The Last Crossing

The Last Crossing follows Mukhtar, an Egyptian architect trapped in grueling labor in Oman, as he hides his struggle from the woman he loves. Through their distant longing, the novel reveals the unseen lives of migrant workers and the human cost of economic survival.

When the Egyptian architect Mukhtar arrives in Oman to oversee a building project, he finds it’s a bait-and-switch. Instead of drawing up building plans, he is trapped into doing back-breaking manual labour. As Mukhtar is forced from one demeaning job to the next, he pines for Houria, the love he left behind in the hopes of making enough money to support her. As he navigates the underbelly of the Omani economy, he and Houria exchange increasingly passionate messages. But reluctant to admit his failure, Mukhtar refuses to return until an unexpected turn of events makes the decision for him.

Weaving together stories of migrant labourers in Oman with those of their loved ones back home, The Last Crossing beautifully articulates its principal theme: the harsh realities that face migrants in Oman. The first Omani novel to focus on the lives of expatriate workers, this story brings to life their varied motivations and personalities. Al-Badri’s powerful tale of one man’s migration for love is a searing portrait of the realities that lie beneath the surface of Oman’s prosperous economy.

Contributor: Katherine Van de Vate (Translated by)

Translator: Katherine Van de Vate

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