Jihadi: A Love Story

by Yusuf Toropov

A former intelligence agent stands accused of terrorism, held without charge in a secret overseas prison. His memoir is in the hands of a brilliant but erratic psychologist whose annotations paint a much darker picture. As the story unravels, we are forced to assess the truth for ourselves, and decide not only what really happened on one fateful overseas assignment but who is the real terrorist. Peopled by a diverse and unforgettable cast of characters, whose reliability as narrators is always questioned, and with a multi-layered plot heaving with unexpected and often shocking developments, A Love Story  is an intelligent thriller that asks big questions.
Complex, intriguing and intricately woven, this is an astonishing debut that explores the nature of good and evil alongside notions of nationalism, terrorism and fidelity, and, above all, the fragility of the human mind.


‘Smart and searing’ Publishers Weekly

’Captivating, remarkably original … it is a book of our time’ Edward Wilson

‘An exquisitely drawn debut that twists and turns to its stunning conclusion’ Cal Moriarty

‘ Jihadi  is a gripping tale if a clash of cultures and individuals told with panache, dazzling wit and remorseless intelligence’ Willian Ryan

‘Intelligently written and multi-layered … simply enchanting’ Qaisra Shahraz

‘Bold and skilfully executed … bravely tackles a complex and timely subject’ Frankie Gaffney

Genres: Thriller, Religion, Fiction, Politics

395 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2016

About the author

American novelist, nonfiction writer, and playwright. Author of JIHADI: A LOVE STORY, a literary thriller available from Orenda Books.

I was born a Muslim, but only realized that in 2003.

An aim of mine in this world is to Win the Pulitzer, inshaAllah. I like books I read twice. Disagree with civility, please.

Creating a powerful global conversation about #coexistence and #literature and #culture at:

http://bit.ly/ToropovBlog

Reviews

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Updated with Full Review:

Jihadi is quite simply a brilliant book. Unique in its construction, entirely mind blowing and dreadfully emotional. The apocalypse could have come upon us whilst I was reading this novel and I would not even have noticed.

Yusuf Toropov just absorbs you into this and for the entirety of it you are just engaged, befuddled, involved, twisted and turned and ultimately wrung out. There are some smart observations within the narrative should you care to find them that are inherently thought provoking – a book that asks the questions nobody wants to answer but everybody should. Wrapping up intensely intelligent political and social commentary within an atmospheric, entirely character driven novel, Yusuf Toporov takes you to the edge of what you thought you knew and challenges every assumption you ever made. Not only within the story but outside of it, in this world that we all have to live in.

I’m not going to lie – this is a challenging read. No puppies and kittens in here, no nods to the commerical, this is not a novel you are going to read on the beach with only half your attention paid to it – it is a book that you will read when you want to engage your brain entirely, to give your subconcious a workout, this will keep you up at night. None the less it is a page turner. Once you give yourself up to it, Jihadi will get you in ways you won’t even realise whilst you are in it – my one piece of advice is be prepared for tears. Finish this on the bus at your peril….

Novels like this do not come along that often. It is one of those that some will give up on and others will dismiss with a glance, but I would say – don’t be one of those people. Jihadi:A Love Story is worth the time and effort it takes to kick in, it will reward you with unexpected and extraordinarily emotional prose, a heart stopping story and characters you will never ever forget.

Highly Recommended.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jihadi; A Love Story – The Truth Is a Horrible Thing

Jihadi; A Love Story is a novel from Yusuf Toropov an American Muslim, which in itself must be a double edged sword at the best of times. He is an opinionated observer of American relationships with the Middle East and the psyche that they have while out there. While at the same time observes those whom the Americans have gone to ‘save’ and how they react.

Jihadi is not an easy book to read, it takes work, a lot of work if I am an honest but it is worth it for the searing observations that Toropov has about the relationships between America and the Muslim World. This is a book that is packed with pathos, questions, humour and leaves you to make your mind up at the end, even though the story has its own conclusion.

Toropov reminds me of two great writers of English Literature who both if alive today would be writing a book similar to this. Toropov is doing what Dickens and Orwell would have done challenge those who are leading us, and telling us that we are fighting fire with fire for our own good. When the reality is we have just created a bigger fire with angrier people than before.

A former American intelligence officer is being held in a secret overseas prison, that he refers to as the Beige Hotel and has written his own autobiography on smuggled in paper. His book is now in the hands of a quite erratic psychologist who annotations across the text, using the Beetles White album across his notes. The problem is this makes for a much darker picture of the Intelligent Officer.

We see the Intelligence have what seems like a nervous breakdown when he gets back to America after being held captive in an Islamic Jail. He also observes that how the Americans are ignorant and at times over aggressive towards the citizens of Islamic City, urinating on the Koran being an example. How American fears seem to be self fulfilling especially as they tend to provoke Muslims by being heavy handed and overbearing.

At the same time Muslims do not help themselves especially when a new Imam who seems devote, but likes to drink bourbon provokes outrage against America. How this new Imam is able to twist the words and meaning of the Koran ignoring all theological meaning but addressing what the people want to hear encouraging them to rise up against the Imperialist ambitions of the Americans.

This is a complex novel, which will challenge you, make you think and not accept what you think you know about the Middle East and how much do we stir up our own problems. We are asked to consider our understanding of good and evil alongside that of nationalism, freedom and terrorism. It also raises the issue is our we guilty of creating the terrorism that we are afraid of, which only we can answer ourselves.

This may not be an easy read but stick with it, and at the end of the book one can see the questions that have be raised through the power of the story. This really is an intelligent thriller, asks the big questions and we see the actions of both sides, whether we like the answers is a different matter.

