Gravel Heart by Abdulrazak Gurnah

Gravel Heart, Abdulrazak Gurnah’s ninth novel, fits neatly into the author’s established oeuvre, as he returns to familiar themes of immigration, family and memory, tied together in a traditional coming-of-age story. Born into a dysfunctional and broken family in 1970s Zanzibar, we follow our narrator, Salim, who leaves his childhood home to study and seek his fortune in London. This is a narrative steeped in secrets and intrigue, as Salim slowly uncovers his family’s past: why his father rejects his family, why his uncle brings Salim to Britain, and why his mother is meeting a strange man.

Influenced by the likes of Dickens and the Brontës, Gravel Heart is a conventional tale: a family drama that at times flirts with cliché (Gurnah is doing nothing particularly radical with its form). However, his master storytelling and enviably effortless yet meticulous prose saves the novel from triteness. 

In a similar fashion to his previous novels, Gurnah articulates the immigrant experience and the culture clash, alienation, and joy that comes with it. The London portion of the novel is set in the ‘90s, yet feels urgently contemporary as Salim is met with cruel discrimination and hostility. Relevant and beautifully written, Gurnah delivers a captivating tale that stays close to his literary roots of substance over style.