The Black Crescent

by Jane Johnson

A captivating historical novel set in post-war Casablanca about a young man marked by djinns who must decide where his loyalties lie as the fight for Moroccan independence erupts.

Hamou Badi is born in a village in the Anti-Atlas Mountains with the markings of the zouhry on his hands. In Morocco, the zouhry is a figure of legend, a child of both humans and djinns, capable of finding treasure, lost objects, and even water in the worst of droughts. But when young Hamou finds the body of a murdered woman, his life is forever changed.

Haunted by this unsolved murder and driven by the desire to do good in the world, Hamou leaves his village for Casablanca to become an officer of the law under the French Protectorate.

But Casablanca is not the shining beacon of modernity he was expecting. The forcible exile of Morocco’s sultan by the French sparks a nationalist uprising led by violent dissident groups, none so fearsome as the Black Crescent. Torn between his heritage and his employers, Hamou will be caught in the crossfire.

The lines between right and wrong, past and future, the old world and the new, are not as clear as the magical lines on his palms. And as the danger grows, Hamou is forced to choose between all he knows and all he loves.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical, Africa, Morocco, Adult

400 pages, Paperback

Published March 5, 2024

Reviews

[Robin Hobb · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, a caveat. Jane Johnson and I have been friends for over thirty years. And she has also been my editor in the UK. And I received my signed copy as a gift. However, I do not think any of those things will affect my experience of reading the book and my review.

The Black Crescent is set in Morocco during the time of the French control of the region. The main protagonist is a Berber man coming of age in that time. His life spans tribal superstition and French modern education. He will wear the French uniform of a policeman while holding the best intentions toward any and all folk that he comes into contact with.

(Am I violating my 'no spoilers' rule? A little bit. But you will discover that within the first twenty pages of the book, so I'm not too troubled by it.)

As a reader, I was parachuted into a culture that I know little about, and a time, conflict and region that I essentially knew nothing about. New vocabulary words and traditions about a magic came in a hailstorm. Yet somehow it wasn't overwhelming, mostly because the author made the tale so compelling. (It somewhat reminded me of my early years as a reader. 'I don't know that word. Skip it. I know enough about it from the story. Read on!') Much as it does in our 'real' lives, magic wafted gently through the tale, refusing to be absolutely defined as such, even as it refused to be ignored as a factor in Hamou's life.

The descriptions in the tale are masterfully done. I could smell the spice and dust and the odors of a busy street. The characters were well delineated. At no time did I have to go leafing back through the pages to remind myself who someone was. Although the setting was exotic to me, it was so familiar to Hamou that like him, I often wished he could just go home and be safe. But he could not and did not, and that really is the spine of the story.

This is a tale about duty. But it's also about principles, and what happens when duty and principle come into direct conflict.

You can read this as a historical novel, or a fantasy tale, or a character study. No matter how you approach this book, I predict you will enjoy it and remember it.

[Brok3n · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two short novels that fit together awkwardly

Jane Johnson's The Black Crescent is a novel about a young Moroccan man, Hamou Badi, who, we are told, is a zouhry. Zouhry children are recognizable by the single horizontal line on their palms and by a characteristic eye coloring. They are said to be children of Djinn, and to have special powers of finding things. In her Author's Note, Johnson tells us that her husband is a zouhry. This should answer one question I had when I began to read -- are zouhry fantasy? No, they are a real thing, and nothing that happens to Hamou or that he does would force you to believe in the supernatural. No Djinn appear in The Black Crescent.

The Black Crescent takes place in Morocco during the 1950s. France took Morocco from Spain in 1912 and ruled until 1956. In 1953 France exiled the Sultan to Madagascar. This sparked the active and eventually successful revolution that led to Moroccan independence. The first half of The Black Crescent recounts Hamou's experiences in Casablanca during the time when the revolution was most active. After escaping trouble in Casablanca Hamou returns to the rural village where he was born and is given a position of responsibility, which he acquits well until independence, and presumably beyond.

Hamou is an appealing character, as one might expect of a character modeled on the husband of a happily married author. He was the best thing about The Black Crescent. It is also an excellent picture of the struggle for Moroccan independence, seen from the point of view of a good man.

