Drummers and Dreamers

On the cusp of an uprising, one girl fights to steer her own life Drummers and Dreamers is a genre-blending historical novel and coming-of-age story set in 1960s Casablanca, Morocco, where political unrest and strict social codes collide in streets that pulse with music and rumor. Heartbroken by the sudden death of her father, Tamo - a sharp, spirited teenager from a farm - moves in with her uncle and is thrust into a city that's both intimidating and electric. As she finds her footing, she bonds with a magnetic singer who shares her devotion to Moroccan folk music, and becomes entangled with Youness, an idealist student activist whose hopes for his country feel dangerously contagious. When protests ignite, and violence spreads, surveillance tightens, and every connection carries consequences. If you liked Leïla Slimani's Watch Us Dance, Jane Green's Sister Stardust, or Mai Sennaar's They Dream in Gold, you'll likely love this.

Laila Ouarrachy is a Moroccan French author, born and raised in the French Riviera. She draws on her rich cultural background and extensive travels to offer gripping and underrepresented perspectives on universal themes of freedom and social change. Laila holds an M.A. in business from NEOMA Business School.