The Woes of Osroes - Paperback

by Sa'ad Ojeili (Author)

Solomon, along with his literature professor, Yan Eadful, develops the much-coveted WRITE (Wellness and Recreational Institute for Therapeutic Exploration) program. However, a string of deaths forces the program to end abruptly. A decade later, Solomon is weighed down by unmet potential and estranged from his Syrian roots. His existence is filled with bitterness and regret that impacts his relationship with his wife, Luna. This disillusionment is all-encompassing, and he senses that he has migrated too far from grounding elements, which are his cultural roots. On the other hand, his immediate family is a constant reminder of his inability to complete his magnum opus, a novel that would drive him towards the peak. As a result, Solomon and Luna's marriage begins to crumble, and his despondency and occasional aggression towards her become unbearable.

Yan had hoped to live a peaceful life after the disbanding of WRITE, so he set up his own publishing house. But when Luna comes to him in a desperate situation, Yan feels guilty about Solomon's downward spiral. In an attempt to make things right, he arranges for Luna, Shams, and Amar to vanish without a trace. Solomon is devastated by their disappearance and is later manipulated by former WRITE members, including Spud, Nickel, and Aleabith, into believing that he is responsible for the tragedy. They urge him to use his writing as a way to escape the pain. But the burden of guilt and a cocktail of drugs take their toll on Solomon, causing him to confront his deepest fears about climate change, war, mortality, and identity. Through visions of a river and a mountaintop, Solomon reconnects with his Syrian roots and rediscovers his true calling as a writer.

Laden with poetry and prose, the novel is a testament to a cluttered mind that tries to tackle the tremendous contemporary questions we are posed with. His odyssey becomes a poignant reminder that true healing and redemption come from within.