Despite having enjoyed the book, I was left a bit dissatisfied. I think the reason is the structure of the story. It felt like two short novels stitched awkwardly together. The first half is suspenseful, harrowing, and often quite violent. It comes to a climax, which feels like it has been resolved when Hamou escapes to his home village. We then have a second half which is altogether much calmer and happier in which Hamou makes a success of himself. The French/Moroccan conflict is by no means absent from this second half, but it feels far less intense than in the first half, and far less relevant to Hamou personally. I think I would have liked The Black Crescent better had it been published as two separate novellas about Hamou Badi.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for an advance reader copy of The Black Crescent. This review expresses my honest opinion.

Blog review.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her Author Note, Jane Johnson writes, ‘I love to learn when I write fiction, and I hope readers will enjoy learning alongside me.’ I certainly did. Although I was aware of a French influence in the history of Morocco, I knew nothing about the extent of French control over the country and, in particular, the period of unrest that followed the exile of the Sultan of Morocco in 1953. Nor was I aware of the brutal actions taken by the French authorities to suppress the independence movement, some parts of which (like the fictional Black Crescent of the title) turned to increasingly violent measures.

Hamou Badi is our witness to these events, events he views with increasing horror. ‘Violent deaths became a daily occurrence. Regime collaborators killed by nationalists. Nationalists executed by the authorities. Moroccan activists killed by settlers. Settlers murdered by terrorists.’ He struggles with a growing sense of complicity; he joined the French police force out of a desire to do good but finds his integrity increasingly compromised.

Hamou comes to epitomise a person caught between two worlds and two identities. As he observes, ‘There it was, he was alone again, stranded in that no-man’s land between the rock of the French regime and the hard place inhabited by his own people.’ That there will come a breaking point seems unavoidable and when it does, it has devastating consequences.

Hamou is a solitary, self-effacing person making him an entirely sympathetic character. His innate sense of justice and humanity shines through everything he does. For instance, the kindness he shows towards Didi, a young beggar. And his instinctive desire to help those in trouble will reap rewards at crucial points.

Although there are brutal scenes at some points in the story, there’s also humour particularly towards the end of the book as Hamou takes up a new role and is presented with some tricky problems to solve. There was even a laugh out loud moment, which rarely happens for me.

The author’s love for Morocco, its people and its culture is evident throughout the book. (You can read about her very special – and romantic – connection with the country on her website.) In particular, there are wonderful (and mouth-watering) descriptions of the food of Morocco but also of its landscape, architecture, traditions, social and religious customs and rich history. The strong sense of community in which ties of blood are of particular importance is exemplified by Hamou’s family. But there is also a sense of change in the air, a transition from old ways to more modern ways, with some things lost in the process but others gained.

I’ve enjoyed all the books I’ve read by Jane Johnson – Court of Lions, The Sea Gate and The White Hare – but I think The Black Crescent is her best yet. It had everything I look for in historical fiction: a fascinating period setting, an engaging central character and a compelling story line that transported me to a different time and place. And, for me, it had the perfect ending.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am blown away by this authors versatility! I have read The Sea Gate, The White Hare and now, The Black Crescent. They are all vastly different and equally as impressive.

The main character, Hamou Badi, is such a beautiful soul. I absolutely loved his character and storyline. He cares deeply for his family, friends and employment. His loyalty is deeply seeded.

Hamou's loyalty is tested when he is stuck in the middle of the political turmoil of the resistance and fight for Moroccan independence.

I very much enjoyed this story. It's worth mentioning that if you're coming into this hoping for a lot of fantasy/magical realism - based on the mention of djinns, you may be disappointed. It's there, but it isn't the main takeaway.

The glossary at the back of the book was such a nice touch. I was very fortunate to recognize a lot of the words used from my time spent in Egypt.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for this gifted copy.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love djinny stories, and this is very good one.

Hamou Badi is a reluctant zouhry (human & djinn hybrid) and he does his best to stay out of the public eye, but because he wants to do good in his beloved Morocco upon which France has imposed itself he has signed up with law enforcement. A catch-22 as the reader quickly sees.

This book did what I truly love books to do: take me somewhere I've never been while hitting most of favorite hot spots - this one did, with a bonus cat!

*A sincere thank you to Jane Johnson, Simon & Schuster Canada, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* 25|52:12b

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane Johnson's The Black Crescent offers a read that fascinates both in terms of history and plot. Set in the years before, during, and after the French withdrawal from Morocco, The Black Crescent follows the life of Hamou Badi, who spends his childhood in a village, but relocates to Casablanca as he's responsible for his mother and sister, which means finding the kind of paying work not available in a village.

