I grabbed this book on a whim, not knowing much about it I’m so glad I did. The Moor’s Account is based on the true story of the Narváez expedition, a group of Spaniards that landed in Florida on behalf of the Crown, seeking “new” lands. Through a series of disasters and diseases, the group is whittled down to four survivors: 3 Spaniards and a Moroccan slave, Estebanico. A real 16th century account of this expedition from one of the survivors mentions this slave only in passing. Lalami seeks to fill in the gaps, presenting his account of the events.

It was interesting to read about the journey of these conquistadors through the eyes of an outsider, especially when it came to their interactions with the native tribes. The historical account minimizes the role of these tribes in the survival of the Spanish, but Lalami recognizes (and rightly so) that the Spanish needed to rely on the Native Americans as their mission switched from conquest to survival. Estebanico provides us with a critical lens through which to view the Spaniard’s treatment of the Native American tribes. You see his unease as the Spaniards walk into occupied lands and claim them as their own. The story flashes back to his time in Morocco before his enslavement, drawing parallels to the Portuguese occupation of Morocco.

Lalami’s writing is beautiful. While the story moves slowly at times, her descriptions and the voice that she uses for Estebanico will keep you pulled into the book. If you like books that include epic journeys across the America (This Tender Land comes to mind, for example), you will enjoy this one!