigail Assor's book,"As Rich As The King" tells the story of schoolgirl Sarah's longing for a rich husband to take her from the squalor of the shanty town she lives in with her mother to the life of luxury she thinks she deserves. Streetwise beyond her years and already used to bargaining with her body to get what she wants Sarah homes in on the unsuspecting Driss, a somewhat morose young man from a very rich family trying to prove to his father that he's also capable of pulling off big deals . While Driss and Sarah's relationship blooms they find themselves up against the rigid class and social barriers of 90's Morocco.

This is a great piece of writing and not least a fascinating insight into Casablancan society ,from the exclusive clubs where the rich young people hang out ,the slums,the strictness of the Islamic laws which those of other religions are not bound by during religious festivals, the beggars and pedlars and the very rich dynastic families.
It's a raw and gritty read ,there's much description of the dirt and squalor that Sarah wants to get away from,and despite her youth the men and boys she sleeps with in return for food or treats.

An involving ,and moving, story about an "odd couple" with big dreams. Already a prizewinning book in France I'm sure this translation will be equally successful with English-speaking readers.