When the Apricots Bloom by Gina Wilkinson

Reviewed by Max

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Huda, a secretary at the Australian embassy, lives in constant fear of the mukhabarat, the secret police of Saddam Hussein's regime. They have ordered her to befriend and watch over Ally Wilson, the Australian deputy ambassador's wife. Huda has no desire to be an informant, but fears for her teenage son, who may be forced to join the regime's deadly militia. Across the city, Huda's childhood friend Rania, who enjoyed a privileged upbringing as the daughter of a sheikh, fears for her own daughter, in whom the mukhabarat have taken an openly licentious interest. Facing possible betrayal at every turn, these three very different women must push the boundaries of their fragile, newfound loyalty and navigate the complexities of trust, friendship, and motherhood to protect their families.

Readers who enjoy titles that feature figurative language, lyricism, and suspenseful atmospheres will find much to relish in this vividly wondrous debut. Inspired by the author's experiences as a foreign correspondent in Baghdad during the Saddam Hussein regime, When the Apricots Bloom sets itself apart from similar novels by using masterfully crafted visuals to heighten the uncertainty of the characters' choices in this tragically real setting. When no choice can be made lightly, every friendship is a risk, and each promise is cursed by the ambiguity of truth, readers should be willing to come face-to-face with the limits of friendship, forgiveness, and trust

Rating: 4/5 stars

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