Summary

“Due North” begins with the main character seeing visions of her father, a famous imam who has just passed away. She reflects on how her father’s teachings inspired her to become devout herself, noting that he made “every day feel like magic” (182). She wonders why her father’s ghost wants to haunt her, noting that her brother, Jabril, was the more likely candidate for that. Jabril, four years her senior, took a liking to hard science, leading him to rebuff his father’s claims about religion. She remembers a time when she was a child and her father signed her up to learn Arabic with her brother, who also grew fond of the lessons. The daughter of the teacher, Zainab, gently encourages the main character to keep trying despite her struggles. As the lessons go on, Jabril grows bored, and colors his...