[Jackie Law · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jihadi, by Yusuf Toropov, is not an easy book to get into but will reward the persistent reader with the satisfaction of having consumed an impressive work of literature. The narrative hooks brought to mind the Fibonnaci sequence. After a slow start the plot gathered pace until it was necessary to pause from time to time to absorb the multitude of ideas being conveyed. It is a layered and nuanced study of how society may be manipulated to further a cause.

The book is set out as a memoir written by a treasonous American operative during his incarceration in a secret government facility. The prologue suggests that this man, Ali Liddell, died during his interrogation. His executioner is now reading his words, making notes as they go along.

The notes appear personal and unhinged. The note writer listens to music and finds meaning in the lyrics to fit their desired interpretation, one of the more bizarre elements of the book. Perhaps it demonstrates that any words may be twisted to support an argument.

The story is a jigsaw puzzle. Pieces are offered out of order and must be slotted together until gradually what is being assembled becomes clear. It is set in the Islamic Republic and in America. Murders are planned and carried out in both locations.

Thelonius Liddell is a secret agent who kills on government orders. He has returned to his wife in America following a mission that did not go as planned. He appears to be suffering from something like PTSD. His wife, Becky, has a brain tumour that mimics schizophrenia. Her husband and father have tried to keep this prognosis from her that she may better enjoy whatever time she has left.

Liddell’s mission brought him into contact with a devout follower of Islam named Fatima. Fatima’s pregnant sister, her husband and mother-in-law have recently been killed by a shell fired from an American tank. Another shell killed a toddler and injured his eight year old brother. These events set in motion an uprising within the Islamic City where Fatima lives and works.

The story revolves around the intelligence services on both sides, the soldiers tasked with maintaining order, and the radicals who initiate the uprising. Among the Americans are those who think that any and all Muslims should be killed as they present a threat to civilisation. Among the followers of Islam are those who think that any and all Americans should be killed for similar reasons. It is clear that neither side truly believes in the tenets they espouse but use them to garner support for their cause, believing that the end justifies the means. The end they are looking for may be boiled down to personal gain.

What is being explored is the nature of terrorism and the personal cost to individuals on both sides of the hatred being whipped up by their leaders. This is not a new supposition but is presented in such a raw and compelling framework that it commands careful consideration. It does not, however, read as a political diatribe but rather as a study of humanity. The instinct to preserve, to seek control and to follow the herd are recognisable. There are also moments of humour in the tale – I chuckled at the reference to White Walkers.

Jihadi is strap-lined A Love Story. Just as the reader will question what is right or wrong, good or evil, so they may question what it means to love. Whatever language is spoken or creed followed, to seek to control, to dominate, is to accept submission. Where force is used suffering will follow, and it will not always be the ‘others’ who will suffer.

My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Orenda Books.

[Cal Moriarty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything about this novel including its title will unsettle, mislead and challenge your perceptions. If you like intelligently written novels that are actually about something and about real, vivid characters rather than most of today's over-hyped fluffy throwaway nonsense, you will really enjoy this novel and will soon be recommending it to everyone you know. I would compare this novel to the best works of Bellow, Pynchon, Kafka -- so, essentially, you'll be reading a modern classic. I'm sure it won't be long before George Clooney is on the phone wanting to buy the film rights.

(The Publisher sent me an ARC in return for an honest review.)

[Katya Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought the storyline was unlike any other I ever read. I did not always know who to trust or believe, which was almost like some parallel process that was happening in the story itself. I don't know how to describe it but it was pretty fascinating. Not an easy read at all. But well worth it. The characters are unforgettable.

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suffused with unreliable narrators, shifting timelines and locations, addendums to the text encased in grey boxes with a miniscule font, and short diversions from reality, this is not an easy read, and attention must be paid throughout. I really found that a few precious moments reading time snatched throughout the day were not conducive to the pleasure of reading this book, and only when reading substantial sections at a time did the real intelligence and cleverness of this book impact on me more. It is also by extension, one of the most difficult books I have had to review, so bear with me…

The nature of the writing from the outset is challenging, and you may feel a little ‘all-at-sea’ when first embarking on this, until the characters gain a foothold in your mind, and the swift changes of narrative begin to establish a pattern and rhythm. But beware because, as a further ramification of this initial state of confusion, you will be further toyed with by Toropov as things happen, both cruel and unusual that will surprise and shock you in equal measure, further heightening the strange state of unreality, and the pure unpalatable truths of reality that the author seeks to convey. In simple terms, the whole book reads as a memoir, narrated by an American special operative on his return from a particularly ill-fated incursion into an unnamed Islamic state, and the characters and incidents that impact on his personal experience. However, this story then delineates to address far bigger themes, amongst them, the nefarious grasp of religious radicalism counterbalanced by the beauty of true religion, feminism, love and loss, and the clash of cultures that leads to violence and human collateral damage. Consequently, the essential style of this book is difficult to pinpoint as it reads like T. S. Eliot, fused with Homeland, with a soundtrack of The Beatles The White Album (referred to in the aforementioned grey boxes), interspersed with references to the Koran, whilst ultimately fulfilling its criteria as a heightened socially, and culturally aware, literary thriller.

Every single character within the book is shrewdly drawn, causing a gamut of emotions within the reader themselves, from the appalling actions of Mazzoni, an American marine, the religious rabble rousing of Abu Islam, the road to conversion of our main narrator Thelonius himself, and my favourite character Fatima, a good Islamic woman whose personal experiences lead her on an unexpected but completely justified path to revenge and retribution. Between all the protagonists we bear witness to the very best and worst of human behaviour, their prejudices and goodness, and how the predatory nature of some individuals wreaks havoc on the innocent, and undermines our faith in each other. This blend of assured characterisation to pass comment on issues that ultimately affect us all is extremely cleverly done, not with browbeating and preaching, but with a thought-provoking and subtle prod for us to consider our own responses to these weighty issues.