Hamou decides to become a police officer, a position he believes will allow him a chance to stand up for the rights of the victimized and overlooked. He excels in his training program and is welcomed by the Sureté, the French police. Welcomed, not in the sense of "you're one of us now; we are brothers," but in the sense of "we can use you, and of course we'll assign you the most boring and most dangerous work, including furthering our control over your own people." At first Hamou finds satisfaction in his work. He does help the victimized and overlooked when given the opportunity, but such opportunities evaporate as the resistance against French colonial rule grows.

Hamou is trained in weapons use and finds himself assigned to tamp down protests and to ferret out those involved in clandestine independence groups. This is the crux of the novel: Hamou's witnessing of his own compromises and his growing unwillingness to maintain French power.

The promo material for the novel emphasizes the fact that Hamou is born with lines across his palms that mark him as a zhoury—a human who is part Djinn and who has remarkable skills and luck beyond the ordinary. I was expecting a novel heavy on magical realism, but that isn't the case. Readers see a handful of moments of great luck in Hamou's life, but mostly he is an ordinary man trying to live an ordinary life in a time when the meaning of "ordinary" is shifting as colonial society breaks down. This isn't a tale of magical realism; it's a tale of life as occupation crumbles and new norms emerge.

At first, I found the lack of magical realism disappointing, because I enjoy the genre. As I continued to read, however, I appreciated that events in the book aren't driven by magic, but by human inequities, tensions, and aspirations.

If you're interested in the history of French-occupied northern Africa or the struggle against colonialism you'll find this novel engaging, even though—or perhaps because—Hamou isn't a capital-H Hero, but a man who manages moments of small-h heroism during a dangerous time. But even if you're not interested in the historic aspects of the story, you'll find yourself appreciating the way The Black Crescent explores the costs and rewards of right action.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.

[Maryah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d like to begin by thanking Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I was drawn to this book because of its premise; a book set in Morocco at a time when the Moroccan Independence movement was at its height – brilliant! It’s clear from the offset that the book is very well-researched and written by someone who loves the country and its culture. However, I have mixed feelings about this book for several reasons.

CAWPILE Rating
- Characters: 7
- Atmosphere: 8
- Writing: 7.5
- Plot: 6
- Intrigue: 6
- Logic: 7
- Enjoyment: 7

You can read my full review of The Black Crescent on my blog: https://wp.me/peD0l3-em

[Paula · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I´d known this authors´s previous books were romance/chick lit disguised as HF, I´d have steered clear of it, but the synopsis and setting drew me in. A mistake. The plot is nonexistent, the characters cardboard,the writing pedestrian,repetitive and overly descriptive,the ending predictable and bland.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane Johnson is a British author who has set several of her novels in Morocco, her husband’s country, with each book exploring a different period in Morocco’s history. The Black Crescent is set in the 1950s, during the time of the French protectorate, when support for Moroccan independence was building momentum.

Our narrator, Hamou Badi, grows up in the remote mountain village of Tiziane, a place where the people still cling to ancient traditions and superstitions. Due to the lines on his hands, Hamou himself is said to be a ‘zouhry’, a legendary figure blessed by a djinn and capable of locating treasure and detecting sources of water. However, it is not treasure that eleven-year-old Hamou finds one day in 1939, but the body of a woman, hidden amongst the palm trees by a dried up riverbed. The lack of interest shown by the French authorities in trying to solve this murder leads to Hamou’s decision to become a police officer and ensure that future victims of crime are given the justice they deserve.

Several years later, in 1955, we rejoin Hamou in Casablanca, where he is now working for the Sûreté, the police force of the French colonialists who are still ruling the country. Hamou takes his job seriously, trying to maintain law and order on the streets of Casablanca, but he quickly discovers that many of his fellow Moroccans see him as a traitor and someone not to be trusted. As the independence movement continues to gather force, Hamou finds himself caught between the two sides and must decide which is most important to him – loyalty to his country or to the employer who pays his wages.

