The Thread That Connects Us

Hailed as a ‘powerful new voice’ after her debut novel, You Think You Know Me, which shone a spotlight on her experiences of Islamophobia while highlighting her Somali culture, Ayaan Mohamud’s second book tells a tale of broken families. Divergent first-person narratives converge as resentful stepsisters Safiya and Halima rail over their circumstances, one abandoned by her father and tending to the ghost of her mother, the other estranged from her stepfather, angry with her mother, torn from her beloved country and friends. They focus on the role of their respective parents in orchestrating their catastrophes, little knowing that painful family secrets are at the heart of it.

London born Safiya wonders if she can trust a boy and commit her heart to Yusuf, who has been a constant friend since childhood while her best friend Muna is struggling to maintain her mystique as the school’s gossip journalist. Meanwhile Halima is mourning the absence of her constants, Abti Haroon and Khadiya. As Halima struggles to fit in at her new school, the victim of a bullying campaign, can Safiya overcome her hatred of her father’s new family to help her?

Depression, betrayal, fractured friendships, lies, lost loves and pride feature as each character goes on an emotional journey, desperation mounts and the plot reaches its climax. Mohamud’s story is rich in cultural references with interwoven language, a loving depiction of Eid and the importance of faith beautifully observed through the Fajr ritual.

For the most part, the interlocking narratives work well in this emotive story of forgiveness and redemption. The Thread that Connects Us resonates with believable characters nursing private sorrows, fears, hopes and dreams. This is a book which juxtaposes modern teen sensibilities with divided family dynamics, offering readers enduring reflections and perspectives.