What a profound and moving read, this book is going to stick with me a long while.

The Invisible Crowd details the story of Yonas Kelati, an Eritrean refugee who registers a claim for asylum in the UK more than a year after arriving in the country. The chapters flow between different characters involved in Yonas's journey, through fellow Eritreans, other refugees, legal representatives and new friends. Each has much to say, and each is a reflection  of society's attitude to this issue; this is emphasised all the more by the true tabloid headlines which introduce each chapter.

A fascinating and memorable read.

One word review: Theatrical (in style, not tone!)

Rambling review: A poignant tale for our times.

Whilst the refuge crisis in Calais was covered extensively in the media (with varying accuracy and “hyperbole”, to put it politely… *cough* Daily Mail *cough*), I have not read any UK-set fiction which centres on this topic. I have read many books which are set in the Americas about refuges and immigration (most recently and notably, The Leavers), but not the UK. I’m sure it’s out there, I just haven’t crossed paths with it – until now.

Whilst the topic is a vitally important one which deserves as much attention as it can get, Wiles’s writing style is what gripped me most. The chapters are interspersed with testimonials and witness statements, which builds momentum and tension effortlessly. It creates a very theatrical atmosphere – I found myself at numerous points imagining myself in a playhouse, with Yonas’s story being acted out. Truthfully, I was actually reminded of a play I saw in London about a refuge being trafficked over the English Channel, and how this would had made for a better Act structure…!

Wiles also begins each chapter with a headline from a real newspaper about refugees. This was smart, as it helps to reinforce the notion that whilst Yonas is fictional and his journey is from a novel and his experience in the UK is fictionalised, real life is unavoidably real and often much worse. Treatment is worse, prejudice is worse, you’ve lucky to even make it to a border, especially with sea crossings, torture is real, there isn’t a happy ending, years last lifetimes not pages and, most stingingly, you are not welcomed.

By using witness statements, Wiles was also able to open each chapter in a consistent manner. The coffee orders emphasised the breadth of choice we have as free citizens and what we take for granted, without being preachy. There were also subtle undertones – did you trends between what refugees and “citizens” ordered?

As I said at the beginning of this review – a poignant tale for our times, but crucially one which has been written in a very smart and affecting manner.

P.S. When I lived in London, I walked as much as possible, but never as far as across two zones. Yonas’s walks left me genuinely impressed!