Issa is actually an Italian young man named Christian.
He has a perfect command of Arabic.
Consequently, the secret services decide to recruit him and dispatch him to Viale Marconi in Rome under the guise of a Tunisian immigrant.
His mission is to gather intelligence on a suspected terrorist cell, allegedly operating out of a call center.
Sofia—or rather Safia—is an Egyptian woman who married a compatriot through an arranged marriage.
Her husband works as a pizza maker in Rome, is deeply religious, and forces Sofia to wear the veil.
Issa and Sofia’s stories unfold in parallel.
Each tells their own story: a literary device that fails to lend vibrancy and appeal to the narrative, ultimately rendering it superficial due to the limited scope afforded to the protagonists.
For Issa, being a Tunisian immigrant entails discovering the realities of immigration: precariousness, fear, overcrowded apartments, domineering landlords and employers, clashes of nationalities, and, above all, the divide between practicing and non-practicing believers.
For Sofia, life in Rome represents an opportunity to carve out spaces of freedom and pursue her dream of becoming a hairdresser.
Sofia is religious yet independent in her judgments, and she chafes under the prejudices and authoritarianism of a husband she does not love.
Issa and Sofia meet only by chance and for fleeting moments, but it is clear from their exchanged glances and mutual attentiveness that something has sparked between them.
Their relationship could shift from a state of suspension, typical of secret lovers, to something more concrete and intimate.
Issa receives a request from Sofia’s husband to marry his wife, whom he has repudiated in a fit of rage.
Under Islamic law, Sofia and her husband can only remarry after the ex-wife has wed another man, consummated the marriage, and subsequently divorced.
Sofia welcomes the idea, not out of any desire to return to her husband, but because she is in love with Issa.
Yet the young man cannot bring himself to decide, as he is reluctant to deceive Sofia: he is, in fact, neither Tunisian nor Muslim.
The ending holds a surprise that cannot be revealed.
Still, the question remains: will Issa and Sofia end up together?

Lakhous is a splendid writer: short sentences, concise character sketches, and a subtle irony are the primary strengths of his writing.
In this novel, however, the urge to dwell on social and cultural reflections (concerning the Muslim world, immigrants, and Italians) comes at the expense of narrative pacing.
The story is at times tedious and predictable, feeling somewhat contrived.
Only in flashes do the authenticity and brio that characterized the author’s previous book return.

Why read it? It is enjoyable, interesting, and in many respects instructive.
One grows fond of the two characters, so much so that one longs to know how their love story concludes, just like in a telenovela.

Divorce Islamic Style on Viale Marconi