Ali Zamir was born on Anjouan in the Comoros. He studied French Literature at the University of Cairo and attained his Master's degree from there in 2010. He has since returned to Anjouan where he has been the Director of Culture and Cooperative Activities for the island since 2014. First published in French as Anguille sous roche by Le Tripode in 2016, A Girl Called Eel is his first novel.