I gatti perduti di Homs

by Eva Nour, Gloria Pastorino (Translator)

Una foto scattata per strada, a Homs, in Siria. Le macerie intorno. Due bambini, uno in punta di piedi su una bicicletta scalcinata, l'altra con un gatto randagio stretto al petto. Una ordinaria scena di gioco tra le bombe, in un paese che sta cadendo a pezzi, catturata per caso dall'obiettivo della macchina fotografica. Sami ha sempre avuto la passione della fotografia, e di immagini come queste ne ha fotografate tante. Finché si è reso conto che non era abbastanza. La Siria in cui è cresciuto era un paese come tanti. I bambini andavano a scuola, i gatti giravano furtivi per le strade di campagna, gli amori sbocciavano. Finché la guerra non ha cambiato tutto. È stato allora che Sami ha capito che non voleva avere paura e non voleva accettare quello che stava succedendo in un paese il cui governo trucida i suoi stessi cittadini. Comincia così il suo viaggio di dissidenza, di ribellione, fino all'esilio e alla richiesta di asilo politico in Francia. Ma anche da così lontano Sami porterà sempre nel cuore quel paese in cui un tempo per strada passeggiavano i gatti, come in ogni paese normale.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, War, Contemporary, Audiobook, Book Club, Historical

363 pages, Hardcover

First published October 11, 2018

Reviews

[✨ A ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘A cat has seven souls in Arabic. In English cats have nine lives. You probably have both nine lives and seven souls, because otherwise I don’t know how you’ve made it this far.’


The Stray Cats of Homs is about Sami, who grew up in one of Syria's biggest cities. It follows his life before and during the civil war as he witnesses his beloved city become unrecognizable.

His childhood was an ordinary one, with his family and their adopted pets. Life was good until he was forcefully conscripted into the military and trained as a cartographer.

In 2011, during the last few months of Sami's military service, the Arab Spring began, and rebellion against the regime spread across Syria.

Sami returned to Homs once his service ended, stayed during the siege, and watched as his beloved city became unrecognizable.

“People aren't born cruel but they learn. And they learn surprisingly quickly.”

At first, I thought this was historical fiction, but it's actually a semi-biography, as the author had to change Sami's name to protect his identity.

The story starts out slow as the author recounts Sami's early years. The writing is easy to fall into—very straightforward, but beautiful as well.

Sami's peaceful childhood in Homs, contrasted with the harsh and destructive landscape it turns into, was really well done. It makes the reader ache along with Sami as he witnesses the horrors of war.

This book really opened my eyes to the situation in Syria, something I knew close to nothing about before.

I think it's a really important perspective, especially since all the other books I've seen written about this period are about characters who fled the civil war. Sami was there through it all.

This book had such an immense impact on me and is not one I'd forget soon.

Thanks to Penguin Random House for sending me this review copy.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5★ - a highlight of my reading year, so far.

This book was so much more than I expected. What I thought I was getting was a story of a person or family that fled the civil war in Syria, but what I got was a moving and incredibly thought-provoking story of a person who stayed. As someone who became guiltily inured to those almost nightly images on the TV news of a city under siege and a country on its knees, this story has really helped to sharpen my focus and improve my understanding. All the way through I had to keep reminding myself that it was fiction, despite reading like a biography. But of course, I just hadn't read the blurb closely enough before starting, and the Author's Note at the end left me in no doubt that this did largely happen.

Sami's early life is so relatable - the youngest of 3 kids (until baby Malik comes along when Sami is about 12) - he's equally into his schoolwork and playing. He looks up to Ali and Hiba, his older siblings. He respects his parents, and loves his Grandpa Faris, the dapper family elder who lives in their sprawling family home. He has lots of friends, but his bestie is Muhammed, who stands by his side from childhood right through until the darkest days of the war. TV time is rationed and academic achievement is rewarded. Totally normal so far.

Entrepreneurial success during his university years is a double-edged sword for Sami. The success makes his life easier, but it also slows down his studies. So by the time he is finished, his military service is long overdue and when the regime catches up with him, he has no choice but to commence his 21-month stint in the army. And while he is there, the Arab Spring kicks off. With rebellion spreading in waves across the Arab world, it is only a matter of time before it reaches Syria, and even the tight control of al-Assad can't stop it.

