Fighting Shadows is set in Morocco. It is a fictional account that tells the story of one young man’s attempt to find justice after receiving a brutal beating during a political protest. Set against the backdrop of the Arab Spring throughout North Africa, the book attempts to demonstrate in narrative some of the reasons why the uprising never took hold to the point of revolution or civil war, like happened other countries such as Libya, Tunisia, and Egypt.
The story begins on that fateful day, February 20, 2011, starting with Farid and his participation in a protest in the town of Sefrou. The reader is taken on a journey that touches on the delicate balance of power in a country that rails against a history of control and abuse of power by the government while also fearing the rise of Islamist fundamentalism should that power be toppled.
The novel ably and clearly demonstrates the fear many citizens feel, whether their fear is centered on the local police, on the national security forces, or on the government’s secret forces. The book describes problems with bribery and corruption, but it also describes good people standing up and trying to fight against it. The real question is how effective those fights are or can be. This book does not give a definitive answer, but does an excellent job of asking questions that should be asked.
I have written a small amount; about these issues in the past, but not much. I lived in Morocco for 7 years and hope to visit again. I have friends who live there, a few expats and far more Moroccan people. I have no interest in stirring up trouble for myself or for them. At the same time, if we don’t question what we see and ask questions about what could be done, nothing can ever improve, in Morocco or anywhere else.
Fighting Shadows does not prescribe a specific remedy, but does a very good job of illuminating the problems that exist. Anyone interested in the politics and people of the region will find that the book helps frame questions that need to be worked through as Morocco and the Moroccan people look toward the future. Will the future be based in fear, whether fear of the Makhzen or of the Ikhwan, or will the future be ruled by hope, and if so, hope in what?
Note: this is a self-published book. Often, I find that self-published books deserve closer scrutiny than manuscripts that have gone through the more rigorous editorial and publication process with a publishing house. It is because I found this book to NOT have most of the common weaknesses of self-published books that I decided to post about it. My guess is that the only reason that a large publisher wouldn’t print this is because they may have felt the market was too small for the book to earn out. The content is of high enough quality to deserve your consideration.
No disclosure needed. I bought this book and thought it was worth sharing with you.