{"product_id":"9780063419469","title":"No God but Us","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Most Anticipated Read: \u003ci\u003eThe Millions\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ethem\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSheReads\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDaily Kos\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDebutiful\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eMizna\u003c\/i\u003e, and\u003ci\u003e LGBTQ Reads\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA \u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e Writer to Watch\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“An exhilarating debut from a writer whose work I’ll always want to read.” —R.O. KWON\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIn this wry, provocative debut, two gay Afghan men—cast out of their respective countries of birth by circumstances beyond their control—collide in Istanbul, a city that will test their willingness to sacrifice everything for the ones they love.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen Delbar—a hapless twenty-something with dreams of becoming a drag queen—is spectacularly outed, he flees the insular immigrant-dense suburbs of Washington, DC to seek refuge with his sympathetic aunt in Istanbul. There, he discovers a vibrant community of dissidents, sex workers, activists, poets, and heretics. Among them are Leif and his boyfriend, Mansur, with whom Delbar quickly develops a blazing fascination.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut Mansur also nurses a wounded heart, having left his own family, and his first love, behind in Iran. This time, Mansur’s learned not to dream bigger than his own survival. He’ll keep a low profile, work hard to send money back, and remain faithful to Leif—at least until his refugee status is granted.\u003cbr\u003eWhen riot police descend on attendees of the annual Istanbul Pride march, Mansur and Delbar are thrust into dangerous proximity. With the country surging into authoritarianism, each person must ask themselves: \u003ci\u003ewhat constitutes a life well-lived, and how high is the price of freedom?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTold through the alternating viewpoints of Delbar and Mansur, Bobuq Sayed’s debut is a story of borders and boundaries transgressed, and a seductive exploration of what it means to make a home at the margins of society. At once an immigrant family saga, a thwarted love story, and a searing portrait of politics made intimately personal, \u003ci\u003eNo God but Us \u003c\/i\u003eis an ambitious introduction to a bold new voice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“A new kind of novel, with vast geographies of nation and heart.” —SARAH SCHULMAN\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"This is a story alive to contradiction—ferocious in its longing, unsparing in its honesty, and deeply attuned to the ways love and belief survive their own undoing.” —GARRARD CONLEY\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"I feel lucky to count this story among my literary kin.\" —ARIA ABER\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bobuq Sayed","offers":[{"title":"HarperCollins |  Hardback  |  2026-05-26","offer_id":48531553616127,"sku":"9780063419469","price":39.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0329\/9075\/7001\/files\/BNCImageAPI_6fe89bdc-2251-44f1-9a35-d1d35edae848.jpg?v=1778866060","url":"https:\/\/riverbookshop.com\/products\/9780063419469","provider":"River Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}