That probably summarises the first half of the book. The rest is about what Sami and others in the rebel-controlled centre of Homs went through over the next few years. I doubt there would be reader who could finish this book and remain unaffected by Sami's story. In the days since I finished reading, I've gone back and looked at many of those images of Homs with a fresh appreciation of what happened and admiration for the resilience and humanity of people like Sami.

With thanks to NetGalley and Transworld Publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Stray Cats of Homs is a raw and heartfelt novel that portrays the Syrian Civil War, which erupted in March 2011 and to date has left at least 360,000 people dead, through the eyes of young man and city of Homs resident Sami, his family and his friends. It's heartbreaking, powerful but also life-affirming and there's no doubt in my mind that I will never forget this story and its effect on me. There have been a plethora of books published in this genre of late so it takes something incredibly special to stand out and Eva Nour (pseudonym) has managed to achieve that with considerable aplomb.

Growing up in Homs, Syria, in the 1980s Sami’s childhood is like that of any ordinary child’s. In 2000, when Bashar al-Assad takes over power, things change, and not for the better. Sami is conscripted into the military and trains as a cartographer, shielded from the worst horrors. As the seeds of the Arab Spring are sown in 2011 at the same time as Sami’s military service ends, he hears of the wave of demonstrations all around the country – spreading into Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya. Then, he receives a text message from his girlfriend, Sarah, who is participating in the demonstrations: ‘They are firing on us!’ The full horror hits: Syria is heading into open civil war, with government troops killing its own citizens. What Sami decides to do next will echo down the years, and shape his entire future. And he does not choose the easy route…

I am finding it almost impossible to do this book justice in terms of reviewing but I will say that this is the real deal and a searing tour de force; storytelling does not get any better or more accomplished than this. This is Nour’s gripping and utterly engrossing semi-autobiographical account of ’Sami’ and his daily life before they eventually met and fell in love. I actually find it somewhere close to unfathomable that this is a debut novel because it’s stunning, heart-rending and earth-shattering and focuses on the impossible choices we make, the hope of revolution and enduring love amidst the death and despair of war. If the author adheres to this standard of work in the future she’ll be winning awards before you know it. Today the couple share a life together in Paris. Unreservedly recommended. Many thanks to Doubleday for an ARC.

[Misbah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely say that a book has changed my life, but this book has done that. It has changed my life. If you are not a reader, become one; just for this book. I can guarantee that it will make you see the world from a whole new perspective.
We, the people who live in a first world country, think we know everything. We think we've made it and are better than the rest of the world because our leaders are civilized and educated and WE voted for them. But the reality is that we don't know anything. Yes, we pride ourselves on reading the news and listening to podcasts and generally being aware of current issues. We skim the tops of articles so we can talk about it at our luncheons, parties and dinners. We applaud ourselves, thinking of how we've played our part in righting the wrongs of this world. But we are very, very wrong. The reality is we don't know anything.
We don't know war. We don't know hunger. We don't know starvation. We don't know poverty. We don't know grief and loss on such a large scale that we become psychologically damaged by it. We go to bed every night, certain that we are safe and secure. But not everyone has this luxury.
When the Arab Spring began, I was only 17 years old. Just like everyone I watched the anti-government protests, and the subsequent victories achieved by many of these countries with better governments forming, making the standards of living higher and safer. But it never affected my life and I never bothered to research and read more in-depth about why this happened. When the Syrian civil war began, and millions of people were displaced, the world put a label on them; Syrian Refugees. A lot of European countries tried to pass them around like they were a load of laundry because no one wanted to take responsibility and help these people out. I remember there was a country that even had a petition going around where people could sign it so that their country does not house any refugees.
It is absolutely vile that we acted this way. They are still real people with dreams and hopes who have lost absolutely everything. They lost their homes, families, friends, jobs, stability, and livelihood. It could have been any of us. But our superiority of living in a first world country prevents us from seeing anything unless it directly affects us. And I am ashamed that it took reading this book for me to realize that I can and should do more. Yes I've signed petitions and donated, but I can also make others aware of this. And that is the most important thing. Less ignorance = more positive change.
I read this book in the 2nd week of June 2020, when the George Floyd's murder sparked protests all over the world. And I saw the parallels of the protests in this book and the Black Lives Matter protests. How we protest knowing we are protected to a certain degree. No is going to open fire on us with guns or drop bombs on our heads. The Syrians also protested thinking the same thing. But instead of change, they got a war they did not ask for. Their opinions and feelings were deemed irrelevant and were quashed down by Assad. It is absolutely horrific that one man can be so brutal to his own people and not suffer any consequences.
This book follows one man Sami from childhood to adulthood and all that he experienced before and during the war. It is an absolute eye-opening, emotional, heartbreaking and extraordinary true story about survival and the fight for freedom. It is not an easy book to read, but it is important that you read it. I hope and pray that one day the people of Syria find their way back home and never have to suffer like this again.

