River Spirit is a 2023 historical fiction novel written by Leila Aboulela and published by Grove Press.
[1][2] When Akuany and her brother Bol lost their parents in a village attack in South Sudan, they were taken in by a kind merchant named Yaseen.
As a new leader, called the Mahdi, starts gaining power in Sudan and challenging the rule of the Ottomans, everyone has to decide which side they are on.
These locations are characterised by their arid desert landscapes, the presence of the White Nile river, and the oppressive atmosphere of war and captivity due to the Mahdist uprising.
The passages depict a time of conflict, slavery, and hardship, with themes of survival and resilience amidst adversity.