Defiance

<p><b>'An anthem against patriarchy and authoritarianism everywhere . . . a must-read'</b><br>JAVIER ZAMORA, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>SOLITO</i><br><b><br>'Loubna Mrie's story takes my breath away. <i>Defiance</i></b><b> is a nail-biting tale of astonishing courage, a coming-of-age story in which one woman risks everything to fight for what she believes' </b>JEANNETTE WALLS, No. 1 <i>New York Times </i>bestselling author of <i>THE GLASS CASTLE </i>and <i>HANG THE MOON</i><br><br>Every day, Loubna Mrie pledged allegiance to Bashar al-Assad. Her family, part of the Alawite minority that ruled the country, helped bring the Assad family to power. Her father, a formidable businessman with close ties to the regime, similarly ruled their household with absolute authority.<br><br>But everything changed in 2011, when the Arab Spring reached Syria and Loubna stumbled into an anti-government protest. What she witnessed - the courage, the blood, the brutality - ignited something in her that would not be extinguished. She joined the resistance, fearlessly proclaiming her Alawite identity to show that unity was possible, and risking her life as a photojournalist documenting the war for Reuters and other outlets. Her defiance would come at a devastating cost: the loss of loved ones, the community that now considered her a traitor, and, ultimately, her country itself. Leaving behind everything she knew, she would have to find a new home within herself.<br><br><i>Defiance</i> is the unforgettable account of one woman's fight for freedom - against a dictator, a father, and the weight of inherited belief. From the streets of Aleppo to exile in New York City, it offers an electrifying portrait of moral courage in a time of unimaginable violence. Told with clarity, fury, and grace, <i>Defiance</i> offers a rare, ground-level portrait of what it means to wake up, to resist, and to become.<br><br><b>'A literary triumph. Every page is marked by blood and tears. It's unforgettable'</b><br>LAWRENCE WRIGHT, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of <i>THE LOOMING TOWER</i> and <i>THE HUMAN SCALE</i><br><br><b>'Profoundly . . . The book is an unforgettable chronicle of the spirit, one that will stay with you long after the final page'</b><br>ANAND GOPAL, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of <i>NO GOOD MEN AMONG THE LIVING</i></p>