A Modern-Day African Cinderella Story

((  Written By: Staff Writer  ))  The debut novel from  author Faiza Duale—"An Impossible Love"—is an epic modern-day African Cinderella story.  Having lost her entire family in Somalia, Yasmin Hirsi was forced to live as a poor relation/servant with her horrid aunt and her aunt's two equally horrid daughters in Nairobi. When Yasmin was ten, her aunt kicked her out of the house, but luck finally found her in the guise of Nur Adam, the wealthy aging father of Ali Adam, her childhood crush.   And with that premise Faize is not afraid to dive straight into the literary deep end, tapping into rich themes like love and social expectations from a uniquely African perspective.

As a woman, Yasmin could never show her love for Ali, given that it was doomed by her past and their class differences.  When Ali returns from his studies abroad, Ali discovers nothing is quite the same, certainly not the sensuous beauty who he believes had preyed on his father's kindness.  Believing that Yasmin had tricked and wormed her way into his father's affection under false pretenses, he could never forgive her and would make sure she never took advantage of his father again.  But when he closes his eyes, why does she haunt his dreams?

And so sets the stage for a story that proves that the classic story of Cinderella that is an authentic reflection of Africa and influenced by Faiza's own travels—Faiza was born in Somalia, lived in Kenya, and moved to the U.S. with her family as a teenager.
To read an excerpt from "An Impossible Love" visit inkwaterbooks.com/animpossiblelove and to order your copy, visit amazon.com for a hard copy of the book or an e-copy.  "An Impossible Love" is also available from Barnes & Noble and InkWater Books.  Happy reading!

((  Photo Credits: Book Cover Art  ))