The Black Crescent is a fascinating novel, particularly as I previously had such limited knowledge of French-ruled Morocco. I knew nothing about the work of the Istiqlal (independence) Party or the tensions and unrest following France’s exile of Sultan Mohammed V in 1953. Hamou is the perfect choice of narrator, with one foot in both worlds, showing us that there are good and bad people on both sides. Johnson has clearly researched this period thoroughly (she provides a list of her sources in her author’s note) and writes with an understanding and sympathy for the aims of the Moroccans in attempting to overthrow their French occupiers, but without condoning the violence used by some groups such as the ‘Black Crescent’ of the title.

Hamou is portrayed as an honourable, kind-hearted man trying to navigate his way through a difficult situation and I found him easy to like. He also has a love interest – a young woman he meets in Casablanca – but it only plays a small part in the book and I was just as captivated by the relationship he forms with Madani, the little black cat he rescues and adopts. The book did feel very slow-paced and took much longer to read than I’d expected based on the length, but it held my interest throughout and I learned a lot from it. I wish I’d known there was a glossary at the end of the book, but I was able to understand most of the Moroccan terms from the context anyway, so that wasn’t too much of a problem!

I think The Sultan’s Wife, set in 17th century Morocco, is still my favourite Jane Johnson book so far, but there are three of her earlier novels I haven’t read yet, so that could change!

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hamou Badi is born in a small village in the mountains of south west Morocco. In all respects, but one, he's an ordinary boy; what sets him apart from the other village boys are the zouhry marks on his hands. These signify that Hamou occupies two worlds, those of humans, and those of the djinn, making him a child of both. A zouhry can find lost things and treasure, but after Hamou finds a murdered woman, this leaves him shaken, and sets him on a different path from others in his village.

Hamou wants to do good in the world, and leaves home eventually for Casablanca, where he becomes a police officer under the French Protectorate in the early 1950s.

As he patrols, he begins to notice open dissatisfaction and anger with the French, who have exiled Morocco's sultan. This dissatisfaction is transforming into organized resistance and violence against the occupiers, who live in the best parts of the city, and take whatever they want, sending materials and other things to France. Needless to say, most of the French police officers around Hamou treat the locals with disgust.

When he discovers a young woman that has been pining for, Zina (she's the daughter of his downstairs neighbours in his apartment), is working with the Black Crescent, a group striving to eject the French from Morocco, Hamou finds himself further isolated and conflicted in his loyalties, and wondering where he stands amidst the rising militancy around him.

He's forced to take a side eventually, which leads to terrible consequences for him, but also a surprising change in his life, leading him eventually to find his real calling, and some meaning to his boyhood trauma.

This was such a great story. I felt fully grounded in Hamou's world of 1950s Casablanca, and I felt the author's love for the country and its people come through vividly.

Hamou is a wonderfully fleshed out character; from childhood, he has been a person in two worlds: his zouhry marks giving him what he sees as an unearned cachet, and then later his chosen profession, which many of the Casablanca locals see as traitorous or ill-considered. His desire to help others is often at conflict with his superiors' orders, and his uniform sets him apart from the people he wants to serve, but who resent his supposed soft stance on the oppressors. All this leaves him ambivalent and conflicted about the rising chaos around him until a critical moment when he must choose whether he is Moroccan or a merely a tool of the French.

The political upheaval, as seen through the eyes of Hamou, as well as the obvious inequality between the French and the Moroccans, is well-handled. There are scenes of brutality, but there are also moments of humour, kindness and compassion, bringing home the humanity of her main character, as well as many others of his friends and relations.

I've read three books now by this author, and have enjoyed them all. They're all beautifully written, well researched, and with such well-drawn characters. This book was a pleasure to read.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Simon & Schuster Canada for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[Sarah Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was a bit bored with the book but it was ok ….. That is all I really have to say about it.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly well written and absorbing novel set around 1955 during the French occupation of Morocco.

We learn about the time through the eyes of Hamou, a young man from a poor mountain village. His mother is convinced he is a magic zouhry, a baby of the djinns, as he has the special marks on his hands.

Hamou has moved to Casablanca, ‘Casa’, to be a policeman, although working for the French Surete doesn’t fit comfortably with him. The more time that passes, the stronger the Black Crescent become and more violent terrorist attacks are made.

The Black Crescent is a violent dissident splinter group, who blatantly assassinated figures in the French regime. They are fighting to restore the sultan and obtain their freedom from the French.

