The Invisible Crowd

Ellen Wiles HQ €12.74 Yonas Kelati, a highlyeducated Eritrean refugee, is smuggled into Britain and tries to make a life for himself under the government’s radar. Enslaved by a gang master, he escapes to London and – with the help of a retired academic and her daughter – embarks on the frustrating process of applying for asylum. His case ticks all the boxes; the question is whether his lawyer can produce enough evidence before time runs out. Wiles’s debut novel has a flawed chronology, and not all of the characters earn their place, but it provides some telling glimpses into a murky world.