In post-colonial Morocco, among the fragile embers of a newly fledged nation, one shepherd boy from the mountains managed to obtain the unthinkable – an education. Now Europe, along with the opportunity to continue his path of learning, beckons Jusef bewitchingly from across the water.
So begins a colourful journey of intertwining possibilities and unforgettable encounters as Jusef forges his path in a land far removed from the cultures and traditions of his past. But in a continent engrossed in a new, cultural awakening, Jusef finds himself embarking on an awakening of his own: a transformational quest of perseverance, courage and identity that challenges everything he once knew, for expanses and horizons as yet unspoken.
Jusef's story is a testament to the extraordinary path the journey of life can take when one dares to hope, showing above all, that some dreams are worth chasing – even if doing so does prove to be An Odyssey in Blue.
Review for 'An Odyssey in Blue':
This is a remarkable book. Transporting us to unseen cultures and forgotten times, An Odyssey in Blue chronicles a young man's journey through life with honesty, wit and colour; from the bustling streets of post-colonial Marrakesh to Brussels in the summer of love, each step is vividly woven together with alluring subtlety and skill.
Labaki writes like a poet. With deceptive simplicity, he challenges the ordinary conventions of storytelling, weaving together the beauty and mystery of the ordinary made extraordinary. At times both whimsical and philosophical, An Odyssey in Blue reads on some level like a novel of ideas, a novel of hope and above all, a novel of life. An outstanding achievement.
