Scan barcode
shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition
It's called a novel but the title feels more accurate - scenes from an early life - during the 1970 violent separation of Pakistan into Pakistan and Bangladesh. The author, Philip Hensher, is married to Zaved Mahmood, a Bengali who was born just as the war for independence was beginning. The novel is written as vignettes told by Saadi (representing Zaved) about his huge, extended family's experiences during that time period. Some vignettes are personal memories, some are family stories and some are memories of other people later interviewed for the novel. The style can feel a little choppy and sometimes one wonders why a particular story made it into the novel but usually a connection can later be found. I knew absolutely nothing about the creation of Bangladesh so I learned a lot while reading this unique story. I will be processing both this and Partitions (by Amit Majmudar) for some time.
bluestarfish's review against another edition
4.0
This is a mix of a biography, novel and history book - which is intriguing. Saadi is born just before the nation of Bangladesh is born and the book jumps skillfully between the run up to the war with Pakistan and the life after it. Saadi and his family and the associated people around them are warmly portrayed and there are really funny moments in here too (ie it's not just about the war) about families and relations. The family knew Sheikh Mujib and it is very much an account of an upper middle-class family's experience of East Pakistan/Bangladesh - fascinating stuff.
andrew61's review
5.0
This book is described as a novel but on closer examination it is the author adapting the memories of his husbands life and family history in Bangladesh before and after its independence from Pakistan in 1971,and creating a novel from them. What I liked about the book is that whilst the family are middle class; Saadi the childs father and grandfather are lawyers, live in a big house in Dacca, and are friendly with laeding artists and even the eventual president, it is not a tale of dramatic privations and suffering for them, but it tells you enough to realise what a dramatic period this was and doesn't shy away from some horrible situations. So there is the contradiction of a family wedding as people are starving and begging in the streets and through individual stories we learn of the violence of the Pakistani army/police towards the Bengalis often with images which are observed by children, the persecution of a culture through educational oppression (a wonderful chapter about a state appointed teacher coming into a school and requiring that Bengali poetry not be taught), and the effect upon a society where some Bengali's have betrayed their neighbours made more poignant when children are told not to play with other children. The narrative is disjointed as we move back and forth around the period however it doesn't feel so and I really enjoyed the read. Some characters are very well drawn particularly the two musicians, and the family relationships are brilliantly portrayed. I certainly came away feeling I had learnt a lot about the Bengali society and culture and interested to read more about that period of history. An interesting and entertaining book with a heart portraying an image of Bangladesh society not often seen in western culture.
iwishicouldwink's review against another edition
3.0
This book bumbled along nicely and was fairly entertaining. The bits about the war were more interesting. It would have been interesting to also here from a poorer person’s perspective. Bit confused with all the different characters.
leethepea's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyable book. Nothing much actually happens, but it is a nice, easy to read story.
More...