Yes, the levees are breached and the city floods, and the family is split when Kathy and the kids evacuate and Zeitoun insists on staying behind to look after their properties. But the ravaged city where he remains is curiously almost idyllic – beautifully quiet, submerged under water that is clean, translucent, “almost green”. Zeitoun retrieves an old canoe he had in the garage, and begins to explore the neighbourhood in it, and make himself useful.
Though his story drifts occasionally into a minor key (when the first signs of looting appear, and the water no longer looks so clean and beautiful), it’s largely a story of hope. As he paddles, Zeitoun finds abandoned dogs and feeds them; he rescues an old lady trapped in her house, and on one curious occasion discovers himself giving a prostitute a ride to work. He calls an anxious Kathy daily at noon, to reassure her that all’s well, that he’s doing God’s work; doing important things to make his family proud. And then, well, then we get into that second half.

See the full article from “Independent”

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