This book is well-written, engaging and translated from Swedish.

[farahxreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stray Cats of Homs is an unbearably raw semi-biographical account of Sami who grew up in one of the largest cities in Syria during the civil war. It’s heartbreaking, disturbing and posed the uncomfortable question that the world tries to avoid to answer: why don’t we do anything? There were damning evidences of war crimes and serious violations of international humanitarian law committed by the Syrian government and allied forces but again, why, why, why don’t we do anything?

“Before, he would never have been able to imagine this. The way the rest of the world would never have been able to imagine this, because most people only know about their own lives and one or two generations back. If the world knew this, it wouldn’t let it continue, naturally.”

There’s something in the writing that was overwhelmingly charming it drew and connect you to the story with unflinching candour and honesty. The writing was beautiful but it can be a bit simple and impersonal at times (probably because she was a journalist). However, I’m glad that the last quarter of the book made up for the earlier certain “impersonality” for there were more depth and musings which made me enjoyed the last quarter of the book more than the rest of the book itself.

Overall, this is such an important and necessary piece for all of us to read in order to get insights of what’s happening in Syria. There were also portrayal of psychological trauma relating to war experiences and clashing of political opinions in family members that I think most of us can relate to. The book is not perfect but it gained a full mark for bringing attention to the Syrian civil war which the world has embarassingly grown deaf and blind to and bringing me to a time and place I know so little about except through the media.

Thank you Times Reads for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review. This book is available at all good bookstores all around and possibly at your local library.

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is difficult reading , a really interesting book, much needed, but so heart wrenching to read, uncomfortable and so sad. But it needs to be widely read, if us in the west read these accounts, feel uncomfortable, get upset maybe we will start putting more pressure on our governments to do something. For now I am grateful these stories are shared, they must be shared and I thank the author for sharing such a beautifully written account.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

[Khai Jian (KJ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"When we were born, what did any of us know about what our lives would be like? Nothing. We knew nothing. The only thing we could do was look at the place we were in and take a step in one direction or another. Life required nothing more than that. That was freedom. One step at a time."

The Stray Cats of Homs is by far, the most impactful, heartbreaking and excruciating story that I have read. This is about the story of Sami (inspired by true events), who witnessed the reign of Hafez Al-Assad and Bashar Al-Assad, who were both cruel dictators, in Syria.

The story centralizes on the aftermath of civil war in Syria. We were introduced to ample events such as the conflict between Hafez Al-Assad and the Muslim Brotherhood, the 1982 Hama Massacre, the up rise of the Free Syrian Army, the siege of Daraa, the mass exodus from Homs and the siege of Homs. All of which causes a lot of harm, either physically or mentally, towards the Syrians. There are a lot of uncomfortable moments which were brilliantly executed by the author. Just imagine living in an environment where death is such a common thing in the eyes of the citizens, where citizens may be butchered or be subjected to daily missile attacks without any warning, where it is compulsory for children to take military classes as opposed to a normal education, where food is scarce and starvation is a major issue. These descriptions will definitely leave us feeling grateful for what we are having right now.

‘There were things the camera couldn’t capture; there were wounds that didn’t show on the outside.’

Sami's characterization is definitely the highlight of this story. His conflicted mentality, grief, sadness, and trauma are all properly fleshed out throughout the story. In the end, the author explored the true value of freedom in the eyes of refugees through the character of Sami. What is the true meaning of freedom, if we cant even free ourselves from the shackles of trauma and the past? The Stray Cats of Homs is certainly thought provoking and a must read historical fiction which truly deserves 5/5 stars!

[Mike Sumner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story will stay with me for a long time. A book that everyone should read. A story of unimaginable deprivation in Syria. A story of one boy, Sami, who becomes a man during the siege of Homs, ravaged with the senseless brutality of Bashar al-Assad's military regime, pitched against certain Islamist groups that had formed a united resistance, wanting freedom and democracy. Homs became 'the capital of the revolution' but they were to be subjugated and butchered at every opportunity. Death lingered around every corner, residents subjected to daily bombing and missile attacks. Homs is laid waste.