So shut out the world, turn off that phone, ramp up The White Album by The Beatles, and devote time to this to appreciate it fully. It is a challenging and, at times, a difficult read, but this is a good thing. Embrace it, and I think you’ll find this a pleasingly different reading experience.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jihadi will probably be one of those novels that I will be thinking about long after I finished it. I will say that it's not the easiest novel that I've read, it was much easier to read with no background noise, that way I didn't miss anything.
The book is mainly about Thelonius, Fatima and Mike, how they connected and the consequences on their lives. And throughout the whole novel is a second narrator. At first you don't realise who this person is, just somebody a little annoying who places a few notes. These contradict the accounts from other people and there are constant references to the The White Album by The Beatles. I found this quite confusing, I don't know the album so didn't really understand the connection. When I realised who the narrator was I was flicking back the pages to see what I had missed. The same happened with The Raison. The scenes featuring Thelonius and The Raisin were one of the most fascinating, and at times, upsetting in the book.
Fatima was completely out of her depth and trying to do the best for her mother and younger sister but didn't realise the danger that she was in until it was far too late. I loved her strength of character and how she refused to change her story to match that of the heavyset woman, one of the most dangerous characters to feature in the novel. I found both her and her husband very intimidating.
I like to think that there would only ever be one Mike but I suspect that I might be disappointed. He was the complete opposite to his brother who had a conscience and tried to do the right thing. Thelonius and Fatima came from different countries and different cultures but they shared the same belief about their countries leaders. The author doesn't take sides at all, instead he shows that there are good and bad people on both sides of the conflict.
The most heartbreaking parts of this novel I was reading whilst sat on a train, that was thankfully very quiet.

[Louise Beech · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this book is a true lesson in writing. It's a work of art. I was left with more questions than answers (as is the way with the best works) and perhaps parts went over my limited head, but the beautiful writing is breathtaking. Thelonius Liddell's journey as a 'terrorist' held captive in prison is addictive and surprising. He's a man losing his mind, but never his heart. A genius book where the reader can never be sure what truth is, and wonders what the mysterious editor is letting us read/withholding/changing.

[Marina Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally finished this book! The fact that it took me so long is no reflection on its literary qualities, but that it is quite hard to read at times: disturbing themes, random savagery and great sadness, misguided ideology - too close to what I perceive the whole 'war on terror' to be. Very interesting structure as well, full of allusions to The Beatles' White Album, full of side notes and footnotes and self-justifications and comments. They really add to the story, but it does mean that you need to concentrate and read carefully. An important book for our times, most definitely!

[Stephen Clynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a strange novel written in the style of a memoir about Thelonius Liddell. He is an American involved with the war on terror, who gets into some trouble abroad and converts to Islam.

Thelonius has many, many problems in his life and his memoir is annotated a great deal. These annotations add to some confusion as this story develops. Then I had a WTF? moment when it was revealed who was writing these annotations.

My doubts increased about the sanity of Thelonius and why he was actually being kept in the beige motel. There are many characters in this novel which added together with the doubts sprinkled within the script, made me wonder if Thelonius was going mad. As the story rolled on I began to wonder if Jihadi was a tale of madness with Thelonius and the reader trapped in a mad world with no escape. Then the chain smoking Raisin blew my mind away - how could this be happening? Has the world gone mad?

I found Jihadi to be a confusing read. I wondered if there would be a big reveal and that suddenly everything would make sense. Could this be a case of multiple personality disorder? Still, no spoilers from me!

There was a lot of food for thought throughout this novel. Both sides in the war on terror were explored together with politics and the influence of Islam on everyday life. I was most impressed by how the author described the sad feelings about imprisonment voiced by Thelonius and the Raisin. Those passages were very powerful indeed.

I found the structure of Jihadi very odd, leaving me rather muddled. This is not a run of the mill story but an unusual tale of diversity where every single character within this book is odd. Nobody is average or bland - everyone has a unique quirk. From the start I had no idea how many stars I would rate Jihadi as it is such a confusing read. Having finished reading the whole book I consider Jihadi to be a GOOD 4 star read. It is challenging but certainly highlights that we are all different and there may not be as much common ground as we could hope for.

So, I will finish my review with a quote that illustrates how this novel provides much food for thought…

In Islamic City, Fatima’s schoolyard opponents had called her the Ugly American. This was before she grew into her features. Fatima told her sister Wafa about the insults, and Wafa reminded her that what mattered was not what people called her, but what she answered to.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Variety is the spice of life. What constitutes a great book will vary from person to person. We all have different tastes (to this day some people still try to tell me The Da Vinci Code isn’t just something to keep at hand for when you run out of toilet roll) and some only every read within a genre. Recommending someone read The Master and Margarita won’t work if they’re only ever ‘reading’ Jojo Moyers….

But…. every now and then that rare thing will come along – a book that is so unarguably great that you find yourself telling everyone they should read it regardless of their usual choice of paperback writer. Jihadi; A Love Story by Yusuf Toropov is just such a book.

The main thrust of the story is set in the fictional Islamic Republic and it’s capital Islamic City – such fictionalised generalisation of geographical particulars allows Toropov a much freer hand in painting scenarios and characters that are so worryingly real that you’re left with the impression that they may well have happened without running the risk of naysayer nitpicking over such trivialities of actual place/date/official-versions-of that would have hindered his craft had he set it in, say, Iraq or Afghanistan. Thelonious Liddell is an American intelligence operative captured, tortured and imprisoned by local authorities after a mission gone wrong in Islamic City. Fatima A is the young interpreter sent, initially, to assist in translation as he’s interrogated and, later, question Thelonious directly.

