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beq3's review against another edition
2.0
Such a disappointment. I really enjoyed the first section and indeed bought it on the strenght of the sample chapters.
Hiroko seemed a very compelling character and I was very interested in a book on the bomb in Nagasaki and its aftermath. However once Hiroko marries Sajjad and ends up in Pakistan the novel just tried to do far too much and does not dive into any of it sufficiently to give it a resonant reality for the reader. The focus drifts from Hiroko. By the time we got to Raza it had all become very dreary and predictable without any insight or commentary being offered into either the political/religious changes, or how Hiroko actually managed to make a relationship with a traditional Indian Muslim man work never mind in the midst of a fiercely conservative emerging theocracy. It's all v opaque and it makes it hard then to understand motivations. Bombshells are dropped and never explored. For example SPOILER
Raza is rejected by his girlfriend as she tells him the whole community regard him as defective and un-marriageable as his mother was exposed to radiation and he might also be damaged. There is no further mention of this. It does not become any kind of theme or line of narrative that gets resolved. It's there to justify Raza's view of himself as an outsider, but books are better when they demonstrate rather than tell.
Harry was an interesting opportunity to demonstrate how American foreign policy drifted away from its ideals (or did it ever have any) as embodied in one of its actors, but that didn't entirely come to fruition either.
I read the first 40% happily enough, By 70% it was really dragging and by 83% I flipped to the end and put the thing down. Just awful. Too much happening and I really feel the author just lacked the skill to draw it all together. It needed either a great story or capable insight into the impact of massive political and social events. It had neither. DNR
Hiroko seemed a very compelling character and I was very interested in a book on the bomb in Nagasaki and its aftermath. However once Hiroko marries Sajjad and ends up in Pakistan the novel just tried to do far too much and does not dive into any of it sufficiently to give it a resonant reality for the reader. The focus drifts from Hiroko. By the time we got to Raza it had all become very dreary and predictable without any insight or commentary being offered into either the political/religious changes, or how Hiroko actually managed to make a relationship with a traditional Indian Muslim man work never mind in the midst of a fiercely conservative emerging theocracy. It's all v opaque and it makes it hard then to understand motivations. Bombshells are dropped and never explored. For example SPOILER
Raza is rejected by his girlfriend as she tells him the whole community regard him as defective and un-marriageable as his mother was exposed to radiation and he might also be damaged. There is no further mention of this. It does not become any kind of theme or line of narrative that gets resolved. It's there to justify Raza's view of himself as an outsider, but books are better when they demonstrate rather than tell.
Harry was an interesting opportunity to demonstrate how American foreign policy drifted away from its ideals (or did it ever have any) as embodied in one of its actors, but that didn't entirely come to fruition either.
I read the first 40% happily enough, By 70% it was really dragging and by 83% I flipped to the end and put the thing down. Just awful. Too much happening and I really feel the author just lacked the skill to draw it all together. It needed either a great story or capable insight into the impact of massive political and social events. It had neither. DNR
rosiethereader2024's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
andream0885's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
anna_hamilton's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.25
kristinvdt's review against another edition
3.0
Another one of those books where the good reviews get in the way of my enjoyment. The story has lots of potential, but the characters lack the depth they need for me to be fully engaged.
donnaadouglas's review against another edition
3.0
I found this novel particularly touching because the intercultural themes explored in it are easy for me to relate to.
This novel explores immigration, racism, love, war and, most importantly, survival.
Shamsie is a skilled author, weaving together a saga which spans half a centuryand half the globe. A novel to please those who like well put-together stories with a political message.
This novel explores immigration, racism, love, war and, most importantly, survival.
Shamsie is a skilled author, weaving together a saga which spans half a centuryand half the globe. A novel to please those who like well put-together stories with a political message.
audaciaray's review against another edition
5.0
Truly stunning. I just don't have more words than that right now.
samharnold's review against another edition
5.0
Some books you put down and walk away from and look for your next great read. Other books you put down and still need a day or two to fully digest and reflect. Also like a good meal I chose to digest this book slowly as I read through rather than rushing through like a beach read.
Burnt Shadow is not my normal read. However, after reading a review it was added to my “to be read” list. The book did not disappoint in any way. Burnt Shadow made me what to disappear into its pages and live with the central characters. I could almost smell the places they lived and visited.
Although only 360 pages this is an epic read in all ways. Starting with the Nagasaki bomb and moving through to the 9/11 bombing. Primarily this starts to tell the story of one Japanese woman post Nagasaki. This book then develops into telling the story through three generations of families connected to the central character. The essence of the book deals with conflict through world wars and civil wars. The conflict is dealt with from a range of perspectives from the trained young Afghanistan men to refugees removed from their homeland.
This book will make you think and question society, religion and the essence of war. One interesting line states that post world war 2 UK people who lived in India were more ready to accept Germans living with them than someone from another class. This is just one example of the thought provoking prose used.
This book is extremely well recommended and is a book that will love with me for many years. You will not be disappointed.
Burnt Shadow is not my normal read. However, after reading a review it was added to my “to be read” list. The book did not disappoint in any way. Burnt Shadow made me what to disappear into its pages and live with the central characters. I could almost smell the places they lived and visited.
Although only 360 pages this is an epic read in all ways. Starting with the Nagasaki bomb and moving through to the 9/11 bombing. Primarily this starts to tell the story of one Japanese woman post Nagasaki. This book then develops into telling the story through three generations of families connected to the central character. The essence of the book deals with conflict through world wars and civil wars. The conflict is dealt with from a range of perspectives from the trained young Afghanistan men to refugees removed from their homeland.
This book will make you think and question society, religion and the essence of war. One interesting line states that post world war 2 UK people who lived in India were more ready to accept Germans living with them than someone from another class. This is just one example of the thought provoking prose used.
This book is extremely well recommended and is a book that will love with me for many years. You will not be disappointed.