The story follows Sami and his family - parents, two brothers and a sister - their daily struggle for survival. Sami's conscription into the regime military as a cartographer, a statutory two years of mindless torture and finally his release from the shackles of al-Assad's army.

This story is told through the eyes of Sami and composed by Eva Nour (a pseudonym), the story of the new millennium under al-Assad, the monster who released sarin gas over Eastern Ghouta, a Damascus suburb. And Sami's terrifying escape to Lebanon and beyond.

There are so many heartbreaking moments that haunt me. Descriptions of atrocities that are hard to read. This is how it was in Syria and still is. But, there is redemption - and I urge you all to read this book. The reality is required reading...

[Mahmoud Aghiorly · Rating 1 out of 5]

رواية قطط حمص الشاردة للكاتب إيفا نور هي عبارة عن وصف لحياة شاب سوري يدعى سامي إلتقت به صحفية سويدية في فرنسا و نمت بينهما علاقة وطيدة سمحت لسامي بأن يقص لها ما جرى معه في سوريا فقررت هذه الصحفية ان تكتب ماجرى معه في رواية استخدمت لأجلها اسماً مستعاراً هو إيفا نور , ولكن الرواية من صفحتها الأولى و حتى الأخيرة محض هراء و كذب واحداث خيالية لا تمت بأي صلة لأي من أحداث سوريا او واقعها , لا أعلم حقيقة إن كان سامي قد كذب كل هذا الكذب على هذه الصحفية من أجل بطولة وهمية , أو ان تلك الصحفية ابتدعت كل هذه القصة من أجل شهرة أدبية , بغض النظر فالقارىء السوري يستطيع ان يستنبط على الفور ان الاحداث كلها لم تجري في سوريا وعلى الاغلب جرت في فرنسا أو دولة غربية , فالخيار بين البيبسي والكوكاكولا كان حاضراً في احداث الرواية في عصر مسلسل كاسندرا , الإستلقاء على مروج خضراء مع زميلة المدرسة المختلطة في المرحلة المتوسة في وسط مدينة حمص , وجود كراج سيارة و سيارتين لعائلة واحدة فقيرة , مقصف الكلية الذي يحوي الشوكو موس بعدة أنواع و النادل , العسكرية الذي يتواجد فيها كندي من أصل سوري لا يتقن العربية , ومئات من الاحداث الوهمية التي لا يمكن لها أن تحدث ضمن المجتمع السوري قبل عام 2000 وربما حتى بعده , والامر لم يقتصر على هذا , فالبطولات التي نسبت لبطل العمل " سامي " بطولات خاوية جداً و كان واضح جداً انها مستسقاة من التقارير الاخبارية اما الطامة الكبرى الأولى , فهي ان بطل العمل كان مع الجيش الحر و قد سئم من تشدد جبهة النصرة فقرر ان يطرق الباب على مركزهم و يشجب ويشتم القادة هناك بعد جلسات حوار طويلة مع احد عناصره بحجة تشويه صورة الدين وسلم من كل هذا , اما الثانية فكانت ان بطل العمل سامي الشجاح , كان وقبل الحرب في سوريا قد اخترق شبكة انترنت اسرائيلية و ووزع الانترنت على اصدقاءه و القي القبض عليه من قبل المخابرات و سلم أيضاً من ذلك , في الختام الرواية سطحية جداً و مفككة ولا تحمل أدنى درجة من المنطق لا في تسلسل الاحداث ولا بناء الشخصيات و ربما تمثل صورة الانسان الغربي غير المطلع عن الوضع في سوريا و هي صورة غير واقعية على الاطلاق تعتمد على الفرقعات الاعلامية كما هي الحال في معظم الاشياء التي يطلق الغربي البسيط عليها احكامه السطحية دون أن يسأل أو يستفسر أو يحاول الاستماع لأصحاب الحكم , تقييم العمل 1/5 ولا أنصح به على الاطلاق

[Kate Potapenko · Rating 1 out of 5]

Description of the book was great, but it doesn't seem to have anything in common with the novel itself.. I did manage to read 3rd of it, but not going to carry on... So far it all seemed to be about nothing really. Describing "some boy's" life with nothing interesting going on. None of the characters do really stand out, so it doesn't take long until you start to get confused with them. Unfortunately I don't have anything good at all to say about this book. It might get better later, but it took too much effort to get this far and I have absolutely no wish to carry on..

