Inspired by a true story, this mesmerising debut novel of love, brotherhood, resilience and redemption will appeal to fans of modern classics The Kite Runner and The Beekeeper of Aleppo.
Even in the darkest moments, there is light to be found...
Even in the darkest moments, there is light to be found...
On the night that Lalloo’s brother is murdered, a large yellow moon hangs low in the sky above the family’s small hut on the outskirts of Lahore. Abandoned far from home only hours later, seven-year-old Lalloo will not see them again for a very long time.
Unable to escape the memory of that night, Lalloo's parents and sisters remain trapped at the brickyard, the kiln chimney churning black smoke into the sky as they slave brick by brick to pay off their debts.
Now that he is older, Lalloo saves every rupee he earns in the city in the hope that he might one day be able to rescue his family. Yet as he falls in love with a girl he thought he’d lost forever, he realises that their freedom will only come with unimaginable sacrifice.
And as the fireflies dance overhead, Lalloo must finally choose his own destiny…
“The young boys walked right through the fireflies, bathed in the warm blinking light. Lalloo tried to catch them between his palms but they were elusive, flying away or quickly going dark and invisible.”
W H E N T H E F I R E F L I E S D A N C E
The seed for When the Fireflies Dance was planted a long time before I wrote a single word. Many years ago, I visited a brick kiln on the outskirts of Lahore. The stark, barren landscape, the patient people resting after a long day’s work on their charpais, the brick-red dust that shrouded everything. That visit stayed with me long after I’d returned home.
Many years after that, I read a news article about an elderly man who worked at a brick kiln where his son had been killed. The man held a thick folder of papers which he carried from police station to police station, seeking justice for his son. He was poor and disadvantaged, and couldn’t get anybody to take notice.
Behind the Story
Praise for When the Fireflies Dance
“An intensely powerful story about friendship, unfairness, cruelty and love, from a brave new voice. Heartbreaking, touching, and thought provoking.”
SANTA MONTEFIORE
“As heartwarming as it is heartbreaking, When The Fireflies Dance is so good I had to check it really is a debut. Such evocative writing I could feel the heat of Pakistan's brick kilns and the despair of those trapped there. Yet love, hope and family never leave this epic tale, which becomes one of escape and redemption. Stunning and powerful.”
JANICE HALLETT
“Deeply evocative and totally transporting, a story that will really stay with me.”
SAMUEL BURR
“A beautiful novel. Lalloo's story is evocative, heartbreaking, and full of hope. I loved it' .”
CHARLOTTE LEVIN
“This is a bold, beautiful novel that sweeps you away in an evocative story of family secrets, sacrifice and redemption set against the most brutal of circumstances.
I read this one in three breathless gulps and can only recommend that you add it to your TBR. If you enjoyed The Beekeeper of Aleppo, Golden Child, Kololo Hill or The Kite Runner, I think you're gonna love this one.
A page-turning, heart-pounding thrill of a book, full of truth and insight and hope. I am a better person for reading it."
WIZ WHARTON
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