Jihadi: A Love Story is Liddell’s confession / memoir as written during his final months on paper smuggled to him in his cell at The Beige Motel – a Federal Prison in Virginia. We know it doesn’t end well for Liddell but how he got to the point we find him as Ali Liddell is a hell of a story. It’s the story of how he went from senior agent to suspected terrorist, the story of Fatima and her family (how I wish I’d never learnt of flechettes), the actions of US Marine Mike Mazzoni, of the complex local information supply to the Directorate from shadowy sources, the weight of the past, marital and mental breakdowns, the rise of a new fundamentalist sect and how it all, piece by glorious piece, comes together in a gripping and though-provoking novel. All with a little help from the White Album and notations from R.L Firestone, the agent responsible for Liddell’s interrogation – one of the biggest questions the reader must face is who to believe, though as events unfold one version becomes increasingly unhinged while the other strives for clarity.

This is a book which raises some big questions. Questions about faith and love and, on a more pertinent and timely issue; questions on the West’s foreign policy and habits of wading into countries and cultures without any real awareness or consideration.

There’s also the question that Jihadi asks as to where the lines of ‘good guy’ and ‘bad guy’ lie given the actions of each – for all the accusations that Liddell is a ‘terrorist’ and has been ‘radicalised’, the only action he commits to have earned such treatment is so minimal in comparison to that of the supposed ‘heroes’ as to wonder where the distinction can be drawn, if it can – and that’s without considering Fatima’s supposed act of terrorism. Living is easy with eyes closed, both sides are capable of atrocities yet we make the assumption that when we’re told by ‘the Directorate’ that Side A is Good and Side B is ‘Terrorism’ it’s correct because they say so. This book asks us to open our eyes and consider things from a different perspective. There’s no side-taking, finger-pointing or blame-allotting, the tone of the narrative is purely neutral, all sides have their arguments shown, allowing – in the case of Mazzoni vs Fatima – the reader to make their own mind up. Granted Firestone’s annotations argue that Liddell references events that he was not present for and cannot possibly know about so his word cannot be trusted… but, then again, Liddell is a senior agent; it wouldn’t be that much of a stretch for him to find information and piece events together for himself after the fact.

Some of those events are not for the faint at heart. The ridiculous “War on Terror” is just that – a war and one with very human consequences and casualties. Unfortunately many of those casualties are innocent civilians and characters in whom Toporov has breathed life to such an extent as to remove any possibility of not being affected by their fates. The fact that the tone is neutral and detached emotionally means that some of the more harrowing and violent scenes hit just that much harder – it’s your own emotional responses you’re projecting onto the text, not the characters’ and all the more affecting accordingly. Many was the time that I had to put the book down and take a breath, hug my son and reflect with gratitude for the safety in which we live. There’s simply no way to read this and, if you weren’t already, not wonder just where we’re going as a species when we’re capable of such treatment of one another.

The nonlinear narrative is in keeping with the premise of these pages being from a memoir and keeps the pace ripping along and while those annotations may seem intrusive at first they soon present yet another compelling sub-plot. Toporov is able to sew in many more characters and plot arcs than a standard, linear narrative might allow for, and move between them so as to offer multiple view points and keep the reader hooked as they each near their boiling point, their moments arise and they intersperse.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been gripped so completely by such a multi-faceted novel and I simply cannot recommend Jihadi: A Love Story enough. I’ve seen references to Homeland and yes, there are echoes of such tight covert intelligence plots here, there are echoes of le Carré and even Vonnegut. But they’re only echoes, the loudest voice here is that of Toporov; a compelling new author with a style of his own delivering an exhilaratingly fresh, important and powerful novel so very much of its time.

[Lisa Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can always rely on Orenda Books to send me quality books to review - stuff that pushes me out of my comfort zone, but this one really stretched me. I wasn't at all sure whether I would enjoy it, despite a cracking blurb. All I can say now, after finishing it, is WOW. A difficult, complex read that took me longer than average to read (possibly because I felt the need to let things digest between chapters), this was actually a brilliant read. It's a complicated read, so don't pick it up thinking you'll whizz through it in a weekend, because you won't, but it was one that slowly reeled me in until I felt like I had no option but to read to the end.
Even now, a week after I've finished reading, I still don't know whose side of the story is the true one - the novel is written in the form of a manuscript, written by unreliable narrator, which is then annotated by ANOTHER unreliable narrator - see what I mean by complicated? Both sides are equally believable, and while some things that are written are slightly distasteful, or shocking, it didn't stop me from enjoying it. I've been left mulling things over, thinking about circumstances and the characters, long after I've finished the book. That, to me, can only be a good thing.

[Louisereviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Full review to follow but a brilliantly clever book which will challenge preconceived ideas.

[Elite Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jihadi: a love story by Yusuf Toropov
5 Stars
If you think you know what truth is…..think again!
A Jihad is a “God-conscious intention and effort in the face of an obstacle”.

“One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter” – whilst it is unclear where this quote originated it is entirely relevant to this novel which revolves around the relationships between the American ‘Directorate’ and Army and the various Muslim factions in the Islamic Republic.

On one side the ‘Directorate’ is a veiled Secret Service organisation headed up by R.L. Firestone known to his staff as ‘Dad’. On the other there is the Bureau of Islamic Investigation which was the intelligence gathering apparatus of the Islamic Republic. Then there are the Imams and the ordinary Muslims who live in the Republic.

The central character is Thelonius Liddell, who is recruited to the Directorate by Becky, his wife, who is also the daughter of ‘Dad’. On the Muslim side there is Fatima, a young Muslim girl who works at the Bureau of Islamic Investigation.

