Street cats, crying from hunger, instantly claim our attention, but to understand what a fellow human being has suffered, we have to walk a mile in their shoes. Before we can do this, we must get to know them. In the first few chapters of Nour’s bewitching book, we learn about Sami’s early life, when Syria was at peace: growing up in a close-knit family, keeping a pet turtle on the roof, winning calligraphy competitions, helping his mother feed stray cats, falling in love, setting up a small business. Then, a merciless civil war and enforced military service shattered his world.