A hard hitting novel. Told in alternating timelines and perspectives. The writing was mesmerising and poetic. The story was hard hitting. A beautiful book

"The Foghorn Echoes" by Danny Ramadan is an enchanting literary masterpiece that takes readers on an emotional and eye-opening journey. Set in an intricately crafted world, the author weaves a tale of resilience, love, and identity that leaves an indelible mark on the heart.

The story follows the life of the protagonist, navigating through the complexities of self-discovery and cultural identity. The prose effortlessly draws readers into a vivid and atmospheric world, immersing them in the rich tapestry of emotions and experiences of the characters. One of the highlights of "The Foghorn Echoes" is Ramadan's deep exploration of themes such as queer identity, belonging, and the search for home. These topics are approached with sensitivity and authenticity.

The characterization in the book is skillfully executed, with each character exuding a unique depth and relatability. As the narrative unfolds, readers will find themselves invested in the lives of these diverse and compelling individuals. Furthermore, "The Foghorn Echoes" serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of acceptance and embracing our true selves. It advocates for inclusivity and understanding, promoting empathy and compassion in a world that often struggles to embrace differences.

"The Foghorn Echoes" is a compelling and poignant novel that captivates readers from beginning to end. Danny Ramadan's storytelling talent, combined with the thought-provoking themes explored, makes this a must-read for anyone seeking a moving and transformative literary experience.

I’m not sure how to best sum up such a deeply moving book but I suppose the best way I could would be to discribe this as beautifully haunting . It is a tale that will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you very much to the author , the publisher and of course netgalley for the privilege of reading this mesmerising book

An incredibly moving story about the developing love between two young Syrian boys at the time of the Iraq
War in 2003 and the tragic consequences that follow the discovery of their relationship. Ten years later Hussam is now living as a refugee in Vancouver where he numbs his pain with alcohol, drugs and sex while Wassim lives on the streets of war-torn Damascus after
having abandoned his wife and child. Both young men are dealing with the trauma that they have experienced and shoulder the blame for too much of what has happened to them. A heartbreaking story of love and war - beautifully written but raw, painful and not at all easy to read account of two men who have had their
lives torn apart trying to find a sense of peace and learn to live again. Everyone should read this book. This was a stunning story, full of love, pain, grief, trauma, loss, and even some hope.

This book. I don't even have the words. I don't quite know what I expected going into it, but it was utterly beautiful, devasting, thoughtful, and well-written. Danny Ramadan does an excellent job at detailing the lives of two Syrian men with a devasting secret from their childhood that still produces consequences and trauma in their present lives. With one now living in Canada, and the other staying in Damascus, the book does an excellent job of connecting the two lives through past and present narratives. Such an insightful novel and I finished it within a week because I wanted to find out what the resolution would be for Hussam and Wassim.

Loved how this lets the past of a blooming queer romance b/w two Syrian boys echo through the present as the two—one openly gay & a refugee in Vancouver and the other living on Damascus streets after abandoning his wife & child—struggle to belong. Also, the poetic prose and the fantastical element added with the presence of a ghost make this story both tender and eerie at the same time—while projecting the struggle *and* resilience of a war-torn country and a war-torn heart. Full review will be posted on 20 September, 2022.

In 2003, in a Syria shaken by America’s invasion of Iraq, two boys let their friendship grow into something more. But right from the start their love, and the intolerance of those surrounding them has devastating consequences. The word ‘echoes’ in the title is very apt, because what follows functions as an echo or ghost of that original guilt, which both boys internalise.

Ten years later, haunted by the ghost of his dead father, Hussam throws himself into a lifestyle of drugs and casual sex in Vancouver. He is free to express his sexuality, but still shackled by guilt and unable to form meaningful connections. Meanwhile, Wassim lives in an abandoned house in Damascus with a literal ghost. He hides from the living, including the wife he abandoned.

The ongoing war forms a backdrop to the novel, rather than the plot, in contrast to other novels I have read about Syria. While there is some hints at the external devastation of the country, the book is more interested in the internal devastation for the two protagonists. The story of Wassim’s ghost companion, Kalia, also sets it within a long history of both political upheaval and personal tragedy. The scenes between these two were my favourite part of the novel, they had an ethereal beauty to them, with always a hint of hope among the many lamentations. The contrast between the two sections was poignant: Hussam is surrounded by people and the trappings of modern life, Wassim is alone with a ghost without even hot water or electricity, and yet, they both find a path towards self-understanding.

This will stick with me for a while, I think. I’d recommend to those seeking deeply reflective queer fiction, or a nuanced exploration of what it means to be a refugee.

The Foghorn Echoes is a gorgeous book, as I knew it would be, after reading The Clothesline Swing. It’s a book I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for, but one that didn’t in any way disappoint once I started it.

The book opens with the catalyst: Hussam’s father catching Hussam and Wassim, as they finally act on their emotions towards each other. Then we skip to the present, and the whole story spools out in reverse from there.

Like in The Clothesline Swing, there’s a poetry to the writing of The Foghorn Echoes. This is the kind of literary fiction I like the most, the ones that feel more poetic than prose. And, for me, Danny Ramadan is one of the best at that. Even when there was not much happening in this book, I was fully engaged because of the writing.

It also helps that the characters are vastly sympathetic. Okay, they’re not perfect, they have their flaws, for one. And, as the reader discovers as the book progresses, they’ve fucked up a few times as well. But that only serves to make them incredibly human (and thus, more sympathetic). They’re trying, at the end of the day.

