DUBAI: When Emirati author Mohammed Al-Otaiba first read about the discovery of an 8,000-year-old pearl on Abu Dhabi’s Marawah Island in 2017, he found himself fascinated by one question: How different were the people who lived thousands of years ago from those living today?
That curiosity eventually became the foundation of “The Pearl,” his debut young adult novel, published by Kalimat Group, which blends historical fiction, science fiction and family drama to explore the connections between the past and present.
“It almost seems that the human condition really has does not change, no matter how far back in history you know we go,” Al-Otaiba told Arab News.
The novel follows a 10-year-old boy whose summer holiday begins a year after his father’s mysterious disappearance. Against a backdrop of grief, family relationships and unanswered questions, Al-Otaiba introduces elements of time travel to connect contemporary Abu Dhabi with its ancient past.
For the author, the decision to write for younger readers was not entirely intentional.
“To be honest, it wasn’t deliberate,” he said, explaining that the story naturally developed around its young protagonist.
“I wanted to put myself in the shoes of a 10-year-old boy and try to express his feelings and his thoughts as he navigates, you know the the story.”
