The Black Crescent
As seen:
By Jane Johnson, and and, Walles Hamonde
avg rating
1 review
Bringing 1950s Morocco vividly to life, Jane Johnson’s masterful new audiobook, The Black Crescent, is a gripping story of murder, magic and divided loyalties…
Hamou Badi is born in a mountain village with the magical signs of the zouhry on his hands. In Morocco, the zouhry is a figure of legend, a child of both humans and djinns, capable of finding all manner of treasure: lost objects, hidden water.
But instead, Hamou finds a body.
This unsolved murder instils in Hamou a deep desire for order and justice: he trains as an officer of the law, working for the French in Casablanca. But the city is trapped in the turmoil of the nationalist uprising, and soon he will be forced to choose between all he knows and all he loves…
Praise for the author: ‘An irresistible story-teller’ BARBARA ERSKINE
‘Page-turning stuff’ THE TIMES
‘Jane Johnson writes with such grace’ CAROL DRINKWATER
‘Beautifully written’ MAIL ON SUNDAY
‘Johnson writes the sort of books you want to tell everyone about’ KATIE FFORDE
Reviews
The Black Crescent is a historical, political and a romance novel. It is set in postwar Casablanca and focuses on Morocco’s fight for independence from the French. The main characte Hamou Badi, a Moroccan caught between his loyalty to family and his job with the French-controlled police during Morocco’s fight for independence.
I found The Black Crescent to be a fascinating read. Personally, I had very little knowledge of French-ruled Morocco. I wasn’t aware of the work of the Istiqlal Party or the tensions and upset following France’s exile of Sultan Mohammed V in 1953. The main character and narrator of the book, Hamou, shows a knowledge and understanding of both worlds. Thus allowing the reader to have an affection and a hatred for people on both sides. Hamou fights inner conflict between his loyalty to family and his job with the French-controlled police during Morocco’s fight for independence.
Hamou is a ver likeable upright citizen, with many good qualities but at times I found his naivety a little jarring. There is a belief that he is a ‘zouhry’, someone born with magical powers. He is considered a figure of legend, capable of finding all manner of treasure. But instead of finding treasure, Hamou finds a body.
Interweaved into the story is a romance with Zina but with all the political tension, it seems they will never be together. Add to this Zina is secretly a member of an underground nationalist organization known as The Black Crescent.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Black Crescent. It is very well written and the description of Morocco from the bustling city to the peaceful mountainous countryside. There are people with big hearts and beautiful descriptions of sight, smell and sound. I was left wishing for a holiday escape to Morocco.
