HALA NAHED DI-MAIO

Hala Nahed Di Maio is a Lebanese-British fashion editor and broadcaster. This is her first fiction novel, which attempts to bring to life an often disregarded, if not forgotten Lebanese generation. Fleeing the Civil War for London in her late teens, Hala draws on her own experiences of living in a state of refuge but not as a refugee; in a state of exile but not exiled. As such, the book encapsulates the author's own struggle in finding, understanding, and accepting her own voice. Through tender eyes, Layla's Children sees all facets of human struggle, but places the women of that forgotten generation, whose stories were never told, at the heart of the book. Hala is a feminist and mental health advocate and weaves these elements into her work.