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This Is Where I Am

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This Is Where I Am

By: Karen Campbell
Narrated by: Ruth Urquhart
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When recently widowed Deborah Maxwell is assigned by the Scottish Refugee Council to act as mentor to Abdi Hassan, a Somali refugee, the two are drawn into an awkward friendship. They must spend a year together, meeting once a month in different parts of Glasgow. As recently-widowed Deborah opens Abdi's eyes to her beloved city and its people, he teaches her about the importance of family – and of laying your ghosts to rest. All Abdi has brought with him is his four-year-old daughter, Rebecca, who lives in a silence no one can reach. Until, one day, she starts talking. And they discover why she had stopped...

©2013 Karen Campbell (P)2014 Audible Inc. Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction
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Beautifully written, engaging and insightful. One of my very favourite reads for a long time. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend to friends and family. The characters were convincing if the story wasn't quite so much. Great book would love more like it

Insight into asylum experience

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Engaging and enjoyable story with believable characters set in Glasgow. Would recommend and will look out for other books by this author

Good

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Loved this book. Captures so many things and makes you think .would recommend this book

Human and humane

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I loved everything about this. find out for yourself. life can be a weary puzzle. it is people that get us through

this book is special. Read it

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As a Glaswegian I was attracted by the story of a Somalian refugee who arrives in Glasgow via the Dadaab camp in Kenya. The novel is a dual narrative told by Deborah, a troubled widow turned refugee centre volunteer and Abdi who must start a new life in a city bewilderingly at odds with his homelands.

Ruth Urquart is a stunning narrator who is able to move from refined Glaswegian to neighbourhood wifey to African refugee with authenticity and ease. This alone makes it a joy to listen to. You always know which character or character type is speaking, very rare talent I reckon.

There aren't actually as many novels as you'd think set in Glasgow and the ones that are invariably focus on the no mean city aspect. It was refreshing to read a nuanced portrayal of my hometown - the awful bits, the stereotyped bits, the social problems but also the culture, paintings and beautiful buildings, the swankier lives being lived out too.

The ending was a bit bonkers and not plausible still made me smile. Recommended

Wonderful

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