Hamou is secretly besotted by Zina, who he accidentally finds is a member of The Black Crescent. Although he is a policeman, he does not report her.

As the attacks continue, Hamou must decide where his loyalties lie.


Such an interesting read. I didn’t know anything about the French occupation so I have learned a lot by reading Jane’s book. The descriptions of the sights, sounds and smells of the markets were so vivid. I was immersed, and was rooting for Hamou who couldn’t have been a more honest, wanting to do the right thing, family boy. I also enjoyed reading the letters from his mother, written by the village’s public letter writer showing the lack of proper education.

Overall a fantastic read which is going to stay with me for a long time and is firmly on my list of top reads of the year.

[Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Black Crescent is an fascinating read full of culture and history and a little magic. I really liked Hamou as a character and thought his links with the Zouhry intriguing. His life was one caught between the two worlds and it was interesting to see how he managed the conflict inside himself as he worked to support his family.

Full of detailed and larger than life characters, The Black Crescent evokes scents of the spices found in the Moroccan markets an immerses you completely in this evocative country. Jane Johnson’s love and knowledge of Morocco and it’s culture is extremely apparent through the writing and although I wasn’t aware of the depth of the French v Moroccan hostilities, I found this part of the history intriguing to read about.
I would have liked more about Zina and her links with the Black Crescent groups but thought this an entertaining read.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed that this book was set in Morocco during the 1950s civil unrest. Not knowing much about this time, I enjoyed all the factual details. This book was advertised as having a fantastical element which I found primarily absent. Pacing throughout the middle was also slow.

Thank you @simonandschuster and @netgalley for this complimentary arc.

[Zainab Bint Younus · Rating 1 out of 5]

"The Black Crescent" by Jane Johnson's blurb was more interesting than the novel itself.

Set in Morocco in the 1930s-1950s, the story follows Hamou Badi, an Amazighi man who leaves his village to become a policeman in Casablanca. While much is made of him being a zouhry (some kind of magical human) due to the markings on his hands, this detail is pretty much irrelevant beyond people bringing it up. More importantly, this book is set against the background of French colonization and nationalist resistance. At some point, there are murders, and bombings, and torture.

Except somehow none of it really matters, the author makes a point of insisting through the course of the story that yeah French colonization was bad, but not thaaaaaat bad because they brought civilization to Morocco! Electricity! Infrastructure! Hospitals!

Hamou and his story waffle about, there's no serious climax to the story, there's just no real meaningful statement or point being made. What **should** have been a powerful story of a character who began as passively complicit in the colonial system and then realized its evils and joined the resistance was instead about a man who remains passively complicit in colonial infrastructure and... doesn't change much and doesn't ever really take a stand for anything.

The writing itself is good, but the storytelling is weak, the character development practically non-existent, the plot is weak, and the colonizer apologetics is infuriating - especially in today's context more than ever.

Don't waste your time. The story never gets better. And you'll just end up cussing out the author for her sympathy towards French colonizers, no matter how much she pretends to acknowledge their violence against colonial victims. Of course she added a "good French colonizer" character who will remain in Morocco after the French pull out bc he likes the country and people and will be sooo nice to them. #NotAllColonizers

1/5 🌟

#bookstagram #historicalfiction #fiction #Morocco #colonization #bookreview #review #critique #bookish #books #WhatNotToRead

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

1955 Morocco was a time of turmoil, a time of fear and hope.
The French were never loved in countries they colonized. And every country run by a foreign power will fight for its independence sooner or later. And so the Moroccans fought.

This is a fictional story with fictional characters about a decent, sensitive person who suddenly finds himself in a political whirl and must choose a side. This choice is not a choice, there is no right thing to do. Whatever he will or will not do, won´t earn him any friends.
Well written, a bit slow, but this isn't a complaint. This slow pace is in a way reflecting the state of awareness of Hamou. He cares about his family, friends, and his job. He tries to be a good person and live a quiet life. Don´t we all? So when he finally starts to understand what other people, his people, are thinking and doing, when this realization comes to him - this is when the story, the writing picks up some speed.
It´s an enjoyable read, however, I´d like to see some footnotes that would explain some Arabic words, phrases, customs, etc. Not everyone is familiar with Moroccan traditions.

