Inside this book
« Regardez-nous danser » is the second volume of Leïla Slimani’s « Le Pays des autres » trilogy. Set in Morocco in 1968, more than a decade after independence, the novel follows Amine as he succeeds in turning his arid estate near Meknes into a prosperous agricultural enterprise. He and Mathilde now belong to a new bourgeoisie confident in the promise of a brighter future.
Yet beneath this prosperity, Moroccan society is experiencing profound tensions. The country is struggling to define its new identity, caught between deeply rooted traditions and the appeal of Western modernity, between the desire for emancipation and political constraints. The Belhaj family becomes an intimate reflection of these wider transformations.
The novel shifts its focus toward the younger generation, particularly Aïcha, who studies medicine in France before returning to Morocco, as well as the other members of the family. Their ambitions, desires, and conflicts give the story its emotional depth. With precise and immersive prose, Slimani continues her sweeping Franco-Moroccan family saga.