The Squatters

“Taut and timely, The Squatters cranks up the tension on every page by asking one question, simple on its face but increasingly complex: What would you do, in Dalia’s shoes? Saba Brelvi pushes her heroine to the brink of her comfort and her beliefs, and this stunning debut will challenge you, too, unfolding like a thriller as the moral dilemmas and consequences mount.”—Dawnie Walton, author of The Final Revival of Opal and Nev

“Saba Brelvi’s The Squatters is a deeply human story, brilliantly told. Running alongside its powerful explorations of self-discovery, motherhood, and migration is a keen critique of the institutions and systemic racism failing migrants in the UK and globally. Hopeful, tragic, and political, this book is an important read for anyone with a heart. It is a timely addition to a tradition of literature that asks: What does it mean to do good? What do we owe those with less than us? And most important, how do we live our day-to-day lives in ways that make the world more just?”—Lamya H, Stonewall Book Award–winning author of Hijab Butch Blues

“This electric debut delves into the collision of two families navigating motherhood, migration, and selfhood… . Brelvi writes with an unflinching lens that looks directly into defining conviction and the idea of belonging.”—Electric Literature, “The Most Anticipated Books by Women of Color for Summer and Fall 2026”

“More vital now than ever before.”—Debutiful

“The Squatters is a beautifully intense novel, alive with tenderness and compassion. Saba Brelvi does not shy away from painting a realistic picture of displacement, and with each detail, she pulls us further into the lives of her characters. The meeting of two mothers and their connection sets the story in motion in a way that is both deeply affecting and completely believable. This is such an important story, written with real knowledge, understanding, and empathy. It has been a long time since a novel has moved me so deeply.”—Christy Lefteri, bestselling author of The Beekeeper of Aleppo

“The Squatters is a beautiful, timely, and necessary novel. Saba Brelvi has written a haunting story about the oft-forgotten human face of the refugee experience, the frailties and illusions of the perfect life, and the true cost of moral courage.”—Patmeena Sabit, author of Good People

“This is a book about the collision of idealism and reality, about the loss of home and the communities we go on to form, and how the past can be transmuted into purpose… . A novel full of hope and heart.”—Avni Doshi, author of Booker-finalist Burnt Sugar, shortlisted for the Booker Prize

Saba Brelvi is a Muslim American writer from California. She holds a BA from Brown University and an MPH from Johns Hopkins University and has spent more than two decades working in the nonprofit sector. She currently resides in Abu Dhabi with her family. The Squatters is her debut novel.

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