The novel expertly maps the emotional territory of displacement, exploring how identity becomes anchored not to physical locations but to the spaces between people. Through the characters' evolving relationship with both London and Libya, Matar illustrates how belonging is less about place and more about the invisible bonds that tether us to each other.

The book delves deep into how shared trauma and exile can forge unbreakable bonds while simultaneously creating fissures of understanding. The friendship between Khaled, Mustafa, and Hosam becomes both shelter and cage, highlighting how our closest relationships can simultaneously heal and constrain us.

Through the lens of political upheaval and personal loss, the narrative explores how memories shape our present and future. The characters grapple with the weight of their past experiences, demonstrating how historical trauma ripples through time, affecting not just individual lives but entire communities.