AUDIOBOOK
About
In this seductive, provocative debut, two gay Afghan men—cast out of their countries by circumstances beyond their control—arrive in Istanbul, a city that will test their willingness to sacrifice everything for the ones they love.
When Delbar—a hapless twenty-something with dreams of becoming a drag queen—is spectacularly outed, he flees the insular immigrant-dense suburbs around Washington, DC, finding refuge with a sympathetic aunt in Istanbul. There, he enters a vibrant community of dissidents, sex workers, activists, poets, and heretics. Among them are Leif and his partner, Mansur, with whom Delbar quickly develops a blazing fascination.
Delbar does not know that Mansur also nurses a wounded heart, having left his family of Afghan refugees—and first love—behind in Iran. This time, Mansur's learned not to dream any bigger than his own survival. He'll keep a low profile, work hard to send money to his family, and remain faithful to Leif—at least until his refugee status is granted.
But when a seemingly harmless Pride march results in a brutal attack by riot police, and the country surges further into authoritarianism, Mansur and Delbar are thrust into dangerous proximity. Alongside their tight-knit community, the duo are forced to ask themselves: what constitutes a life well-lived, and how high is the price of freedom?
Told through the alternating viewpoints of Delbar and Mansur, Sayed's debut is a story of borders and boundaries crossed, and a deeply rich exploration of what it means to build a temporary life. An immigrant family saga, a thwarted love story, and a portrait of politics made intimately personal, No God But Us is an ambitious introduction to a bold new voice.
When Delbar—a hapless twenty-something with dreams of becoming a drag queen—is spectacularly outed, he flees the insular immigrant-dense suburbs around Washington, DC, finding refuge with a sympathetic aunt in Istanbul. There, he enters a vibrant community of dissidents, sex workers, activists, poets, and heretics. Among them are Leif and his partner, Mansur, with whom Delbar quickly develops a blazing fascination.
Delbar does not know that Mansur also nurses a wounded heart, having left his family of Afghan refugees—and first love—behind in Iran. This time, Mansur's learned not to dream any bigger than his own survival. He'll keep a low profile, work hard to send money to his family, and remain faithful to Leif—at least until his refugee status is granted.
But when a seemingly harmless Pride march results in a brutal attack by riot police, and the country surges further into authoritarianism, Mansur and Delbar are thrust into dangerous proximity. Alongside their tight-knit community, the duo are forced to ask themselves: what constitutes a life well-lived, and how high is the price of freedom?
Told through the alternating viewpoints of Delbar and Mansur, Sayed's debut is a story of borders and boundaries crossed, and a deeply rich exploration of what it means to build a temporary life. An immigrant family saga, a thwarted love story, and a portrait of politics made intimately personal, No God But Us is an ambitious introduction to a bold new voice.