All that is in short supply. This is Alum Rock in Birmingham, early 2000s, a grim name (referring to aluminium mining in the 18th century) for a three-kilometre area of England’s second-biggest city. Amir is surrounded by men who have made choices. His brother, Bilal, has a sweet-seeming gig working at a start-up after studying philosophy. His uncle is on a relentless treadmill of failed business pursuits. Adnan is the dealer, Mohsin the fast and loose mess, Slick a young man taken in by the manosphere.