The book takes the form of a version of ‘the truth’ recorded on paper by Liddell whilst he is imprisoned. Each section of this record is accompanied by a commentary by a member of the Directorate who is assessing the document. This person isn’t exactly impartial and seems also to have an obsession with the Beatle’s White Album!

It is very much a story for our time, dealing as it does with the tensions between Radical Muslims and the West. Toropov expertly brings to life the volatility within the Islamic Republic where new leaders can emerge in the most unlikely of circumstances.

This is a stylish first novel written by an accomplished wordsmith. There are so many questions without answers and even at the end you are left wondering how much or little was true, and if it was, did the validity of that truth depend on the individual person’s experience?

I can’t give you anything more without spoiling it for you. It is a novel you must read and interpret for yourself. Not an easy read but a compelling one which will have you re-reading sections to be sure you have understood, and then perhaps coming back to in the light of subsequent chapters.

Unique and thought-provoking, not least in its claim to be a love story.
Pashtpaws
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

[Pirate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your usual espionage thriller, and refreshingly so. Two principal American characters and CIA spooks are as mad as a bag of snakes, one has Sergeant USA as an alter ego, suggesting he is bi-polar, the other obssessed with The White Album by The Beatles. What adds to the tension is that they are husband and wife, and the latter's revenge goes way beyond the saying 'beware a woman scorned'. Arabic characters are also well drawn, the country is never divulged just the Islamic Republic, one coud surmise it is Iraq through several references but then it could be any country America has interfered in in the Middle East. What is good about the book is the author doesn't spare either side, a faux Imam swigs from a bottle of bourbon hidden away in a room, but catches the mood of the people and provokes mayhem. On the other side there is an American soldier caught peeing on the Koran, though the good Arabs refuse to jump to conclusions as to his identity whereas the 'bad' Arabs twist it according to their desires. On the American side a similar story, our male hero battles to expose the poor intelligence within the CIA culminating in a toe-curling speech, only toe-curling because one agrees with his sentiments but one fears for his future. Complicated? Yes, but stylishly written, elements at times of James Ellroy esquire, and delighted I gambled on buying it. The paranoia that exists these days even buying something with such a title has one thinking am I going to get a knock at the door because ill-informed people think I am reading a book on how to get to Syria. Far from it this would dissuade anyone from taking that trip as indeed it would from believing a lot of what the Americans say vis a vis the Middle East. Excellent and thought-provoking in tackling a hyper-sensitive subject. Hats off to the author.

[Andy Wormald · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hauntingly mesmeric read, to be honest it took some getting into but boy I am glad I stayed with it, it will toy with all your emotions as the story unfolds, a story character driven as much as plot driven, the author has created as diverse a set of characters as I will probably meet all year, with twists and turns aplenty. can[t wait to see what the author will come up with next

[Anne Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m happy to recommend Yusuf Toropov’s debut even to those who, like me, aren’t so enamoured of the fast-paced thriller, my first read from the new independent press Orenda who provided my review copy.
Full review http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post/...

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first novel I have read in 2016 but I cannot imagine that I will read a better one all year.

Full review here: https://livemanylives.wordpress.com/2...

[Sheila Rawlings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jihadi: A Love Story is a thought provoking, highly intelligent thriller set against the war on terror, which forces the reader to consider the moral ambiguities and psychological effects such a conflict inevitably invokes.

Centred around Thelonius Liddell, a former American Intelligence agent, the story follows the events leading up to his being accused of terrorism and held without charge in an undisclosed prison. While there, he manages to write a manuscript detailing everything that occurred during and after his mission in the Islamic Republic – including the roles of all those involved as a result of his actions. He hopes this will lead to his exoneration, as he persists in his assertion that he ‘only killed people when instructed to do so by the USA’.

Written surreptitiously, on paper that someone has managed to smuggle in for him, the manuscript remains hidden until found by Rebecca Firestone, a psychologist working for Intelligence, who also happens to be Thelonius’s wife. However, with Becky’s notes on the manuscript growing increasingly erratic and fanciful, it soon becomes clear she has a secret agenda and complex psychological problems of her own. As this multi-layered story progresses, the ever more questionable motivations and loyalties of the lead characters are gradually revealed. Innocence and trust are principle casualties in this story of intrigue, betrayal, delusion and incompetence.

Despite the title, this is not a love story in the classic sense. However, the love aspect is intimated… always bubbling beneath the surface but never openly expressed.

When I first began to read this book, I have to admit it took me a while to understand what was happening. I was certainly forced to wake up my brain and concentrate. However, once I had acclimatised myself to the format and the style of writing, everything started to fall into place and I soon became engrossed in the drama, finding myself eager to fit together all the separate pieces of information as they are drip fed into the story, in order to finally solve the puzzle.

As Becky says in her notes: “Victory does not come on the battlefield. It comes to the side that creates and sustains the most persuasive solution to the puzzle.”

Yusuf has cleverly woven several threads into one, following each of his many characters simultaneously as their destinies gradually become intertwined, hurtling together towards an inevitable collision. In war, nobody is entirely innocent, yet nobody is entirely to blame.

Although not my usual genre of novel, I really enjoyed this book. It is not a light read but do not let that discourage you. It is well worth the effort and will leave you with plenty to think about.

Yusuf Toropov is an American Muslim, currently living in Ireland. Better known for his non-fiction books and plays, this is his first novel, which managed to reach the quarter-finals of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My book blog: http://publishedmoments.co.uk

Yusuf Toropov has written an unconventional and unique novel that tackles delicate subjects that we are currently all too aware of. You would think that this book is about religion, but to me personally, I felt that this book focussed more on the faith in yourself and not just the religion as a whole.
From the very first chapter I knew I was in for a good read. Toropov has written the start of this book in a way that will instantly grab you and make you not want to put it down. His writing style is something I have never come across before, and I loved how Toropov was intertwining two different stories throughout - the annotator psychologist and the writer himself.

