books
No God But Us by Bobuq Sayed review – a buzzy and political queer love story
Two gay Afghan men find each other in Istanbul, in a much-hyped debut that fails to sustain the killer energy of its opening act
TL;DR
- The novel "No God But Us" by Bobuq Sayed explores themes of performance, identity, and the immigrant experience.
- The protagonist, Delbar, navigates the expectations of his Afghan immigrant family in the US and his burgeoning drag persona.
- A family scandal prompts Delbar to flee to Istanbul, where he meets Mansur, another openly gay Afghan.
- Their relationship unfolds against the political climate of Erdoğan's Turkey, highlighting different experiences of diaspora and possibility.
- The novel is praised for its "killer" opening but is noted for settling into a more conventional plot later on.
- Themes of self-invention, political awakening, and the clash between romantic idealism and pragmatic reality are central.