“A masterful memoir, a searing meditation on loss, exile, grief, guilt, belonging, and above all, family. It is, as well, a study of the shaping—and breaking—of the bonds between fathers and sons. . . . This is writing of the highest quality.”

— The Sunday Times (U.K.)

“[An] eloquent memoir . . . at once a suspenseful detective story about a writer investigating his father’s fate . . . and a son’s efforts to come to terms with his father’s ghost, who has haunted more than half his life by his absence.”

— Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

“Truly remarkable . . . a book with a profound faith in the consolations of storytelling . . . a testament to [Matar’s] father, his family and his country.”

— The Daily Telegraph (U.K.)

“The Return is a riveting book about love and hope, but it is also a moving meditation on grief and loss. . . . Likely to become a classic.”

— Colm Tóibín

“This outstanding book . . . roves back and forth in time with a freedom that conceals the intricate precision of its art.”

— The Wall Street Journal

“Beautiful . . . The Return, for all the questions it cannot answer, leaves a deep emotional imprint.”

— Newsday

“Matar’s evocative writing and his early traumas call to mind Vladimir Nabokov.”

— The Washington Post

“A tale of mighty love, loyalty and courage. It simply must be read.”

— The Spectator (U.K.)

“A moving, unflinching memoir of a family torn apart.”

— Kazuo Ishiguro, The Guardian

“Wise and agonizing and thrilling to read.”

— Zadie Smith

“Utterly riveting.”

— The Boston Globe