Who Will Remain

by Kasim Ali

Amir has grown up in Alum Rock, Birmingham, under the care of his sensible older brother, Bilal, and his cousin Saqib, born just a few days before Amir. Alum Rock can be a troubled place, but Amir has managed to keep his head down, worked hard and stayed out of trouble … until now.

When Saqib is killed in a gang fight and Bilal announces his engagement, Amir suddenly loses the two men who keep him grounded. Amir’s university grades are collapsing, he’s running out of money, and pressure mounts from every direction. As tensions flare, the friends left around him start to draw Amir into their more dangerous pursuits, and the family ties that have bound him so completely begin to unravel. Amir decides he only has himself to rely on and must take his future into his own hands.

This is a blistering story of social expectations and social condemnation, of dead ends and divided loyalties, and of what’s left behind when you have nothing left to lose.

310 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 17, 2025

Reviews

[Clare · Rating 2 out of 5]

‘Who Will Remain’ by Kasim Ali is a story about masculinity and race, and the expectations that come with that. Amir is a young man from a Pakistani family based in Birmingham. He has always worked hard in school to break away from the pattern of violence and crime that has taken hold of so many men in his community.

I found the premise of the book interesting but the story seemed quite surface level to me. I could not connect with Amir or many of the other characters. Amir seemed to lack self reflection and, the fact that one key scene that Amir shared with a woman called Farrah is only revisited once, gave the impression of a lack of critique towards Amir’s actions from the author’s side as well.
The final chapter of the book, told from Amir’s brother’s perspective was the strongest in my opinion as the tension in the novel really came to light.

Thank you to 4th estate books for sending me a gifted proof.

[Julia Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook of this, and the narration was a very authentic/well cast Brummie, which added further to the realism of this coming-of-age story. No spoilers here, but this one hurts! Gangs, county lines, the opposing forces of family vs. peers, culminating in violence. The plot moves along swiftly, and there’s plenty of it, spattered with astute observations of family dynamics. I can’t say I enjoyed this, but that’s kind of the point. It’s not quite up there with ‘An Olive Grove in Ends’ but it’s set in the same gritty teen/young adult underworld, and makes you count your blessings.

[Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

This really did not live up to my expectations based on the précis. It portrays the culture of Pakistani youth living in the Birmingham area in a poor light. For me, this was an eduction into the lives of twenty-something single Muslim Pakistani men, finding their way in life and their get-rich quick schemes to grow wealth and independence by whatever means possible. The story followed Amir as he fought the weight of his parents’ beliefs and expectations for his future , only to fail to reach their aspirations. Far from being an enjoyable read, it did throw light on the realities of life with an ending as it began.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC on exchange for my personal review.

[Nadia Leona Yunis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raw, real, alive, fast paced, optimistically hopeful yet painstakingly heartbreaking. Amir and his life were real and not a fictional character. A few tears fell at the end…

[Georgina Reads_Eats_Explores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the heart of Birmingham’s Alum Rock—a place where everyone knows your name, your family, and what you’re up to—this is a low-key but quietly devastating story about grief, family pressure, and how easily things can unravel when the ground gives way beneath you.

Amir’s always played it safe: head down, staying out of trouble, keeping within the lines drawn for him. But when his cousin Saqib is killed in a gang fight and his older brother Bilal announces he’s getting engaged and moving on, the two people who’ve kept him steady are suddenly gone. What’s left is a space Amir doesn’t know how to fill.

His grades are slipping. There’s no money coming in. And the lads still hanging about seem to offer more risk than reassurance.

What Ali does so well here is chart the slow drift. There’s no single moment of crisis, just a steady slide into a life Amir never chose, and the quiet ache of watching someone try to stand alone when the odds are stacked against them.

On the surface, this is a deeply specific story: British Pakistani, working-class, inner-city. But it speaks to broader themes of masculinity, identity, the weight of expectation, and the cost of trying to carve your own path.

At times, it felt heavy. The world these young men move through is bleak, full of unspoken pressures and toxic masculinity, with very few alternatives offered. But Ali handles it all empathetically, painting in greys rather than absolutes.