[Marieinsweden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ett slag i magen. Otäckt om verkligheten. Kanske mer dokumentär än roman.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastisk! Hade varit en femma om det inte vore för otyget att skriva ”lämnade” utan att beskriva vad som lämnas.

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, this book left me an absolute mess. And it’s all entirely true.

This is the story of Sami, a young man from Homs who gets conscripted into the Syrian military as a cartographer when the civil war breaks out. Through Sami’s eyes, we see Syria descend into bloodbath, and when Sami deserts from the army, he ends up back in Homs, defending the city as a rebel while people are killed around him.

That’s a brief synopsis of the book, but it doesn’t portray the gut-punch that you feel when you read it. It’s about the death of hope, the horror of seeing your loved ones die around you and the difficulty of making the right choice at a time when all choices seem like the wrong ones. Nour tells the story sensitively and with real feeling- and she should know what it’s like. The ‘Sami’ in these pages is the person she’s now married.

Prepare for tears when you read this, but it’s essential reading. You literally can’t look away.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stray cats of Homs hit is the retelling of an asylum seeker, Sami and his journey through war torn Syria to Paris.

This book was a pleasure to read as his unique story gave way to a whole different way in which we need to view refugees and asylum seekers, desperately seeking a safe haven for themselves and their family in other countries.

I loved the way in which the book was written, the simplicity of the language engaging the reader to imagine the horrors of uncontrollable war and just how fortunate we are, in this country to be able to access the simplest of necessities. Nour was able to capture images in your mind which will stay with you for a long time and her focus on Sami's feelings and thoughts really captured how he felt at that time.

A wonderful, eye-opening memoir of a single man's journey to escape a regime to be able to experience freedom once more.

[Annika Kronberg]

Tråkig

[Rajiv · Rating 5 out of 5]

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This book was raw and gripping, and so difficult to read without breaking down. The Stray Cats of Homs is a book that everyone should read.

The author wrote the characters in an impeccable manner. Sami is wonderful as the main character, and your heart immediately goes out to him from the first page. The story starts off in a very innocent manner where Sami leads a somewhat normal childhood, growing up in Homs, Syria. However, once Bashar al –Assad comes to power, you slowly see Sami’s life take a drastic turn. He is pushed to the military (with a stint in prison) to a life that he did not want. I wanted to get in the pages and hug Sami and take him away from the misery and challenges we faces at war. What is really beautiful is how he still hangs on to hope even while all this is happening. Even the supporting characters like Sarah, Yasmin, and even Grandpa Faris are endearing.

The author did a beautiful job in narrating the story where she talks about the harsh results of dictatorship, and the power of love. The story is based off real events which makes the experience unforgettable. Moreover, I still cannot believe that this is the author’s debut novel and really hope she continues to write more novels in the future with the same emotions. This book really makes you appreciate life and count your blessings. After reading it, I pray that refugees and asylum seekers in this situation have the strength to move on and lead a better life.

Overall, “ The Stray Cats of Homs ” is not just a book; it’s an unforgettable experience.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's really not easy to write a review that does this book justice. It’s so beautifully written, that at times it is a joy to read, but the subject matter is so utterly heart-breaking that it feels strange to say so.
Sami grows up during the civil war in Syria. He has hopes and dreams for his future, as we all do, but fate and circumstance mean he lives in a place and in a time when he has few choices to make. He is conscripted into the Syrian army just as the rebellion against the regime begins and is forced to comply with orders that sicken him.
Returning to Homs, he chooses to stay after his family leaves, and the account here of the horrors he experiences makes for grim reading. But he shows a resilience and a courage that is humbling to read.
Sami is real – this book is based on his experiences. If you’ve ever questioned the motives of those who put themselves in danger to escape places like Syria, or, from the security of your warm house, with food in your fridge, and your children safely at school, demanded to know why the young men don’t stay and fight, then I respectfully suggest that you read this book. In fact, it’s a book that everyone should read.

[Leona the avid dash user · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.25

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book's cover and title really caught my attention. After witnessing the civilised manner in which stray cats are treated throughout the areas of Turkey that I travelled to some years ago is in stark contrast to the practice of locking stray cats up, the community take on the challenge of feeding them and once a year veterinarians attend to the cats who all looked as healthy as my own cat. However, the reference to the stray cats is only brief with Sami's mother, the one who leaves food out for them. Sami and his family live in relative peace in Homs, Syria. Like many countries of the Middle East, Syria, Homs, is one of deep emotional pasts, religions and of wars. 


