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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
learnt so much over the course of this book about pakistan in particular
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really liked the first half of this book. Shamsie starts with an strong and intriguing protagonist. Hiroko Tanaka is a survivor of the bombing of Nagasaki whose German fiance is killed in the blast. She ends up tracking down his half sister in Delhi right before India becomes independent and Pakistan becomes a country. That should be enough history to pack into one novel, but then Shamsie goes on to include the Soviet occupation of Aghanistan, 9/11, and America's war in Afghanistan. It just gets to be too much, too much history, too much weighty sentiment, too many heavy-handed sentences like "knowing that of all the embraces he had ever received this was the one he least deserved." To me, at least, none of the other characters are as interesting as Hiroko and as the focus shifted away from her I lost interest.
This is a book which only gets better with each chapter. It wasn't always an easy read but I didn't want it to end. Such a beautiful, clever and heart-aching story.
challenging
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Thanks Davina for the book. It was sad and compelling at the same time. I feel like I've glimpsed a little more of the world and realise how little I know of world history or current issues. Fiction that wakes you up!
A moving tale of 3 different generations living through war. Kamila was able to capture the pain families have gone through, from having their homes get obliterated to having to watch their city be attacked. Absolutely heartbreakingly amazing novel.