Hakim’s Odyssey

The end of a journey, the beginning of a new life.

—I’m Syrian, and I got here from Turkey.

—Whoaaa! That’s a hell of a trip!

—You could say that . . . I left home almost three years ago.

After being rescued from the Mediterranean, Hakim and his son reach European soil, full of hope. But before they can get to France, they face a new series of challenges: overcrowded detention centers, run-ins with border police, and a persistent xenophobia that seems to follow them almost everywhere they go. Will Hakim’s determination and the kindness of strangers be enough to carry him to the end of his journey and reunite his family?

By turns heart-warming and heart-wrenching, this final installment in the Hakim’s Odyssey trilogy follows Hakim and his son as they make their way from Macedonia to the south of France. Based on true events, it lays bare the tremendous effects that the policies of wealthy countries and the attitudes of their people have on the lives of the displaced and dispossessed.

Concluding chapter of the true story of one Syrian refugee’s experiences.

Books in the Hakim’s Odyssey series have received rave reviews from Foreword (“Thrilling, contemplative, tragic, and inspirational.”), Publishers Weekly (“Toulmé adeptly captures how Hakim’s life slides into sudden chaos, as well as his maddening inability to find consistent work.”), and Booklist (“[A] stupendous testimony of survival,” starred review).

Fabien Toulmé, a native of Orléans, France, is available for broadcast interviews and virtual events. He is on Twitter at @FabienToulme and on Instagram at @fabientoulme.

Originally published as L’Odyssée d’Hakim: De la Macédoine à la France in 2020 by Editions Delcourt.

In addition to the three-part Hakim’s Odyssey series, Fabien Toulmé is also the creator of Ce n’est pas toi que j’attendais and Les Deux Vies de Baudouin. The first two volumes in the Hakim’s Odyssey series, Book 1: From Syria to Turkey and Book 2: From Turkey to Greece are now available from Graphic Mundi.

In addition to the three-part Hakim’s Odyssey series, Fabien Toulmé is also the creator of Ce n’est pas toi que j’attendais and Les Deux Vies de Baudouin. The first two volumes in the Hakim’s Odyssey series, Book 1: From Syria to Turkey and Book 2: From Turkey to Greece are now available from Graphic Mundi.