[Kelly (miss_kellysbookishcorner) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: The Black Crescent
Author: Jane Johnson
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: March 5, 2024

I received a complimentary eARC from Simon & Schuster Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad

T H R E E • W O R D S

Atmospheric • Detailed • Lengthy

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Hamou Badi is born in a village in the Anti-Atlas Mountains with the markings of the zouhry on his hands. In Morocco, the zouhry is a figure of legend, a child of both humans and djinns, capable of finding treasure, lost objects, and even water in the worst of droughts. But when young Hamou finds the body of a murdered woman, his life is forever changed.

Haunted by this unsolved murder and driven by the desire to do good in the world, Hamou leaves his village for Casablanca to become an officer of the law under the French Protectorate.

But Casablanca is not the shining beacon of modernity he was expecting. The forcible exile of Morocco’s sultan by the French sparks a nationalist uprising led by violent dissident groups, none so fearsome as the Black Crescent. Torn between his heritage and his employers, Hamou will be caught in the crossfire.

The lines between right and wrong, past and future, the old world and the new, are not as clear as the magical lines on his palms. And as the danger grows, Hamou is forced to choose between all he knows and all he loves.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I have previously read and enjoyed Jane Johnson's work so when I was offered an ARC of The Black Crescent I gratefully accepted, especially considering this one sounded like it would have a side of magical realism.

Each of Jane Johnson's novels is vastly different, covering a variety of historical contexts, yet she delivers culturally rich stories filled with vivid detail where the reader is transported directly into the story. There is no doubt in my mind (once again) that she has done her research. With that being said, the pacing is incredibly slow and at times, I found myself skimming. It is so descriptive, I ended up being drawn out of the narrative completely. Additionally, the pacing felt disjointed between the first and second halves, which left me somewhat confused.

From reading the synopsis, I was desperately hoping for more of a magical realism centric plot than what I actually got. The historical detail really overtakes the narrative and the djinn doesn't figure into the story as much as I was hoping for. In my opinion, this was a missed opportunity.

Despite appreciating learning about Morocco's fight to gain independence, in my opinion, The Black Crescent is the weakest of Jane Johnson's works I have read so far. The ending tied things about a little too nicely, and I had really been hoping for more of the magical aspect. Regardless, I will continue to keep an eye on what she publishes next because I love exploring and learning about less covered parts of history.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• learning new parts of history
• furry companions

⚠️ CW: racism, xenophobia, islamophobia, colonization, death, violence, gun violence, police brutality, rape, sexual assault

[Colleen | Paperback.Portals · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: The Black Crescent by Jane Johnson

The Black Crescent is a historical fiction set in 1950s Morocco during Independence. Hamou Abdi, a man marked with the sign of the Djinn, seeks to find his place while navigating the clash between his people and the colonizing French.

I learned a lot as I read this book about the country as well as the time period. The character, Hamou, was interesting because of his loyalty, responsibility, and consistently upright behaviour. His morality, that occasionally hinges on naiveté, make him a perfect perspective to follow to see the struggles faced and difficult decisions made by someone living under colonial oppression. His story is a bit winding, which can make you wonder at his role as narrator, but his “in-between” nature gives a unique point of view of the turbulent events and intrigues you as to the strange situations he finds himself in. At times the story felt abrupt and I had to resituate myself in the narrative, but these shifts in time or lack of information at points all worked to reinforce Hamou’s innocent nature during the conflict between colonizer and colonized.

This book is a great read for those who truly love to read historical fiction, as the pacing is slower and the details intricate so that it allows you to travel back in time and experience the mundane as well as the intense and really appreciate the internal conflict of the protagonist.

This advance copy of The Black Crescent was gifted to me by Simon & Schuster. The opinions are my own.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE BLACK CRESCENT by Jane Johnson is a historical fiction story in a place I've never been!

In 1929 Morocco, we meet Hamou Badi as an 11 year old. He is a typical Berber boy, but one day he and his cousin find a body. The lack of attention or honor given to the woman by the occupying French authorities deeply disturbs Hamou.

As an adult in 1955, Hamou finds himself trying to straddle the home of his people and the French, with an untenable hold. He is forced to make a choice at one point, and somehow lives through the ensuing chaos. Is he really a Zouhry, also straddling the real with the spiritual worlds?

