Fiction
Verdict: Good time pass
With the enforced lockdown of Bangalore, I find myself with much more time to read these days. As Justbooks showed up unexpectedly at my doorstep the day before the lockdown began, I found myself with 2 new books to read. Not that I wouldn't have had plenty anyhow next to my bed, ha!
Anyhow, I started on Farahad Zama's novel. Set in Vizag, one of my favorite cities, the novel takes us through some hot button topics. The novel centers around an older couple, Mr. and Mrs. Ali. They are average, ordinary, middle class and middle road Indian Muslims. No surprise, the novel is about that segment of society here. The author is obviously writing for an international audience, as many of the community specific words uses are immediately explained after. This is both helpful and a bit irritating. I also kept waiting for the Telugu influence to creep into this book as they are all Telugus, but this never made an appearance.
The author had me thinking about adoption in India as well as community sentiments. I had not thought on this before and it was an interesting window into the difficulties some people face with adoption, and how strongly others feel they have a right to enforce their culture and beliefs on others. Even the police are not interested in legal papers when an election is coming and someone has used their influence to get into someone's business.
The adopted boys mother was not able to change her circumstances in the end other than moving to Mumbai (where people would hopefully mind their own concerns), but she still was refreshingly outspoken and did not allow herself to be walked over or controlled. The gathering of family behind her in support also was a very heartening thing to read.
The novel ended up with everything ending well and neatly wrapped up, leaving me with a very unsettled feeling as this is not something Indian authors do often, nor was it particularly realistic in the context of the issues of this novel.
There's nothing earth shattering in this book, but it does make one think on certain issues and how they could possibly affect us one day. It attempts to make Islam and Muslims accessible to those who aren't familiar, and does it in a lovely non-preaching or moralizing manner. All in all, a good way to pass an afternoon.
~Becky~
Verdict: Good time pass
With the enforced lockdown of Bangalore, I find myself with much more time to read these days. As Justbooks showed up unexpectedly at my doorstep the day before the lockdown began, I found myself with 2 new books to read. Not that I wouldn't have had plenty anyhow next to my bed, ha!
Anyhow, I started on Farahad Zama's novel. Set in Vizag, one of my favorite cities, the novel takes us through some hot button topics. The novel centers around an older couple, Mr. and Mrs. Ali. They are average, ordinary, middle class and middle road Indian Muslims. No surprise, the novel is about that segment of society here. The author is obviously writing for an international audience, as many of the community specific words uses are immediately explained after. This is both helpful and a bit irritating. I also kept waiting for the Telugu influence to creep into this book as they are all Telugus, but this never made an appearance.
The author had me thinking about adoption in India as well as community sentiments. I had not thought on this before and it was an interesting window into the difficulties some people face with adoption, and how strongly others feel they have a right to enforce their culture and beliefs on others. Even the police are not interested in legal papers when an election is coming and someone has used their influence to get into someone's business.
The adopted boys mother was not able to change her circumstances in the end other than moving to Mumbai (where people would hopefully mind their own concerns), but she still was refreshingly outspoken and did not allow herself to be walked over or controlled. The gathering of family behind her in support also was a very heartening thing to read.
The novel ended up with everything ending well and neatly wrapped up, leaving me with a very unsettled feeling as this is not something Indian authors do often, nor was it particularly realistic in the context of the issues of this novel.
There's nothing earth shattering in this book, but it does make one think on certain issues and how they could possibly affect us one day. It attempts to make Islam and Muslims accessible to those who aren't familiar, and does it in a lovely non-preaching or moralizing manner. All in all, a good way to pass an afternoon.
~Becky~
