The Road From Raqqa by Jordan Ritter Conn

Release Date: 7.21.2020

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I received an ARC for an honest review of this book.

A hauntingly humanitarian account of the Syrian civil war, this brings questions about identity and family to the forefront. Despite being born and raised in the same small town, two brothers evolve to become different people with their own unique set of experiences across decades, countries, and governments. 

When talking about Syria, there always runs the risk of pushing a subconscious or conscious political agenda. I was pleased to find no such thing about this book. The brothers’ stories were so intertwined with the Syrian civil war and previous discontent across the Middle East that it cannot go without explanation, but Conn respectfully kept the brothers at the forefront of the narrative. Often, both what Syrians perceived and what Americans were told is presented side by side for an interesting contrast. Readers don’t need to know much about Middle Eastern conflicts in order to understand this book. 

Difficult topics, especially controversial ones, require care when talking about them. Some else’s story requires respect when it is told, especially when it involves traumatic events. Conn accomplishes both of these things, weaving two stories together into a charming, intense tale of brotherhood across differences. Conn manages to be frank without being accusatory, also including relevant facts or background for American readers. 

At the core of this novel is a search for personal identity in a place that is constantly falling into different outsider's hands. There's deeply emotional question of how to remain connected to your culture after leaving your homeland, especially when going to a place much different than your own. Throughout the novel, we see world events deeply affect personal relationships to culture. It demands emotional attention and deep sympathy.

The only thing that held me back as I read the book is it is a slow burn. It is all interesting, but parts seem to meander. This is not an objectively bad thing for a biographical non-fiction book, but for people who do not enjoy slower books will want to look for another one. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. At the end, I wanted to meet Riyad and Bashar myself. 

Rating: ★★★★