SHADOWS OF SPRING

A Syrian-American law student navigates her family’s dark secrets amidst the violence of the Arab Spring.

SHADOWS OF SPRING (115k) is a coming-of-age debut that weaves a suspenseful epic of individual identity, familial bonds, immigration and heritage, as well as the quest for truth and justice in a world shattered by conflict. A book-club mystery that erupts into a thriller, SHADOWS OF SPRING focuses on the women living in political and domestic upheaval.

After a tragic event leaves her orphaned, Roula Douglas (16) and her brother move from Kentucky to Syria to live with a newfound aunt—who also happens to be Syria’s first female cabbie. Venturing into her new homeland, Roula is brought closer to everything she loved about her mama. However, an unspoken darkness lurks from her mother’s childhood, one that may prove deadly as she discovers her family has questionable ties to Syria’s secret police and a state-sponsored militia—both of which are still watching them to this day.

As years pass and Roula is accepted into law school, the Arab Spring abruptly unfolds and an unhappy populace revolts. Forced to navigate an unpredictable landscape, Roula unravels her family’s intergenerational web of deceit and political intrigue. Her grandmother’s fatal car crash, a missing boy, and a collection of ghost stories are only three pieces to a puzzle that Roula must reluctantly solve, all rooted back to the notorious businessman Azmi Jadid, her disappeared grandfather. When Roula at last uncovers the blood-drenched truth of her māma’s past, Roula is forced to make a choice: join those fleeing as refugees, or fight—and perhaps sacrifice her life—as she strives for freedom. 

SHADOWS OF SPRING will resonate with readers that enjoyed AS LONG AS THE LEMON TREES GROW by Zoulfa Katouh, as well as THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS by Khaled Hosseini. It is a poignant novel that explores resilience and resistance in the face of violence.