Sign-In
Cart
Return Tickets
Paperback
Publisher Price: $27.00
ISBN13: 9786030515165
Publisher: Madarek Company for Publishing and Distributi
Published: Feb 12 2026
Pages: 262
Weight: 0.70
Height: 0.59 Width: 5.83 Depth: 8.27
Language: English
Return Tickets is a contemporary literary novel that follows the life of Abdullah Al-Musaed, a Saudi diplomat transferred to Uganda after serving in Pakistan. The novel moves between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, blending personal memory, political commentary, social critique, and emotional introspection.
Through Abdullah's experiences in Kampala - his encounters with diplomats, Islamic charity institutions, expatriates, African poverty, and political tensions - the novel explores identity, exile, cultural displacement, and moral ambiguity. Parallel to his diplomatic life, the narrative delves deeply into his complicated marriage, his emotional relationship with Farah, and the ideological tensions shaping Saudi society, especially the influence of religious movements such as Al-Sahwa.
The story shifts between present events in Africa and past memories of childhood, trauma, family conflict, social conservatism, migration, and the transformation of coastal Saudi communities. The novel combines political realism, psychological depth, social criticism, and lyrical prose. Themes of belonging, religious authority, sexuality, corruption, diaspora life, and emotional fragmentation are central.
It is a layered narrative that reflects on personal wounds, societal contradictions, and the tension between faith, power, love, and freedom.
Also in
Literary Fiction
Elizabeth Spencer: Novels & Stories (Loa #344): The Voice at the Back Door / The Light in the Piazza / Knights and Dragons / Stories
Spencer, Elizabeth
Hardcover
Philip Roth: Novels 1973-1977 (Loa #165): The Great American Novel / My Life as a Man / The Professor of Desire
Roth, Philip
Hardcover
John Updike: Novels 1978-1984 (Loa #339): The Coup / Rabbit Is Rich / The Witches of Eastwick
Updike, John
Hardcover
The Patrick Melrose Novels: Never Mind, Bad News, Some Hope, and Mother's Milk
St Aubyn, Edward
Paperback