Bobuq Sayed's debut novel, 'No God But Us', which has generated considerable anticipation, tells the story of two gay Afghan men who find each other in Istanbul. The book opens with a dynamic portrayal of Delbar, a young Afghan-American, grappling with his identity and family expectations in the suburban 'Little Kabul' community of Northern Virginia.
Delbar, a recent college graduate and closeted son of Afghan immigrants, works at a drag club in Washington D.C., where his drag persona, Sharia Raw, offers a glimpse of an alternative self. His family, particularly his mother Qandal, a minor cable-TV pundit, embody a world of performative respectability and underlying hypocrisy. A dramatic family incident, involving a compromising photograph and his mother's reaction, prompts Delbar to flee to Istanbul for the summer.
Upon arriving in Turkey, Delbar stays with his aunt Yosra, an academic and activist. The narrative then introduces Mansur, an Afghan refugee who has faced exile twice – first from Afghanistan and then from Iran due to his sexuality. Mansur is one of many queer asylum seekers in Istanbul whose claims are slowly processed by the UNHCR, highlighting the city as a bureaucratic purgatory for some.
The central romance blossoms when Delbar and Mansur meet, their connection described as elemental due to the rarity of openly gay Afghans encountering each other. For Delbar, the encounter feels fated, a chance to reconcile with a 'lover from a former life'. Mansur, however, a 'bruised pragmatist' scarred by displacement, views destiny with scepticism. Sayed alternates perspectives, contrasting Delbar's romantic idealism with Mansur's pragmatic outlook.
Istanbul itself serves as a poignant backdrop, a city 'cleaved' both geographically and metaphorically. The novel explores how Delbar and Mansur navigate the same neighbourhoods, protests, and social circles, yet experience vastly different realities due to their respective passports and circumstances, particularly as President Erdoğan's autocratic rule tightens. While Delbar seeks self-invention, Mansur is a man torn from his family, underscoring the novel's exploration of diaspora, displacement, and the search for belonging.