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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
Incredibly story that spans continents and countries. Well developed characters.
It's a great historical fiction with a great storyline, which is close to my heart, culture, and heritage. And despite the fact that I would definitely recommend this book for others, especially if they are into historical fiction themselves, but for me the story was a bit dragged. Yes, it's a lovely storyline with many facts I can vouch for, but at one point or another I struggled to keep reading. Not because it's not a good story but because I found the language very dry. I would still recommend it for those who are into historical fiction and want to know how some of the major events in history affected the lives of the individual and their generations in a bad or good way.
Another beautiful story by Kamila Shamsie. The way in which she weaves the spider web between the Tanaka-Ashrafs and Weiss-Burtons is mesmerizing.
I find more and more of myself in the books I read. Makes me feel less lonely. :-)
I find more and more of myself in the books I read. Makes me feel less lonely. :-)
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Incredible
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a beautiful, beautiful book!
So well written. So heartbreaking. So much sorrow.
The ending left me with tears in my eyes, heartbroken.
You will fall in love with these characters and feel their pain and joys as your own. Shamsie is a must read.
So well written. So heartbreaking. So much sorrow.
The ending left me with tears in my eyes, heartbroken.
You will fall in love with these characters and feel their pain and joys as your own. Shamsie is a must read.
The Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie can be described as a story written with blood on a world map that's burning in flames, smoke hovering above.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This novel sits on my shelf and in my thoughts. I think of it often, all during the years since I have read it first. It is quiet and unassuming in parts, and yet bold, fiery, heartwrenchingly painful and full of life and passion in others. I think of it often.
The novel opens with the 9th of August, 1945 atomic bombing of Nagasaki, where Hiroko Tanaka, falls victim to the bombing, but survives. Her story intertwines with that of the Burton family, Elizabeth Burton is the sister if Konrad Weiss, who Hiroko was engaged to before the bombing. Hiroko maintains contact with the family, and one of their employees, Sajjad Ashraf, and begins to learn Urdu.
As the fates and stories of the Tanaka, Burton, and Ashraf families unwind, they encompass the partition of India and Pakistan, conflicts, wars and shadows of history - personal and political, engulf them, moving the family stories between Pakistan, New York, Afghanistan, and terrible events of September 11th.
While I did read this novel, for the first time, several years ago, recently it has been looking at me balefully from my shelf saying: why aren't you reviewing me yet in your bookstagram, which is why I'm reviewing it now. It also feels timely as the world seems on a knife's edge with war and conflict and the ghosts of wars past still haunting us and birthing new wars in turn.
Kamila Shamsie skillfully weaves a story full of nuance and complexity, showing the personal cost of war and conflict, and that rarely are historical events isolated without consequences for following generations. Too often war is discussed in terms of strategies and battles won, rather than thr intense personal cost and complexity of why people fight and defend themselves. And that ultimately, the fruits of war, no matter their cause, the fruits are always tragedy. This novel also shows the resiliency of human beings, particularly of Hiroko, in the face of terrible destruction and pain.
This is truly a most beautifully written, poignant, and exceptional novel. I think I will be thinking about its contents until time robs me of my memories.
The novel opens with the 9th of August, 1945 atomic bombing of Nagasaki, where Hiroko Tanaka, falls victim to the bombing, but survives. Her story intertwines with that of the Burton family, Elizabeth Burton is the sister if Konrad Weiss, who Hiroko was engaged to before the bombing. Hiroko maintains contact with the family, and one of their employees, Sajjad Ashraf, and begins to learn Urdu.
As the fates and stories of the Tanaka, Burton, and Ashraf families unwind, they encompass the partition of India and Pakistan, conflicts, wars and shadows of history - personal and political, engulf them, moving the family stories between Pakistan, New York, Afghanistan, and terrible events of September 11th.
While I did read this novel, for the first time, several years ago, recently it has been looking at me balefully from my shelf saying: why aren't you reviewing me yet in your bookstagram, which is why I'm reviewing it now. It also feels timely as the world seems on a knife's edge with war and conflict and the ghosts of wars past still haunting us and birthing new wars in turn.
Kamila Shamsie skillfully weaves a story full of nuance and complexity, showing the personal cost of war and conflict, and that rarely are historical events isolated without consequences for following generations. Too often war is discussed in terms of strategies and battles won, rather than thr intense personal cost and complexity of why people fight and defend themselves. And that ultimately, the fruits of war, no matter their cause, the fruits are always tragedy. This novel also shows the resiliency of human beings, particularly of Hiroko, in the face of terrible destruction and pain.
This is truly a most beautifully written, poignant, and exceptional novel. I think I will be thinking about its contents until time robs me of my memories.