TEMPORARY PEOPLE

Temporary People is a novel in linked stories by Deepak Unnikrishnan that explores the lives of “guest workers” in the United Arab Emirates. The book uses magical realism and a mosaic of surreal and poignant tales to give voice to the foreign nationals who build the UAE’s infrastructure but are denied citizenship. Through a blend of linguistic invention and satire, it addresses the struggles, myths, and triumphs of these often-anonymous workers, from those who shapeshift into luggage to those who can mend broken bodies.