Nadifo is the main character in the novel.  Her story provides an unusual angle; she is the wife of the Foreign Minister of Somalia in the last regime before the civil war.  However the reader witnesses the strife the civil war brought her and her family. Her story highlights the fact that in this war, no one was safe. By choosing Nadiifo as the protagonist we see that Somalia was and still is a danger zone; uprooting wealthy and respected families and repositioning them in the west have had a major disturbing affects on them and many others who were from a similar background and situation.

Nadiifo’s story portrays the experience of so many refugees, whether they are Somali or not. Through Nadiifo, Yasmeen Maxamuud shows us the immense strength Somali women have just to get by. However, she like any other person is flawed; rather than helping her daughter, Henna and directing her from the path that leads to an early grave, she shuns her. Nadiifo in this instance, preferred to uphold backward and aged traditions, leaving Henna feeling alone and unloved. This sense of loneliness in Henna leads her to find solace and love in the wrong places, causing her to repeatedly pack up and leave and fill the void that her mother left empty with lust, superficiality or acceptance in another social circle.

Nomad Diaries focuses on the women of Somalia, their transgression to another world and strive for survival. It illustrates the strength needed to adjust and more importantly keeping the balance: In Henna’s case, she completely shed her history and tried to adopt different identities – this failed immensely and led her to a tragic life. In fact both Nadiifo’s daughter s abandoned their own identities for more ‘glamorous’ lives. And in both examples their stories ended horrifically. Warsan, The unattractive ‘smart’ sister married well and had 3 children; however she gradually became sidetracked by money and high jinks; causing her to abandon her children, her marriage and settled life in search of money and following promises of a thrilling lifestyle and copious amounts of wealth; achieving her dream of the independent women she would akin herself to.  However, unsurprisingly, Warsan’s dreams crash and burn, causing her to question herself and the lifestyle she chose. Warsan’s selfish actions have a pleasing affect on her youngest child, Idil.

Idil, a fierce, truly independent and angry teen is a beacon of light in the Geeddi Family. Her fast tongue and quick thinking swiftly tars her as a trouble maker. From an early age she is dismissed as a failure, but Idil turns out to be one of the most successful characters in Nomad Diaries. She takes and learns from the mistakes her mother and aunt made and is adamant that she will not follow the same path of self destruction. She attributes all Somali women’s problems with Somali men and vows to never marry or get involved with them. Her rough exterior, however, conceals a caring and genuine individual; portrayed by friendship that sprouts between her and Shirwac. She protects her cousin and is gentle and caring towards the shy Shirwac.

Out of Nadiifo’s children, Haybe seems to be the most morally successful. He shames his mother by marrying Ceebla, a girl from a tribe notoriously known as being similar to the Indian’s ‘Untouchables’. A forbidden love if you like! However, Ceebla is one character the reader automatically likes.

She is not a refugee, but was living away from Somalia before the civil war; because of this Ceebla feels like an outsider and struggles to gain acceptance from her community; causing her to enter an unhappy marriage. However, the reader sees this retrospectively and is introduced to Ceebla at a point where she has accepted herself and no longer strives for their approval.

Nomad Diaries clearly illustrates the experience of Somali refugees and the problems they face here in the west. It is a gigantic account and Ms. Maxamuud had taken on a lot to tackle the sensitive subjects brought in the story.  Ms. Maxamuud is a master story teller and the chronicles depicted takes over any shortcoming that this novel might have. What you are left with is a great novel that is ends perfectly, and one that essentially challenges the reader.

Ilwad Abdulghani Sabban
London, UK
Email: ilwad_sabban_7@hotmail.com

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