The book centres around Sami from a small boy, his family and friends to that of a young man. It is delightful and funny; the author gives true beauty to this family, Sami and his friends' antics at school and his first crush on one of the girls in his class are just like kids throughout the world. His first job is pretty unremarkable and it's not long before his interest in the internet emerges. Finishing university he and his friend set up a cheap WiFi service which becomes extremely popular as it's more reliable than the more expensive government one. The illegal service comes to the attention of the Bashar al-Assad dictatorship, Police. At the same time people are becoming restless with their lack of real freedom, the dictatorship controls all media and there is no freedom of speech, the population is oppressed and the corruption as experienced by Sami is extraordinary.  As violence erupts with a heavy hand the Syrian Army attack. Fearful, many pack up and leave the city. Sami's illegal WiFi service has him in trouble but not as much as his lack of attendance for compulsory military service which he keeps putting off. From here on, held in detention and prison Sami's life takes a terrible turn for the worse, prison treatment is cruel and relentless, he is beaten and starved.  The war sees his family decimated. He flees the country and after a tedious and dangerous journey he arrives to the safety of France as a refugee.


Sami's journey is sad and one cannot help being emotional, however he does achieve happiness when a Swedish journalist takes a liking to him and he has love in his life. His journey is not much different to those fleeing wars, refugees struggle to survive and be accepted.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first choice of book for #WITMonth (Women in Translation) is a contemporary novel depicting what life is like in Syria where a failed 'Arab Spring' uprising against President Bashar al-Assad 10 years ago turned into a full-scale civil war.  The conflict has now caused thousands of deaths and displaced more than half the population. 

The Stray Cats of Homs (De hemlösa katterna i Homs) appears to have been written in a Scandinavian language, but the identity of its author is carefully concealed to protect the identity of her source, a citizen journalist from Syria. The scanty bio in the book tells us only that

Eva Nour is a journalist writing under a pseudonym. She was inspired to write The Stray Cats of Homs, her debut novel, by meeting and falling in love with the real 'Sami'. Today the couple share a life together in Paris.

Told in a third person narrative from Sami's point-of-view, the novel begins with Sami's childhood.  There are the usual games, incidents at school, squabbles with siblings and disagreements with parents — but also a dawning awareness that people have to be careful of state surveillance which is there to prop up an unpopular regime.  People like Sami's father believe that trouble is best avoided by avoiding troublemakers, but family confidence is shaken when their older son Ali returns from compulsory military service as a changed man.  Sami decides to do what he can to evade conscription, but inevitably, he is caught and forced into uniform.

Trouble comes to a head when Sami's work as a cartographer finds him ordered to prepare maps to support the regime's incursion into his home town of Homs.  The rebels they want to kill off are some of Sami's friends, but he also knows that a previous operation in a nearby town resulted in the massacre of the inhabitants and the destruction of the town.   The violence escalates as Sami finds ways to reconcile his heart and his conscience while trying not to endanger his family and friends.

This is a story of survival, of difficult moral choices and the dehumanising effects of war.  Some of the episodes are harrowing, while others renew faith in human nature.  The novel puts a human face on the images seen in the media, with the clear intent that the fickle public should be reminded that this story is not over yet.

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2021/08/08/t...

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Sami’s teenage years were about walking a fine line between different sets of expectations.’

Inspired by actual events, fictionalised to protect individuals, this is an account of growing up, of life in Homs in Syria. Of the impact of civil war. Sami grows up in Homs, with his family and friends. He attends school, has pets, and thinks about the future. But life in a country at war with itself is never comfortable or predictable. Life in Bashar al-Assad’s Syria is increasingly difficult.

‘A cat has seven souls in Arabic. In English cats have nine lives. You probably have both nine lives and seven souls, because otherwise I don’t know how you’ve made it this far.’

Sami attempts to evade military conscription and succeeds, for a while. But he is caught, imprisoned, and then undergoes military training. He leaves the Army just before the Siege of Homs begins. While most of his family manage to leave Homs before the fighting intensifies, Sami and his brother remain.

‘Fear is like poison. If you let it grow roots, you will be lost for ever.’

This is a story about survival, about lives torn apart, about experiencing the best and worst of humanity. We readers are observers, voiceless and unable to intervene. It makes for harrowing reading: both explicit and implicit damage.