I learned so much in this historical fiction story. First, I have known vaguely about the various occupations of African nations by European countries, but rarely do I read about it so precisely. This story gave a real and unvarnished look at how it may have been, and how the Moroccan people held on to hope and their country. I found Hamou's story fascinating and I enjoyed seeing his growth in such circumstances.

Thank you @netgalley and @headofzeus for this digital ARC and for letting me share my thoughts. It was a gorgeously told narrative that I hope hist-fic fans will grab! It was published August 3rd, and so is available now!

[Inthemilkyway · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read The Black Crescent if you loved these books:
1. The White Tiger, Aravind Adiga
2. The Red Tent, Anita Diamant

This book is about the French occupation of Morocco and goes into the history well, following a Moroccan man born in a rural fictional area. In a time of great civil unrest towards the end of the colonial rule, he deals with a myriad of moral dilemmas as a result of working for the French imposed police force.

The plot was interesting and well researched. A little slow in the middle, but this picks up towards the latter half of the book. Overall a great read!

ARC review, publish date 3 August 2023.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this a really slow read. Although it felt like a very personal and important story to the author, it seemed that the incidents in the story weren't connected to Hamou, or somehow didn't cause growth and a character arc. There was so much room for tension and mystery. Hamou find that body at the beginning, apparently driving him to become a police officer in Casablanca, but that incident is barely mentioned again. Hamou isn't using spare time to poke into the mystery and try to find out who she might have been so I completely forgot about it.

Zina is another of the storylines that is really important when right in front of Hamou, but barely brought up again once Hamou goes back to Tiziane. And once he is back, his time in Casablanca is barely brought up. So each of these things that occur don't seem connected to one another, only to Hamou because they either happen to him, or he is present when something happens.

Because this story meant so much personally to the author, it disappointed me. The pieces in the story about the political unrest and the cost to the Morrocans were by far the best bits in the story. Those felt real and deep. They just felt disconnected from one another and the overall story of Hamou.

[Sian · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first half of this book was fantastic. The second half felt like an entirely different (very dull) story that didn't go with the first half at all.

[Krystal Thorington · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was...okay. A lot of it felt quite superficial, and I wish there had been more focus on the MC actually feeling torn?

[Meriem Ait Bbih · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning storytelling of an author who took on the challenge to learn about Moroccan history and the struggle for independence and avoid with a very keen eye the often-too-easy-to-fall-into Orientalist trap. Very impressed. Has a blast reading it.

[Francis Pellow · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting setting and good plot but it never quite took off for me. Enjoyable.

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this Book.

I usually like a bit more fiction on my Historical fiction stories but I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

I felt for Hamou for most of the book, he was so conflicted.

I really enjoyed his correspondence with his mom and her occurrences.

Once I got used to the words I didn't understand (thank you for doing a glossary) the story grabbed hold of me.

Even though the book discusses sad topics and situations it also made me laugh a lot.

I loved the folklore and the bit og magic mixed in.

Having the reassurance that he did the best he could and is honoring his father was great.

The Happy Ending was of course the best part.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll admit I requested this ARC on the assumption that the story was historical fiction mixed with Islamic mythology. It sounded right up my alley! The book description, unfortunately, does it a bit of injustice. There is such an emphasis placed on the djinn angle, when this doesn’t feature into the story much at all. In fact, the main character denounces being a zouhry every time it comes up. I think this book would be better served in finding the right audience if the zouhry and magical lines on palms weren’t mentioned at all in the blurb.

The Black Crescent is a historical fiction novel set in Morocco during French Colonial rule, known as the French protectorate. We follow Hamou Badi, a young man who grew up in the Anti-Atlas mountains. He moves in with family in Casablanca for eduction and employment opportunities, sending most of his money back home to his family.

In the first half of the book, Hamou is employed as a Surete, a French police officer. It’s a position he is proud of, as he has a drive to help people, and a very noble heart. As tensions mount between the French and the Nationalists, Hamou is pulled between performing his duties and keeping the people he loves safe.

The second half sees Hamou return home. This part is much less tense, yet I found it more enjoyable. There is something about a slice-of-life story that really draws me in. Getting to know the main character more is a huge bonus to this type of story telling.

Overall I found Hamou to be very well written. He felt real, a person with flaws, who makes mistakes but tries his best. It was the secondary characters that were a little flat for me. Even important side characters, like Moha and Zina, did not feel particularly fleshed out. I honestly found Sofiane the most engaging, and he has a very small part in the book. Oh, and the cat, Madani!

