The Internationals by Sarah May

The Internationals

Sarah May

Many different characters people this novel, all milling around each other in the chaotic environment of a refugee camp and its immediate surroundings. They sometimes collide and their own lives and relationships develop in an unsettling and anxiety-inducing world. You'll enjoy this if you like an edge of reality to your novels and no contrived conclusions.

Extract
It took over two hours to get through passport control despite the frantic waving of UN passports. Once through, a human barricade of Roma boys selling placards of Casio watches had to be traversed before reaching the taxi rank. David stood in the queue watching Guy who hadn't made it through, get forced into some business transaction involving cigarette lighters and dollars. Once the Roma moved on, Guy checked to see that all his luggage was there, and nervously tried to get a flame from the lighter he'd just bought.
Parallels
  • Cause Celeb by Helen Fielding
  • Catch 22 by Joseph Heller