The Return

by Hisham Matar
The Return cover
Good Books rating 4.38
Biography and Memoir
Technical:
  • ID: 684
  • Added: 2025-09-19
  • Updated: 2025-09-20
  • ISBN: 9780812994834
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Published: 2016-07-05
  • Formats: 24
  • Reviews: 4
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Waterstones
Paperback • £10.99

Hisham Matar's acclaimed memoir, The Return, is a poignant exploration of family, loss, and the enduring power of hope. When Matar was a young university student, his father mysteriously disappeared, leaving a void that would shape the rest of his life. Twenty-two years later, Matar returns to his native Libya in search of answers, embarking on a journey that is as much about personal healing as it is about uncovering the truth./n/nThe Return is not just a personal narrative but a universal story of love, loyalty, and the human spirit's capacity to endure. Matar's evocative writing transforms his quest into a profound meditation on grief, exile, and the bonds between fathers and sons. Praised for its emotional depth and literary brilliance, this memoir is a testament to the power of storytelling in the face of unthinkable loss.

Reviews
The Markaz · 2017-08-03
Thought-provoking 4.00

The book is both political and apolitical, condemning despotic regimes while focusing on personal experiences and emotions.

The Markaz's review of 'The Return' highlights its dual nature as both a political and apolitical work. The reviewer appreciates how the book condemns despotic regimes in Libya and Egypt, while also focusing on the deeply personal experiences and emotions of the author. This duality makes the book a powerful exploration of both the political and personal dimensions of exile and loss. The reviewer finds the book to be a poignant and thought-provoking read that offers valuable insights into the complexities of identity and belonging.

Quick quotes

    The book is at once very political as it condemns despotic regimes in Libya and Egypt for example, but also apolitical in that it is entirely personal.

    The Return is an epic story of war and identity, of generations of the Matar family and their sacrifices for a land they love.

    It's shorter both as a book and as a meditation on the nature of memory and the passage of time.

Harvard Review · 2017-06-15
profound 4.50

The book is a first-person elegy for home and father, examining the past and present of an embattled region with controlled emotion. It offers a profound reflection on identity and belonging.

Hisham Matar's 'The Return' is a deeply moving memoir that explores the author's journey to understand his father's fate and his own identity. The book is a first-person elegy for home and father, examining the past and present of an embattled region with controlled emotion. Matar's writing is both personal and political, offering a profound reflection on identity, belonging, and the impact of political upheaval on individual lives. The book's strength lies in its ability to blend personal narrative with broader historical and political themes, making it a compelling and thought-provoking read.

Quick quotes

    A first-person elegy for home and father that examines with controlled emotion the past and present of an embattled region.

    The book is at once very political as it condemns despotic regimes in Libya and Egypt, but also apolitical in that it is entirely personal.

    It is an exquisite meditation on how history and politics can bear down on an individual life.

The Guardian · 2016-07-03
poignant 4.50

The book is a poignant exploration of the personal cost of political tyranny, handled with gentle dignity. The prose is precise and economical, creating a deeply moving narrative.

This memoir is a heartfelt account of the author's journey to understand the fate of his father, who was abducted under Gaddafi's regime. The book strikes a balance between personal and political, offering a nuanced look at the impact of tyranny on individual lives. The writing is exquisite, with a controlled emotion that makes the story all the more powerful. It's a testament to the enduring human spirit in the face of unimaginable loss and political upheaval.

Quick quotes

    The Libyan writer reckons the awful cost to his family of Gaddafi's tyranny with gentle dignity.

    The prose is precise, economical, chiseled; the narrative elliptical, almost musical, cutting back and forth in time.

    This memoir is a meticulous account of a son's search for his father, a search that becomes a journey through history and personal memory.

The New York Times · 2016-06-27
moving 4.50

The narrative is elliptical and almost musical, cutting back and forth in time with precision. The prose is chiseled and economical, making the story both intimate and universal.

Hisham Matar's 'The Return' is a deeply personal and political memoir that explores the author's quest to find his missing father. The writing is precise and economical, creating a narrative that is both intimate and universal. The book's strength lies in its ability to weave personal history with broader political themes, making it a compelling read. The author's controlled emotion and precise prose make this a powerful and moving account of loss and resilience.

Quick quotes

    The prose is precise, economical, chiseled; the narrative elliptical, almost musical, cutting back and forth in time between the near present.

    It is an exquisite meditation on how history and politics can bear down on an individual life.

    The book is at once a universal and an intensely personal tale.

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