One Woman's Struggle

It's Morocco in the 1950s. Young, beautiful Habiba, born into a well-to-do family, has fallen madly in love with a wealthy neighbor's son, Ali. With her parents' permission, the couple soon wed. Yet not long after their first child is born, Ali begins to reveal a sadistic and jealous side that grows more terrifying with each passing day. When their marriage takes a dangerous, violent turn, Habiba decides to flee for her life.
But where to go? With no money, and religious and government rules that prevent her from renting her own apartment or earning a living, she faces almost certain destitution. With no other choice, mother and son are reduced to vagabonds, moving from family member to family member, enduring countless indignities and humiliation, each time not knowing when they will suffer their next eviction-and possible ruination.
Her options dwindling, emotions fraying, and future in grave doubt, Habiba must somehow find the way to defy her impending fate and overcome a rigid, misogynistic social structure built to destroy a lesser woman's soul.
Yahya Bekkaoui's brilliant debut novel One Woman's Struggle takes the reader on a journey deep into a world few Westerners will ever know-or ever forget.