Determination

Longlisted for the 2025 Jhalak Prize
At once a polyphonic exploration of the UK immigration system and the story of one woman's attempt to find a life for herself amidst the pressures of her job

'A compassionate, beautifully told portrait' Guy Gunaratne
'Absorbing, witty, eloquent fiction, as well as a trenchant political critique' Tom Benn
'A hymn to empathy, alive with care and love' Rebecca Watson

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2025 JHALAK PRIZE

Jamila Shah is twenty-nine and exhausted.

An immigration solicitor tasked with running the precious family law firm, Jamila is prone to being woken in the middle of the night by frantic phone calls from clients on the cusp of deportation. Working under the shadow of the government's 'hostile environment', she constantly prays and hopes that their 'determinations' will result in her clients being allowed to stay.

With no time for friends, family or even herself (never mind a needy partner), Jamila's life feels hectic and out of control. Then a breakdown of sorts forces her to seek change - to pursue her own happiness while navigating the endless expectations that the world seems to have of her, and still committing herself to a career devoted to helping others.

In this assured and character-driven debut, we meet the staff of Shah & Co Solicitors, who themselves arrived in the UK not too long ago, and their clients, more recent arrivals - all trying to achieve some semblance of normality.

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

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