There’s also a fantastical element to the book, as there was in Ramadan’s first novel, with the presence of a ghost in Wassim’s narrative. It added an eeriness to the book—for the longest time, I wasn’t at all sure if Wassim was actually alive, or if all of this was some kind of ghostly fever dream. For me, that built up the tension even further because I wanted to know the truth of it all, so I kept reading obsessively.

All of which to say, in summary, that this is a book you really need to be picking up. Hell, this is an author you need to be prioritising. As in, right now.

Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me and I ended up only reading 17% of it. I enjoyed that you got the two POVs of the main characters however, unfortunately I didn’t enjoy the perspective of Hussam in Vancouver but found Wassim’s story in Damascus to be one that I connected to more and was more invested in.

4.5*

I really enjoyed this thoughtful, moving, and compelling novel, how it unravelled and gradually revealed the background story behind Hussam and Wassim and their relationship. I especially enjoyed the way we saw a variety of possibilities for all of the characters- there was not simply one path for them that would lead to happiness and others where they would be lonely, unhappy, or dead, but a variety of choices to be made and love to be found. There was a lot of sadness and pain of course, as you would imagine in a book that delves so much into war, homophobia, and racism, but I loved how love was also found in different types of relationships, including with ghosts!

I would have liked a little more about how Hussam worked through his feelings about drag - we saw his negativity and that mix of trans- and femmephobia - then at the end he seems much happier, having overcome this and finding friendship and community, but we didn't see as much of that or the process as I would have liked. I suspect part was due to the constraints of the two simultaneous perspectives meanibg not as much time could be spent on one character, but I felt a different balance with Hussam would have been good.

Overall I thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed this and would definitely recommend it!

*I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher*

Gosh, what a gorgeous book! Yes, there's tragedy here, but there's warmth and humour and humanity. Complex and compelling - highly recommended

This is such a moving love story, about Hassam and Wasim who are teenagers and it happens during America's 2003 invasion of Iraq. The boys in Vancouver and Damascus tell their stories and how their past has haunted them. Not many queer stories are available from Middle-East so I am happy to read Danny Ramadan's brilliant book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canongate for providing me with an advance copy of those book!

Beautiful queer love story, really loved the characters and the way the timelines flipped back and forth. I would have liked a bit more scene setting to start so I felt a bit more invested in the characters before things kicked off (no spoilers) but overall a really beautiful read.

Syria 2003. America invades Iraq. Secrets leading to tragedy. Families are devastated But the secrets from the past uncovers more than was first thought.
Interesting read.

The Foghorn Echoes is a deeply reflective novel centred around gay love between two Syrian boys, Hussam and Wassim. Their love is secretive, forbidden, and tragic and when discovered, has deadly consequences.

The novel is told from Hussam’s perspective from Vancouver, and Wassim’s from Damascus. Both men haunted by their pasts.

I was more intrigued by Wassim’s story set in Damascus. I really enjoyed his storytelling and the relationship he formed with a ghost in the deserted villa he took shelter in. I found myself not as interested in Hussam’s story as there was too many mentions of social media and dating apps which can often take me out of the magic of a novel. Saying that, I enjoyed Hussam’s chapters more about 3/4 of the way into the story - his relationship with Dawood and coming to terms with the ghosts of his past.

This is a story on what it is like to embrace queer love, and to find home and healing within yourself and others, even in the midst of war.

This is a touching story set initially in Syria where two boys, Hassam and Wasim fall in love. Syria however, is a country which criminalises acts of same sex sexual activity. Fast forward ten years and Hassam is openly gay and living in Vancouver, whilst Wasim still lives in war torn Syria. Both troubled young men are still haunted and trying to come to terms with the past.

This was a deeply emotional and heartbreaking read.

Beautiful. Poignant. Phenomenal.
This was a beautiful read and I learnt so much. I cried and I smiled and there was nothing more that I wanted from this book. Truly a gem.

I’d describe this book as realistic fiction. The author has done an amazing job at creating imaginary characters and situations that depict the world and society. The characters focus on themes of growing, self-discovery and confronting personal and social problems. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This is a touching story about two teenage boys Hassam and Wasim, set in Syria at a time when Americans invaded Iraq. Hassam and Wasim they fall in love and while they were kissing, Hassam's father caught them and eventually lead to his death. The two boys became estranged afterwards. Now ten years later, Hassam lives in Vancouver, Canada and is openly gay while Wasim still lives in Syria living through the war. The story tells about the lives of these two boys at a time when war erupted in Syria and Hassam's life as a refugee in Canada.

I have to say, I do like how the story divides between Damascus and Vancouver so the reader will able to get to know both the characters well. I do like how Wasim forms a relationship with a ghost woman named Kalia while living in the abandoned house and how he shares all his secrets with Kalia. Wasim also struggles with his marriage to Rima and his relationship with his child. I actually enjoyed reading those parts. I also liked Hassam's lifestyle in Canada, how he lives a free life as a gay man. The author had beautifully written the story, making the story whole realistic so we would know what it is really like, living as a gay man in Syria. I also like the author's style of writing and how it draws the reader into the story. This is one of the unique books I have read and the ending was great as both the boys moved on with their own lives. Truly an emotional and heartbreaking story that will capture the reader--worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

A really insightful exploration of both queerness and war, The Foghorn Echoes follows two extremely contrasting stories that run parallel alongside one another. found that the alternating POV’s each chapter jumped from Vancouver to Syria smoothly without feeling jarring. I found the prose really enjoyable and engaging with a well paced narrative. The only aspect I struggled with slightly was finding a real connection between Wassim and Hussam after that first kiss. Overall though a very important read.