RADIANT FUGITIVES: A NOVEL

RADIANT FUGITIVES: A NOVEL

Radiant Fugitives is a powerful, emotionally rich novel that explores family, identity, faith, forgiveness and belonging against the backdrop of Obama-era America. Spanning three generations of a Muslim Indian family, Nawaaz Ahmed delivers a deeply moving story about estrangement, reconciliation and the enduring power of love.

📖 About the Book

Set during a transformative period in American history, Radiant Fugitives follows Seema, a successful political consultant in San Francisco who has built a new life after being disowned by her father for coming out as a lesbian. Nine months pregnant and separated from the father of her child, she unexpectedly finds herself reunited with her mother, Nafeesa, and her deeply religious sister, Tahera.

What begins as a hopeful family reunion soon uncovers years of buried pain, betrayal, misunderstanding and unresolved conflict. As old wounds resurface, each family member must confront their beliefs, relationships and the choices that shaped their lives.

Narrated through the unique perspective of Seema’s newborn child, the novel beautifully blends poetic reflections inspired by Wordsworth and Keats with verses from the Quran. The result is an unforgettable exploration of identity, acceptance, forgiveness and the complex bonds that unite families across generations.

✨ Key Highlights

• A sweeping multi-generational family saga set in Obama-era America.
• Explores themes of identity, sexuality, religion, family and belonging.
• Features a distinctive narrative voice told through the perspective of a newborn child.
• Blends literary poetry with Quranic verses to create a deeply lyrical reading experience.
• A poignant story of forgiveness, reconciliation and unconditional love.
• An emotionally resonant debut novel that examines both personal and social transformation.

✍️ About the Author

Nawaaz Ahmed was born in Tamil Nadu and began his professional career as a computer scientist researching search algorithms for Yahoo before pursuing creative writing. He earned an MFA from the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor and has received several prestigious Hopwood Awards.

A recipient of residencies at MacDowell, Yaddo, Djerassi and VCCA, Ahmed is also a Kundiman and Lambda Literary Fellow. He currently lives in Brooklyn, where he continues to write fiction that explores identity, migration, family and culture.

📚 Why Read This Book?

Radiant Fugitives is a beautifully crafted literary novel that examines the intersections of family, faith, identity and love with remarkable compassion and insight. Ideal for readers of contemporary literary fiction, it offers a profound meditation on forgiveness, acceptance and the enduring ties that bind us together across generations.