The story itself is great, if not a little confusing at times. I don't usually get on with books where there are so many big characters and this book had a lot of them. But the way in which Toropov has executed the story of all of these characters is flawless.

I did feel that in the beginning it took a lot of concentration to fully understand what was happening, but once I had figured it out the book was a pleasure to read. That's the only reason why this is a 4 star review.

I was sent this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

[Paul Kater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jihadi. What can I say about it? It’s complicated. Really, it is. A deep book on many levels. Many layers. Complicated to read in the first chapters as well, because of the form the book has been created.

I must first say that I travelled part of the journey to completion of the book together with the author after meeting him online. He shared bits of it, asked the opinion of friends, even from me a few times. And he worked hard and long on it.

Jihadi tells about governments, political play and the way how people can get influenced. The story is not easy to read, as I said. It’s demanding. It keeps you on your toes. A US intelligence man is accused of terrorism and held in a prison that no one knows about. There he writes his memoirs, and through those slowly the story comes to life. A story that kicks, bites and screams, and makes you feel sorry for people who get mixed up in so much crap. If you feel up to it, follow Thelonius Lidell. See how he ended up where he is now.

Again, this is a hard read, but very worth the time.

Well done, Yusuf.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So ... this is going to be a very tough review to write, mainly because this is such a unique book to get to grips with. It is complex in style and story, very intelligent and with a very important, sometimes brutal narrative but is, when all is said and done a story of family and of betrayal set against a backdrop of war and terrorism. I won't lie, it took me some time to get into my stride with this book due to the way in which it is constructed, the main story sandwiched between seemingly editorial notes and references to beatles albums, and I wasn't quite sure how it all tied in at first. Those segments pulled me out of the story a little, although their significance and importance to the story became clearer as I moved further through the pages and, (obscure Beatles references aside because I will state here and now - I don't like the Beatles and most of it meant nothing to me) added a very complex and twisted layer to the books as whole.

This is the story of Thelonius Liddell, an US intelligence operative whose book, memoir almost, is the item being dissected and annotated by the anonymous Beatles aficion, and Fatima Adara who, in defence of her family and her country, eventually finds herself on the wrong side of the law and faced with a threat she doesn't even know exists. The book details the threads of their two lives, so very different and yet intrinsically linked, showing us, the reader, the points at which they intersect and how, in turn they feed into the observations of the mystery third narrator and a US Marine, Mike Mazzoni.

It is really hard to sum up the story without giving away too much of the plot. The story moves back and forth between Liddell's complex life at home and his time as a prisoner in the Islamic Republic, charged with murder and facing the distinct possibility of a death sentence. This is how he meets Fatima, the person assigned to be his interpreter. Liddell is a very challenging character to get to know, damaged psychologically and with more than a few ticks which can be a little off putting. I'm not sure I ever grew to like him, but I came to understand him and to see how events in his life drove him towards the almost inevitable ending. It was intriguing to see how the author took him from a true non-believer, a person who put country over religion, to someone who, as a result of his time in captivity, came to understand the Muslim religion far more than he had anticipated. The way the not quite complete conversion is written, is sympathetic to both the Muslim and non-Muslim points of view, but also challenges your understanding of what the Muslim faith really means and the importance of prayer which becomes almost like an unexpected safety blanket to Liddell in his darkest days.

Fatima is a character I could like and did grow to respect quite quickly. She is a woman living and working in a man's world, respectful of her faith, far more so than some of those around her, and yet with a core strength and such self assurance that was so absorbing to read. It is wonderful to see this strength portrayed in such a positive way, even if there was a sense of inevitability about her fate also. There is no getting away from it - the author paints a very clear picture of all of their futures near to the start of the novel. She is driven by a desire to protect and support her family, especially her younger sister, but also by her Father's confidence in her ability to achieve whatever she wants to in life and to not let anything stop her, especially not her gender. The relationship between her and Liddell is fractious to begin with but you can see the lines becoming blurred, even if they are never eventually crossed.

Mike Mazzoli - what can you say about him? A manifestation of every ill that has ever been written about soldiers in warfare. He is mean, brutal even, has little respect for the country in which is is stationed, or for its religion. He is antagonistic from the off and has every hateful characteristic that will make you skin crawl and make you angry with the book and his actions. But he is a version of reality. Not representative of every soldier or every attitude towards Islam, but the inherent racism and sense of entitlement has been seen far too often for this to be dismissed as a pure work of fiction. He was almost every atrocity imaginable rolled up into a single character, and whilst most of his actions were taken off the page, the results were not and the author did not spare us the after effects of his behaviour, some of which is truly enraging and heart breaking and which leads to a rather pivotal moment towards the end of the book when we find out what one of the characters is really made of.

This is an important piece of fiction, if only because it explores the brutal side of conflict and prejudice, not only of the Western world towards Islam, but Islam's response to the west. It is certainly a thought provoking novel, exposing readers to the true meaning of the term Jihadi - struggling or striving - taking it far beyond its modern links only to the world of terrorism. It is beautifully written, rich in imagery and able to draw you into both the moments of intense action, and still keep you engaged in those quieter moments. Those scenes that seem almost incongruous to the story and yet are so important to our understanding of the characters as a whole. All are perfectly pitched, perfectly place, to create intrigue and yet contain subtle misdirection, small omissions that you do not spot until just the right moment, leaving you second guessing yourself and whether you missed something that perhaps should have been more obvious. Or perhaps not.

