A terrorist attack in Mogadishu opens Hiding in Plain Sight. Aar, a UN worker, is murdered and, in a subtle shifting of narrative, his half-sister, Bella, assumes the role of protagonist in his place. She leaves behind her life in Italy, where she is a successful fashion photographer, and relocates to Nairobi to care for her teenage niece and nephew. The children’s estranged mother who has an unsavoury relationship with Bella returns too, claiming maternal rights. Farah’s depiction of teenage sibling rivalry is uncanny and his demonstration of the impact of terrorism on a civilian family is affecting. His prose can be delightfully poetic (“their relationship … like a rug: beautiful when purchased but gone threadbare over time”) but too often lacks imagination. The plot, however, maintains drama and direction. Most successful is Farah’s dramatisation of the racial tensions and violence commonplace in many African cities (“Emergencies are a daily routine in our country”) and the ways in which his characters deal with and grow accustomed to them.
• To order Hiding in Plain Sight for £6.99 (RRP £8.99) go to bookshop.theguardian.com or call 0330 333 6846. Free UK p&p over £10, online orders only. Phone orders min p&p of £1.99.
