It is a huge testament to the book's intense readability that this didn't cause me to hurl it across the room. I have never seen headhopping like it in my life-there's paragraphs where we switch viewpoint three times!-and in the Kobo version at least there are no scene or line breaks, so you read a paragraph about Leyla in London, move to the next, and discover we're with Tala in Jordan a month later without any indication of a scene change. Not subtle, perhaps, but with good if loudly made points about internalised homophobia and misogyny and cultural oppression (Tala's sister married to a domineering man, quietly starving herself)Īnd all of the above goes double because it is not entirely easy for the reader to follow the book. Also absolutely hilarious at points, I laughed out loud. It's hugely readable, fantastic storytelling, with a lovely soap-opera compulsive-reading quality and a lovely glow of hope. Tala's mother in particular is a monstrous creation of pride and selfishness and her comeuppance is small but long led up to, and perfect. There is a big and beautifully drawn cast: the girls' husbands-to-be (who are both *lovely* and thus not plot drivers, satisfyingly-this is primarily a book about the ways women interact), their gaggle of sisters of varying personalities, and especially the mothers, who are a study in compare and contrast. It's an ensemble piece, where the heroines spend more time apart than together. They meet, they fall hard, both have to come to terms with their sexuality and also with the different cultural pressures. There's rich jetsetting Palestinian Tala in Amman, on her fourth engagement, and middle class British Indian Leyla who works in her dad's insurance company but wants to be a writer. On the one hand I want to flail and scream about this book because I enjoyed it so much and on the other I want to shake whoever edited it. Maybe I'll watch the film while the book is still fresh in my mind. This is a thoughtful and humorous story about two young women who eventually find themselves and choose a different path. If you are looking for graphic sex scenes, look elsewhere. I get that she probably resented the family’s wealth, but I didn’t understand her acrimony. Another interesting minor character was Rani, Tala’s mother’s Indian housekeeper who occasionally spits in her coffee. It would have been so much easier on Tala if they were closer and opened up to each other about their sexuality. I was especially curious about Tala’s uncle, Ramzi, who was likely gay. There was a large cast of interesting, well-developed secondary characters and other minor characters that could have been fleshed out a little more. What I liked most about it is the glimpse into middle-eastern culture, the clash between traditional and western values, religious and class differences, and the interactions between lovers, friends, and family. Still, I gulped it down in one sitting and enjoyed this light and pleasant story. The romance happens a little fast, and the plot is rather predictable. Despite these difficulties, the two women eventually fall in love. They both come from strict, traditional cultures that don’t have a very positive view about homosexuality. Other than a mutual attraction, Tala and Leyla have little in common. She works at a job she’s not passionate about, while her true love is writing. Hani is a very nice guy and Tala loves him. After three engagements, her parents really hope this one will stick. This was the perfect book to read while I was snowed in and work was closed. Shamim lives in London with her wife, Hanan, and their two sonsĬross-posted at Outlaw Reviews and at Shelf Inflicted Corporate speaking events have included Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, Citibank and Disney. Shamim’s book festival appearances include Hay-on-Wye, Cheltenham and Edinburgh.Īn accomplished speaker, Shamim has spoken at TED events worldwide, at the INK Conference in India and DLD in Munich. Shamim’s third novel, I Can’t Think Straight, formed the basis of her cult hit film of the same name. Her films have won 47 awards internationally. The movie stars Rebecca Ferguson and Charles Dance in a story of love and betrayal in cold war Russia. The book was published by Headline in the UK and St Martin’s Press in the US. Shamim has adapted and directed the films of three of her novels including, most recently, Despite the Falling Snow. Her debut novel, The World Unseen, won a Betty Trask award and the Pendleton May First Novel award. Her next book, The Athena Protocol, is an all-female YA contemporary action thriller that is published by Harper Teen in September 2019. Born in the UK, Shamim is an award-winning novelist, screenwriter, and director.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |