Sumia Sukkar

This is a powerful and deeply moving novel chronicling the Syrian War through the eyes of 14 year old Adam who has Asperger Syndrome. It has been adapted into a BBC Radio 4 play.

'I have the urge to paint, and I can already see the painting in my head… horrible and beautiful all at the same time.' A gifted artist, Adam expresses the intimate sufferings of his family as they struggle through the Syrian conflict by painting with whatever materials he can find. Having been dependent on his family all his life, he must now cope with separation and loss, including the fates of his devoted sister and brothers who are all caught up in the acceleration of events and forced to live out the consequences both of their own choices and those made for them.

The frightening and unpredictable changes, not only for Adam's family, but also for a once beautiful city and a whole nation, are unfolded with compassion, wit and imaginative force through a spectrum of shifting colors, moods and atmospheres. The novel blends political events, emotional drive and Arabian tradition through a unique perspective, whilst reminding the reader that what human beings really need is dignity, security and love.

'An outstanding debut novel' BBC Front Row

'A moving first novel, written with an insider's knowledge of the land and its people' The Times

'This outstanding novel is a must-read for anyone who hopes to understand the beauty and character that exists within a country torn apart by war. To superimpose the experience of Asperger's upon the experience of war is Sukkar's great achievement and brings a heart-breaking clarity to the suffering, the strength and the hopes of ordinary people caught up in political mayhem.' The Booktrust