Alex is a forty-something divorced dad who has a complicated relationship with his son. He is suddenly confronted with the suicide of his own father, Daniel, a secretive, tight-lipped and seemingly dull man. Searching through his father’s effects for an explanation, Alex comes across a letter postmarked Algiers, sent from Kahina, the daughter of Skander, a mysterious character who for years, used to send packages of North African pastries every for the holidays. Kahina informs Daniel that her father has passed away after years of suffering. What was the connection between the two men? Daniel never spoke about his time in Algeria to anyone. Wanting to understand, Alex, who has had trouble freeing himself from the weight of a past he knows nothing about, decides to go. He will get to know a country and a culture; meet a woman, make choices and above all, learn about his father’s past. This journey of initiation will allow him to realize the extent to which repercussions from the Algerian War have affected even his life. It is a war that, for all intents and purposes, is never discussed in France, but which nevertheless left its mark on an entire generation, and which is still silently affecting our present.

A first novel that provides tremendous empathy with the main character’s search for his father’s past. This individual’s tale opens a window onto a chapter of recent history and Franco-Algerian relations: a story that is still being written, fortunately. A book about the collateral damage of the Algerian War, but also about friendship, courage and offering pardon, as well as the eternal question of activism in both war and peace. A love story and a tribute to women who get involved in political struggle, that also offers hope for the emotional intelligence of men.