When the Fireflies Dance: A Novel [Hardcover]

Inspired by a shocking true story, this haunting debut novel of love, brotherhood, resilience, and redemption set in Pakistan calls to mind the modern classicsThe Kite RunnerandThe Beekeeper of Aleppo.

On the outskirts of Lahore, Pakistan, a large yellow moon hung low in the sky when the men came with dogs and guns and cricket bats. In front of his family’s small hut on the edge of a looming brick kiln, Lalloo’s brother was murdered.

Unable to escape the memory of that horrible night, Lalloo’s parents and sisters remain trapped, the kiln chimney churning black smoke into the sky as the family slave, brick by brick, to pay off their debts. To rescue them, Lalloo must free himself from his past and carve out his own destiny.Aisha Hassan is an award-winning writer living and working in London. A graduate of the University of Oxford’s prestigious Creative Writing Master’s programme and a Curtis Brown Creative alumna, Aisha’s play Pickled Mangoes was performed at Soho Theatre, and her poetry has appeared inUnder the RadarandCampusmagazines.When the Fireflies Danceis her debut novel and has been longlisted for the Bridport Novel Award and Hachette’s Mo Siewcharran Prize, and shortlisted for the London Writers Award. As a child, she lived in Lahore, Pakistan. "This book is incredible but also destroyed my heart. Read it, but only when you feel strong enough because it's painful but inspiring in the way that true stories can be."—Jenny Lawson, New York Times bestselling author ofLet's Pretend This Never Happened"A thought-provoking and heartbreaking examination of forgotten families trapped in a cycle of injustice and a deep look into the sacrifices one man makes in order to save those he loves. Aisha Hassan’s gift for storytelling makes this a beautiful and poignant read." —Marjan Kamali, bestselling authl³=