From Away From Here by Ambata Kazi
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Synopsis
Set in New Orleans five years after Hurricane Katrina, the novel follows three young Black American Muslims—Fatima, Tahani, and Saif—who reconnect after drifting apart in their teenage years.
Fatima left New Orleans during Katrina, also coping with the murder of her fiancé/childhood love, Wakeel. She now returns to help care for his mother.
Tahani rebelled against a strict upbringing and, as an adult, is a single mother, struggling financially and creatively while also trying to find a sense of freedom and purpose.
Saif, Wakeel’s cousin, is entangled with a complicated past involving illicit activity, and now must face how his actions contributed to Wakeel’s death and what kind of man he wants to become.
Through their separate but interwoven journeys, the three wrestle with faith, tradition, community expectations, trauma, and their desire to shape their own futures. The novel explores how their shared history, the city’s collective recovery after Katrina, and their personal faith intersect to push them toward healing and renewal.
About the author:
Ambata Kazi was born and raised in New Orleans, LA. She is a graduate of the University of New Orleans with an MFA in creative writing.
Her short stories have been published in Carve, Muslim American Writers at Home, midnight & indigo, CRAFT, and other journals and anthologies. Far Away from Here is her first novel..
On November 29th, we had Amabata Kazi grace us with her presence over a Zoom panel discussion. She gave the book club members insight into her thoughts when she was writing the book. We also asked her advice for future writers who possess the same identity as her: Black, Muslim, and a woman.
Watch the full Zoom meeting here:
