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When The Apricots Bloom: A BOOK REVIEW By Gill Sherry

November 15, 2021
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Unsurprisingly, I’m always drawn to books set in the Middle East so I’d been looking forward to reading this debut novel by Gina Wilkinson.

Set in Baghdad in 2002, it tells the story of three very different women living under Saddam Hussein’s tyrannical regime. The book was inspired by the author’s own experience of Iraq where she lived as a naïve foreigner under the defiant dictator’s rule and witnessed first-hand the lengths people go to, to protect the ones they love.

Her knowledge of the troubled country provides authenticity to the story and a vivid sense of place. The reader is transported directly into Huda’s backyard where the sweet scent of apricots is soured by her husband’s bitter resentment and where darkness swallows lies and disguises fear. Backlit by the flames from a neighbouring oil refinery, suspense hangs heavy in the air.

Ally is the wife of an Australian diplomat, but no amount of immunity can protect her from the eyes and ears of the mukhabarat (Saddam’s network of secret police), or the wagging tongues of the Iraqi people. Curiosity and boredom result in her raising suspicion and exposing lies, a foolish and unnecessary risk when Iraq is virtually cut off from the rest of the world. Frustratingly labelled as a ‘dependent spouse’, Ally’s character highlights the challenges faced by diplomats and their partners when cultures collide and prejudices breed.

‘…like the exotic parrots at al-Ghazl pet market, the women soon went off their food, drooped, and plucked out their own feathers.’

Huda wants nothing more than to befriend the lonely outsider. Instead, she is forced to spy on the diplomat’s wife, her role as an informant both inalienable and dangerous. Huda’s dilemma is cleverly and sympathetically examined, her fear of the mukhabarat constantly wrestling with her inbred courage and loyalty.

As the plot gathers pace, the lies grow out of control and the secrets begin to spill. Reluctantly, Huda asks for help from her childhood friend, Rania, but past betrayals and bitter resentment result in ongoing suspicion and doubt, feelings shared by the reader throughout.

‘The cold ball she’d been carrying in her stomach returned. It was spiky now, as if wrapped in barbed wire.’

The women’s stories are intricately woven and cleverly told, their characters strong and convincing. Despite their obvious flaws, it’s hard not to root for all three women as unexpected revelations reveal themselves within the author’s descriptive prose.

‘… six mannequins in rainbow-coloured house coats… were lined up against a wall like they were waiting for a firing squad.’

Although a work of fiction, the educational value of this book should not be overlooked. It provides an honest insight into Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship and the rules his people were forced to observe. It’s a tale of private hatred and public worship. A story of suppression, blackmail and violence that exposes the despicable war crimes in Iraq’s modern history without being unnecessarily graphic. A powerful and thought-provoking novel that’s as beautiful as it is disturbing.