In the Country of Others

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In her latest novel, Leila Slimani draws from her family's inspiring story for the first volume of a trilogy focused on race, resilience, and women's empowerment. The narrative follows Mathilde, a spirited young Frenchwoman who falls in love with Amine, a Moroccan soldier in the French army during World War II. After the war, they settle in Morocco, where Amine struggles to cultivate his family's rocky farm while Mathilde grapples with isolation, harsh conditions, financial strain, and the mistrust she faces as a foreigner. As she increasingly finds herself alone raising their two children, Mathilde's daughter faces bullying at school for her secondhand clothes and unruly hair. Transitioning from a farmer's wife to a defiant figure, Mathilde begins offering medical services to the rural community, challenging the country's chauvinism and oppressive social norms. Amid rising tensions between Moroccans and French colonists, Amine is torn between his solidarity with Moroccan workers and his position as a landowner, while he admires Mathilde's strength yet feels conflicted by her refusal to conform. This novel marks the beginning of a journey toward emancipation for women living in a male-dominated society.