“Nothing stays the same. But these are worries for another day. This is now, this is Dubai, and nothing else matters.”
Diving For Pearls, by Jamie O’Connell, is a compelling yet disturbing depiction of life in Dubai told from a variety of perspectives. It opens with the death of a young woman, Hiyam Husayin, her body floating down a marina just as an international film star (assumed to be Tom Cruise) arrives in the city to ascend the Burj Khalifa as part of the filming for his latest movie. Throughout the tale Hiyam’s death reverberates as she is the daughter of a powerful Emirati. Determined not to tarnish his family name her father must keep the truth from being investigated, blaming instead those who have few rights in a state where everything, including justice, is glaringly superficial.
Hiyam’s brother, Aasim, is studying medicine in Dublin. As a gay man but with immense wealth he enjoys freedoms unimaginable in his homeland. Like many from Dubai, he places great value on high cost brands and being seen to wear them. He cannot understand why those who are content with cheaper clothing and accessories would choose to look poor. When he hears of his sister’s death he believes he must fly home immediately, only later discovering this was a grave miscalculation.
If Aasim serves to depict the life of a gay man, another character, Tahir Nasiri, offers life from the perspective of an immigrant attempting to improve the prospects of his family. There are many jobs available in Dubai as such a city requires an underclass in order to function. Tahir drives a taxi, saving his tips to send to his wife and children in Karachi. While in Dubai he lives in a filthy dormitory with other men like him, working twelve hour shifts and keeping quiet about his clientele. This goes badly wrong for him when CCTV shows him driving Hiyam just before she died.
Another immigrant is Gite, a maid of all work who helps care for a family. Although immigrants themselves, this family are Irish and in Dubai to make serious money. The matriarch, Siobhan Cusack is mother to Rocco and Milo, boys provided with every luxury but unable to play outdoors due to the heat. Her husband travels a great deal and, like many of her peers, Siobhan is often lonely. It is therefore a highlight when her brother, Trevor, arrives on a visit. Trevor has his own issues, not least the way he treats women.
Back home in Ireland, Siobhan and Trevor’s widowed mother is coming to terms with the prospect of an empty nest. She discovers this may not be such a bad thing, only to have it upended.
What we see of Dubai then is a city with clear rules that it turns a blind eye to when it suits wealthy incomers and tourists. When their lewd behaviour touches their own, however, Dubai can be merciless. The light skinned may be treated more leniently than their darker skinned cousins but what they face is still terrifying. All the stuff accumulated – shopping being a major source of entertainment – may now be regarded for what it is when lives are at stake.
Although the morals of many of the protagonists are queasily questionable, at its heart this book is more a portrayal of the many sides and nuances of the city. The buildings are described as beautiful yet clearly offer little more than a mirage. The conspicuous consumption of those with money comes across as sickening. And yet the author appears to harbour some positives around the experiences to be gained in such a place. Given he comes from Ireland, beautiful by nature rather than entirely manmade, this is hard to fathom.
The writing is, however, engaging and what will be the outcomes of those featured remains of interest. By showing the many aspects of Dubai he brings it to life even if doing so shows how rotten its core is.
A reminder that designer goods say much about those who collect them, that their shine is cursory and value limited to the imagined envy of others – designer lives being equally empty.
A well structured and written story offering beguiling perspectives. A recommended read for anyone considering visiting the city.
Diving For Pearls is published by Doubleday.
