Other Names, Other Places tells the coming-of-age story of a young Tunisian girl living in London. Torn between cultures, Nessie (Nesrine officially and Susu to her family) finds herself not white enough or African enough to fit into any group at school. In this book, she narrates her struggles with identity, family secrets and not becoming “English” as she searches for independence and self-acceptance.
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“So what were we, then, if ‘English’ was a prize out of our reach and ‘Tunisian’ was the mask we wore at home? Nothing, really. It was easier to be nothing than to try and fail to be two things.”
Nessie’s sister, Sherine, seems to simply glide through life—knowing the right things to say and do, and that just confuses Nessie even more. We also see their relationship evolve over the years, as well as their family dynamics with her father who she refers to as “That Man” and her ever-loving, eager-to-please Mama.
Written in the second person, the book reads like a long letter in which she narrates her childhood experiences and memories, trying to make sense of them. This “letter” is addressed to Mrs Brown, a friend of their family who suddenly disappears and her parents refuse to answer questions about her return, leaving Nessie (and the reader) constantly wondering what truly happened between them.
As the reader goes on the journey spanning about 2 decades with the narrator, they see her evolve as a person, learning the ways of the world, navigating it as an other person, and much later, starting life afresh as an immigrant.
Why couldn't they be like men, shouting in the open air, getting angry in broad daylight, saying what they really meant? I didn’t realize that men can shout about things they don’t really mean, keeping the real things quiet and festering.”
The author discusses heavy issues like identity crises, searching for meaning, cultural differences, etc. in a sharp, witty, and sometimes even funny manner. Although it’s her debut novel, Ola demonstrates the experience of a highly skilled writer. This real and honest book is absolutely worth the read.
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