It won't be a book for everyone, it is definitely a very 'literary' styled piece (and I do hate to use that term so do not do so lightly). Once I found my rhythm with the writing style though, when I understood how those interspersed passages about the Beatles fitted into the story as a whole, I was completely absorbed in the book and in the fates of Liddell and Fatima, knowing the tragic inevitability of their story, but wishing them a happier ending nonetheless. And the ending ... well I think it has the capacity to surprise you. I certainly did not envisage it playing out quite the way it did and yet it makes perfect sense. Hell hath no fury as they say.

Thought provoking, emotional, at times brutal, this is a challenging and often intense read that I will remember for some time.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the Thelonius Liddel's memoirs while he waits his destiny at the Beige Motel...
First of all, thanks to Orenda Books for sharing this book with me, it was quite a discovery!
This is not a book you will read in just one read, you will have to stop and absorb all the turbulent things you've read and how the writer has created a maze, and where piece by piece everything starts to fit page by page.
In the beginning it will be quite difficult to follow the story mixing the Liddel's memoirs with the psychologist annotations. But page by page you will enter in the Jihadi world, where not everything is what it seems...
This book will make you rethink your point of view in the Middle Eastern conflict, making you remember that there are good and bad people in the world, but the line between them is quite thin sometimes...
Will you follow your heart or your country?

[Ian Patrick Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those books you need the time to appreciate the beauty and depth of the writing. I loved it. I loved its prose, storyline and back story. The way all was interwoven in to a fantastic and moving story was incredible. This is a work of literature and deserves recognition as such.

[Mandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jihadi: A Love Story is a book that is very hard to review as it challenges you from the start and it makes you think. There are certainly no winners or even good guys in the events in this book but that in itself lends a bit more to the believability of the story being told.
Thelonius Liddell has written a sort of memoir and it is this that is the basis of the book as the story he is telling is slowly pulled apart by someone as the reader we do not know (although as the book progresses you will find out who this person is). Through his writings we also get to see events through the eyes of Fatima Adara, someone who through her job comes into contact with him, helping him during his time as a prisoner. Her family has suffered due to certain events, yet she still feels it is her duty to serve her country even if it means dealing with the person who may be responsible for her pain. Her one other dealings with American’s comes in the form of Mike Mazzoli who you would be forgiven for thinking was only a bit player in this book, but as you read on you can see how one act at the beginning soon escalates and has much to do with events that take place throughout.
Thelonius is certainly a complex person who is clearly struggling with his role in events and also at times appears to be fighting a losing battle with his grip on reality. During his darkest times he does start to turn to prayer and some of the Muslim teachings that he was probably sent to undermine. Whilst it is hard to condone some of his actions, he does start to question if what he is being ordered to do is actually right, a belief that ultimately puts him at odds with his employers and may actually help seal his fate.
Fatima is someone who is making the best of her lot. Her gender and her faith prevent her from doing so much, yet she still finds a way to look after what is left of her family as best she can, not that her actions are always understood or appreciated. Her resilience when faced with unbelievable acts is to be admired and you can sense her struggles with some of the things she is forced to do.
If there is one person in this book that depicts the true evil behind any war it is Mike Mazzoli. His total lack of respect and disregard for authority and decent human behaviour has your skin crawling right from the start and I have to admit I was not shocked by the way his story ended
This is not going to be a book for everyone, but I would still recommend that you read it as it shows both sides to a very emotive topic and I think it will probably be a book that stays with me for quite some time for so many different reasons.

[Andrew Anderson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Impenetrable pretentious nonsense

I was unable to finish this book. Text of the novel is interspersed with irrelevant and maddening references to Beatles songs and albums, a gimmick which adds nothing to the book.
I have never felt the need to write such a bad review before; save your money.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complex, multilayered, harrowing and, to put it quite simply, one hell of a mindfuck. This is far from a comfortable read, deeply unsettling yet impossible to put down once you've started down the rabbit hole.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

n his debut novel Jihadi: A Love Story, Yusuf Toropov takes on some of the most urgent and complex issues facing our civilisation. Terrorism, the clash of ideologies, the role of women; so many moral dilemmas on a global scale set the stage for a thriller that at heart - as its title suggests - also captures love amongst the wreckage.

Thelonius Liddell, an intelligence officer working for the CIA, is sent on a covert mission to Islamic City, leaving his wife, Becky, at home. We know from the outset that something has gone badly wrong, because he begins his memoir:

I am the dead guy telling you this story. Stories are all I have left.

Thelonius is now being held in a containment unit he calls The Beige Motel, intent on giving his account of who - and what - has brought him here. But his reliability is called into question by a second narrative strand; a psychologist who sees patterns in everything, scathingly annotating his manuscript and setting out an alternative version of events.

This contradiction is disconcerting at first, a puzzle to the reader. But, as the story unfolds, secrets are revealed and fragments coalesce. There's a slow-burning satisfaction in piecing it all together, listening to the voices, hearing their reversals and and choosing what to believe:

After years of being the one whose behaviour had to be monitored with care, Thelonius found himself locked in a minivan, in the middle of the night, face-to-face, not just with insomnia, not just with betrayal, but with a role reversal. He had to address the possibility that Becky might be the one in need of close watching. That he might need to do the watching. That her behaviour was likely to get worse, more impossible to ignore, perhaps more dangerous as time passed. That they had reached the endgame, the point of sudden shift or collapse, much faster than he had anticipated.

This is a novel that doesn't do all the work for you, but rewards you for walking in the shoes of its characters and thinking about how you would act in their place. Each makes a significant transformation during the course of the story; Thelonius is challenged to examine what it means to be a Muslim, forced towards introspection, while the psychologist takes on personal battles of body and mind. My own favourite is Fatima, a courageous young woman living in the eye of the storm - an outsider in her own world - who begins by making choices to protect her family but ends by having a profound influence on so many who touch her life.

