Passage of Tears

Set in the strategically significant yet impoverished Djibouti, the narrative follows Djibril, a young man exiled in Montreal, as he returns home to report for an American firm. His journey intertwines with a mysterious figure in prison, whose dictations reveal a different story—the life of Walter Benjamin. The novel blends genres, including spy thriller, diary, and parable, while exploring Djibouti's past and critiquing Muslim fundamentalism. Waberi's work is a poignant reflection on childhood, identity, and the complexities of exile.