‘There were things the camera couldn’t capture; there were wounds that didn’t show on the outside.’

There may be a happier ending for Sami, but not yet for the people of Syria.

‘When we were born, what did any of us know about what our lives wold be like? Nothing. We knew nothing.’

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Al-tafahum: mutual understanding.

What a read. I'm so glad I stumbled across this book in my local bookstore. I have never read anything about the Syrian war, and am guilty now to admit that I am probably like so many people in the West that think they take a keen interest in international affairs, watch the nightly ABC news, read the right newspapers, donate to the odd charity etc, but really they remain completely unaware of the shocking reality of this war.

Through the eyes of an innocent resident come accidental photo-journalist this book unbiastly presents the chaos and life-lasting trauma of civil war and how freedom fights can so easily get derailed making innocent victims of the civilians they thought they stood for. It reiterates that there is no such thing as freedom in any relationship where mutual understanding of all inhabitants does not take place. And most importantly, This book will make you realise just how much you take your freedom in the democarcy you live for granted each day.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to receive a copy of this ARC from NetGalley.
 
I was expecting this to be about a young boy rescuing cats! It is actually a very moving account of a young boy’s growing up in war torn Syria. It is actually based on true story and the author, Eva Nour (a pseudonym) is “Sami’s “ partner in real life. Quite often while reading the book I felt I was reading about Nazi Germany in WW2 and had to remind myself that this actually happened very recently. The writing was very descriptive and I could definitely imagine walking down the street of Homs and seeing the destruction that had been wrought.
 
Don’t read this expecting lots of cats! There are a few references to animals and Sami tries to care for as many as he can with the limited supplies, but there is not an animal that is the focal point of the story.
 
I will definitely be recommending this book to my friends, to educate ourselves and gain a deeper understanding of what the refugees have and are going through.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

An uncomfortable, raw semi-biographical novel whose hero is a man brought up in comfortable, fairly ordinary circumstances in Homs, Syria. I say 'fairly ordinary', because even as a child, the signs of what was to come were there, such as the gaze of the military on every aspect of life, even at school. Compulsory conscription for military service for Sami is the beginning of the end, and when he is -finally - released from service, his career as a rebel begins, becoming ever more dangerous: the extreme privations of him and his fellow-citizens ever more difficult to endure and survive. Perhaps it should be compulsory reading for those who think asylum seekers are 'mere' economic migrants, sponging off the state. Each of them has their own story, with dangers and difficulties related to those confronted by Sami, his family and friends.

[Robert Brandkamp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another incredible and well written refugee story that brought me to tears on a few occasions. The book is about a man with his camera living in his war torn city of Homs as Assad’s regime tears through and decimates Syria. Using his camera, our protagonist seeks to capture scenes from daily life as a way to show the world what is happening in his beloved city, while also seeking to find moments of beauty in his once beautiful home. Eventually fleeing Homs, this book offers us an insiders perspective of what daily life was like for those living inside Syria, and the daily choices they have to make. For anyone interested in the refugee reality, add this book to your list!

[Eduarda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly the type of book that makes you feel. Sometimes you are unsure of what you are feeling…or even if you want to feel it. You want to keep reading because you are invested and you care about the main character, but it hurts. It is a sad reality that many people have faced and that is sad. It really gives you a glimpse of humanity and it shows how people who are in extremely difficult situations think and feel. I have no idea of how it must be, but it for sure made me think about it.

[ThatBookGal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and immersive, The Stray Cats of Homs is one account of how Syria descended into civil war. Of course it can be difficult to read because it is based in fact, but it's well written and really paints a picture of the situation. It opens during more peaceful time, Sami's childhood certainly not perfect, but much idilic than the times that befall him as the story progresses. Certainly moving, and definitely worth a read to understand a bit more of Syria's history.

[Hanna Hasselqvist · Rating 4 out of 5]

För berättelsen och människorna. Själva berättandet blir från utsidan. Men djupt berörd, av detta att koppla ihop med sin egen tillvaro - vad gjorde jag 2013? 2015? Det blir för absurt, hur långt de olika verkligheterna är från varandra. Ont i hjärtat.

[David Ärlemalm]

Svårt att inte bli berörd. Mestadels lika välskriven som nattsvart och aktuell. Invändningar: kommer händelserna nära men aldrig riktigt personerna, de onödiga förklaringarna.

[Stina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avskalat berättat, ändå läsning som gjorde fysiskt ont.