Aisha Hassan

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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 "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." 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... Inspired by a true story, this mesmerising debut novel of love, family, resilience and redemption will appeal to fans of modern classics The Kite Runner and The Beekeeper of Aleppo.