A Country You Can Leave is the definition of complicated love. The love story that is often fraught with bitterness and unwavering piousness – that of the love between mother and daughter. Our main character, Lara Montoya-Borislava, struggles to settle into the trailer park community she lives in with her mother, Yevgenia. Over the years, Lara has been repeatedly abandoned by her mother in the care of others, creating this deep conflict of longing and mistrust for her mother.

Throughout the story, Yevgenia's pronouncements punctuate the plot-driven text—her many opinions on Russian literature, love, and sex—each one more absurd than the last yet no doubt coming from a place of love. These proclamations are our only insight into the mind of Lara's mother and are the only gifts Yvegenia has to offer.

This inheritance highlights the immense bond and distance each has from the other; their deep-seated conflict truly drives the story's richness. Set against the backdrop of the Oasis community, Asale Angel Ajani's academic expertise proves invaluable to the creation of this cast of characters. Each character is fully realized, no matter the size of their role in the novel. Through her vibrant storytelling, Ajani unveils the complexities of the marginalized and the stigma they face, turning their pathologized experiences into a compelling and unforgettable tale.

If you love a narrative rich in familial complexity, societal commentary, and the struggles of marginalized communities, this novel is for you.

"My mother teaches me that stories have value and only the owner can determine their worth. It's the only thing they have."