Amir’s relationship with his maternal grandmother is a highlight—warm, grounding, full of quiet love.

Though I found it slow to warm to, it lingers. A raw and relevant take on how support systems can both shield and suffocate.

A layered, unflinching read—worth picking up if you’re drawn to stories of identity, family, and the fine line between survival and self-destruction.

Many thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy. Who Will Remain will be published on 17th July. As always, all opinions are my own.

[Ruth Brookes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Searing, raw and angry, Who Will Remain is a powerful story of toxic masculinity, societal expectation and cultural pressures.

It’s the story of a young man, Amir; British, Pakistani, Muslim. Growing up in the shadow of a sensible, beloved older brother, feeling overlooked by his parents. Living in an often troubled area of Birmingham, watching friends, his closest cousin even drawn into gangs, Amir just tries to keep his head down, study, get the grades.

But he is quietly devastated when his longterm girlfriend moves away. Then his cousin Saqib is killed in a gang fight, and his brother Bilal announces his engagement. And he cannot speak his truth and be honest with his friends. The pressure of not having any money, to not drink, to be a good boy, find a nice girl. It’s all too much.

This was a furious, powerful read. The rage and disappointment in Amir’s head blocking out any compassion, empathy and vulnerability. He cannot move past the idea that only through money and power does his life have value.

Looking at community, the pressure of tradition vs demands to change with the times. Young men who feel rejected and unwanted by society. It asks how does someone stay on the path of safety, when so much is stacked against them.

Kasim Ali’s storytelling is blistering, heartbreaking. real. I found it bleak, uncomfortable and yet incredibly necessary. This is the good stuff. Should be required reading.

[Janine Atkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this over a few sittings. The book is not particularly exciting,  in fact its quite mundane at times, but I feel like that's the point. It’s about a Pakistani teen Amir who lives in the shadow of his older brother. Struggling to live up to expectations, struggling to even know what he wants to do with his life he slips through the cracks and is befriended by some youths who think they've got it made. What struck me was that these boys could be my son, your son, your next door neighbour. They come from ordinary families who love them, even if the way they show it falls flat at times.

I felt such despair watching Amir stumble blindly into gang life, never realising the dangers or even considering that what he was doing was wrong until it was far too late. He sees a friend with money,  a car  a nice watch... asks where he got the money from...  next thing he knows hes a cog in the drug chain. It was so easily done. And so easily ignored.

If you were to change a few names and places and you'd be telling a true story.

It was a slow burn of a book and is still on my mind days after finishing it. Go hug your boys and find out what's going on in their lives even if it means having difficult conversations.

[em · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
A raw and unflinching novel about race, masculinity and what it means to make it. Amir was an interesting character, however I wish we got more development. His actions were inexcusable and he was unlikeable from the start, but I didn’t mind that, clearly that was the point of his characterisation. The side characters, including his family and friends were a little two dimensional but still added an interesting element to the story.

There were several moments that I wish were revisited for further discussion, such as the night with Farrah, his brother’s smoking habits, and his relationship with his father. These plot points felt a little underdeveloped. However, this was still an entertaining and important novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #WhoWillRemain #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having spent 13 years working in a school in this community of Birmingham, I have an awareness of the familial and cultural expectations Amir was experiencing. It took me a little while to get into the writing style, but I realise it has to be representative of the IRL interactions of the characters. I felt the author was writing what he knew, lived and experienced.
Loved how the ending came in Bilal’s voice.

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sad story, describing a way of life/living I know very little about. I can’t comment on how accurate it is but I definitely felt the desperation of many of the characters. I found myself willing Amir to not give in. A well written, emotional read.

I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Theodora]

DNF. It had potential but nothing was really happening. We follow a sad young adult trying to grow up and find his place, torn by the future, his culture, family and comparing himself to all other figures in his life. It just felt slow, too slow and superficial.

[Linda Wells]

I'm probably not the target audience for this novel, I just found it a sad and depressing slice of life. I did finish it, but I never looked forward to reading it.

[Fleur Currie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started really strong but I wanted more from it.