“For half a century, the Bleeds have ruled with an iron fist. Once hailed as the founders of an independence movement, they’ve long since cemented into corrupt autocrats upheld by the foreign investors who manage their region’s uranium trade.”
Sound familiar? Regrettably we know of too many nations whose
leaders, in their quest for riches and power, have betrayed their people. The
above quote is from the description of Dimitri Nasrallah’s third novel, The
Bleeds, which hits Canadian bookshelves next February. A fresh take on the
contemporary thriller, from the author of Niko (nominated for CBC Canada Reads
and the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award) comes an allegory of power and privilege
resurrected from the thwarted ideals of the Arab Spring.
With advance reading copies in hand we are spreading the
word. And what a year 2018 is for Dimitri. In addition to The Bleeds, his translation,
Mayonnaise, the second volume in Éric Plamondon’s classic “1984 Trilogy" appears this fall. Plus the French language
edition of his second novel Niko, a commercial and critical success, has been optioned
for a French-language film and is awaiting a high-profile publication in France
this March.
Dimitri Nasrallah’s The Bleeds (An Esplanade Book) is a
harbinger of many good things that await readers in 2018—our anniversary year.