There are some fantastically quirky moments - informed, one suspects, by the author's preoccupations; Thelonius' conversations with an American comic book character and the psychologist's obsession with the insights to be found in the Beatles' White Album.

Despite dark and often harrowing events, the ruthless pursuit of ideals and disregard for the suffering they unleash, Jihadi: A Love Story is, above all, a celebration of the ability of the flawed, frail human spirit to survive and reach out even until death.

Yusuf Toropov is an American Muslim author, currently living in Ireland, who has already written a number of non-fiction books and plays. In this, his first novel, he has produced a thriller that bridges both sides of the conflict arising from US involvement in the Middle East. He questions the lazy assumptions routinely used to justify abhorrent actions and introduces pivotal female characters with their own opinions and narrative, so much more than accessories to the plot. In doing this, he has produced an intriguing work of rich complexity that really taps into the zeitgeist

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting book. It transcends genre. It’s a novel that resists pigeon holing. If I had to categorise it, I would classify it as a literary-political/contemporary thriller. But it’s so much more than this description implies.

Jihadi is told from the perspective of Thelonius Liddell, a disgraced American intelligence officer, who is now held in a CIA black site deemed a traitor. He is suspected of “going native”, converting to Islam and throwing his lot in with al Qaida. His former wife, Rebecca Firestone, is another intelligence officer, a psychologist and the woman who first recruited Thelonius to the intelligence services from the Army Special Forces, the Green Berets.

Much of the book takes the form of a memoir Thelonius has penned on parchment smuggled into his prison cell. Becky Firestone has got hold of this manuscript and her comments are interspersed with the text. But Becky has a brain tumour, which has made her erratic, paranoid, and has heightened her already ferocious patriotic fanaticism. Theolonius also suffers from pathological problems however, childhood trauma leading to him suffering hallucinations.

Both Becky and Theolonius prove to be unreliable narrators and for much of the novel the reader doesn’t know who to believe. There is Theolonius’ account of his last mission to the Islamic Republic (a fictional country the author has obviously based on a cross between Iraq and Afghanistan, post the US invasion of each). By his account, poor intelligence led to his involvement in a serious human rights abuse and after being arrested and detained, he met people who challenged his assumptions and led to his conversion. But he makes no mention of joining al Qaeda, just returning home disillusioned. Becky’s account on the other hand has her estranged husband seduced by terrorists, brainwashed, which leads to his involvement in a plot against his country.

There is another strand to the novel which takes place while Theolonius is in prison in the Islamic Republic. He falls in love with Fatima, an interpreter for his interrogators, a woman whose sister was killed in an American strike. Events are escalating after Theolonius’ arrest. A series of events have led to a new Iman appearing seemingly out of nowhere to radicalise the citizenry. He develops a huge following and this movement is calling for Theolonius to be executed.

Jihadi raises big issues and lets no one off the hook. It certainly asks big questions about US foreign policy and the war on terror. US strikes are made on poor intelligence and the Americans demonstrate callous disregard for the Muslim populace. But equally the Islamic extremists come off badly, the Iman secretly drinks scotch, his followers are ignorant hoodlums, using the power the movement has given them to bully women, intellectuals and everyone else who dares to stand up to them.

Yusuf Toropov has not written an easy book to read, both as far as content or structure is concerned. This is no action thriller, no Jason Bourne type story. It is rather a considered piece of literature, which while a slow burner, doesn’t pull its punches. It’s well worth a read and is a rewarding experience.

[Thelastwordreview · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are times when you come across a novel that really takes your breath away and Jihadi: A Love Story by Yusuf Toropov is one such book. Many will look at the title and may be confused by the title. Do not be deterred. Read on!

This is a novel that starts slowly and gathers pace and hits the reader like an express train. Persist with this and it delivers on all fronts and the writing from Toropov is nothing short of exceptional.
The story is written and presented as a memoir of the former CIA agent Liddell who has been incarnated in a secret prison overseas and has been accused of turning to terrorism and his words are being read by his brilliant psychologist.

What this memoir contains are details of his conversion to Islam but the psychologist is making her notes against those written by Liddell, as your read through you start to ask questions and just who are you believing. Just how Toropov has managed to create this outstanding and beautifully crafted debut novel left me breathless. This is writing of an experienced author with many books behind him. I found my pulse rate quickening as you got deeper in the novel.

The one important aspect of this story is how the author has created each of the characters and how every reader interoperates each of them, relationships are built with each of them. Is this how Toropov wanted the reader to become involved with the novel? Liddell’s story is one that one that makes the novel very absorbing to the reader. The psychologist Firestone is an interesting character and how she changes from the consummate professional to one that is somewhat unstable as she annotates Liddell’s words. The story moves between the US and Iraq and the stories of the characters we meet in both countries leads to us to ask so many questions about how we view other cultures and religions through the media and the spin of propaganda.

Jihadi: A Love Story is very much a book of our time and is relevant to the world we all live in and although this can be a painful read there is some black humour that comes out of the story. It is also a book that once you have read it does cry out for you to stop and think about what is happening in ‘our’ world despite the fact we feel that there are times that we cannot influence those that make the decisions for what they deem as the greater good.

I won’t give away the detailed storyline as this will ruin it for any reader about to read it but there is much to take in about the character that is the CIA agent Liddell and his life.
This is a thumping good read and a five-star thriller and one very special debut novel that gives so much to the reader but also one not to be taken lightly.

Thank you to Karen at Orenda Books for a review copy.