The Black Crescent is very well-researched, and it shows. I loved the descriptions of Morocco, the scents and food and Moroccan life and culture. The glossary at the back was a huge help. I’d almost suggest adding footnotes as well to keep reader flow going.

While the writing is descriptive and absorbing, I feel like this book could do with more editing. There was more than one time I ran into a sentence so long, and filled with so much information, that I had forgotten the beginning by the time I got to the end, and had to re-read. There are also instances of over-descriptiveness that add nothing to the story or the picture being painted. For example, at one point Hamou walks into an office and we get a count of the number of people present, including number standing and seating, with no other description.

This is just a me thing, but I found the ending was a bit predictable and trite. People who like romance will probably love the ending. It was satisfying to see everything come together and be wrapped up, while still left on a very hopeful note for the future.

Overall the Black Crescent was a very interesting historical fiction read. Rating 3.5/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for providing the ARC of this book. This review is my honest and voluntary opinion.

[Vivienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thanks to Head of Zeus Apollo for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Black Crescent’ by Jane Johnson.

Thanks also to The Pigeonhole for hosting an online group read of this novel, which allowed me to share comments with my fellow Pigeons.

Morocco, 1939. The novel opens in the mountain village of Tiziane where eleven years previously Hamou Badi had been born with the magical signs of the zouhry on his hands. In Morocco, the zouhry are figures of legend, a child of a human and a djinn, believed capable of finding all manner of treasure: lost objects, hidden water. Yet instead,
Hamou finds a body….

The unsolved murder haunts him and instils in the young Berber a deep desire for order and justice. A few years later he trains as a police officer. In 1955 he is working for the French-run police force in Casablanca, sending money home to his mother in Tiziane while fending off her attempts to find him a suitable wife.

Hamou finds himself caught up in the increasing turmoil of the resistance and the fight for Moroccan independence; realising that soon he will be forced to choose between his position and his love for his country and its peoples. The Black Crescent of the title is an organisation that is taking direct, often violent, action against the French.

I have enjoyed a number of Jane Johnson’s novels over the years and this latest one was superb. In her Author’s Note she provides background on her inspirations, including the stories told to her by Abdel, her husband, about the experiences of his family and friends in the 1950s as well as his own in Casablanca. She also lists some nonfiction sources about this period of Moroccan history.

She mentions her decision to have Hamou Badi bear the marks of the zouhry, bringing a touch of magic and folklore into the story. I had never heard of this particular legend and appreciated how well Johnson had incorporated it into the narrative.

Animals feature prominently in the novel including Hamou’s mule, Makouda, and the black cat he rescued, Madani, who pretty much does what cats do all over the world and soon has Hamou at their beck and call. Madani seemed a fitting companion for a suspected zouhry.

Overall, I found ‘The Black Crescent’ an excellent novel that also served to inform me about this period of Moroccan history as well as the rich culture of the region. It has moments of tragedy as well as hope, humour, and even a touch of romance. Jane Johnson’s writing is rich in description and it was very easy to feel transported in time and place.

Highly recommended.

[Kaitie Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story wasn't exactly what I expected, I thought maybe there'd be some more magical realism with the mention of Djinns in the summary, but I enjoyed it all the same. This story also educated me on a topic I previously knew nothing about (the previous French Protectorate in Morocco), so that's always a bonus for me.

The story follows Hamou as he grapples with his own moral compass and is very much a coming to age tale but in a divided land. Hamou works as an officer under the French Protectorate and firmly believes in empathy and doing what is morally sound and just, but soon learns that the world is more complicated than right or wrong and good or evil. The author wrote the book in such a way that we can really feel his pain in being torn between two worlds when there is wrong and evil on both sides.

There were some parts that were slow to read, and I did struggle a little bit as there are many names, titles, and characters. I really liked the end of the book and thought the conclusion was well done. I also love an animal companion, and Madani, the cat, really added to the story for me - I loved the relationship between Hamou and his pet. I think Jane Johnson did a great job at making the story relatable and also adding in some humor.

Overall, it was a good read, and I was pleased to learn more about a culture that I'm not all that familiar with and some of the history of the people.

[Gail Danks · Rating 2 out of 5]

This really wasn’t for me