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jplil's review
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
booksbybindu's review
5.0
Boy is this one fierce ride of a thriller! Its pace was relentless but there was a subtly of beauty behind the prose and it handed out karmic justice by the handful. This is an astounding book for a debut novel and it deals with a topic that isn't really written about in this genre. Asian organised crime is normally seen from the eyes of white writers, yes there is success of A. A. Dhand, Alex Caan and Liz Mistry but they look at the topic from the eyes of a police procedural. So for me this book was a first!
Jia Khan is a successful lawyer in London and is estranged from her family for over 15 years. However, her sister is getting married so she has to return to the family house and face her demons. Whilst there her father, Akbar, is murdered. Akbar headed the Jirga, the organised crime group that rules her home town. They expect her to step into his shoes but others think a woman should not be allowed to do this. Will she expect her familial pressures or return home to London, far away from the blood being spilt on the streets?
Jia is one hard faced bitch. There I said it. I don’t think I liked her at all, even at the start. But then I’m not sure you are meant to. Is she a product of her upbringing? Akbar raised her as a son rather than a daughter, issuing her with life’s lessons from an early age. Or has she managed to put that life behind her? Some of her decisions I understood but some were just brutal.
This book just screamed authenticity to me. Trust me all my knowledge comes from reading crime fiction but all the narrative just rang true. It had an air of quality and insider knowledge. Maybe it's just because the author hails from an Asian community and I don't but I was reading everything as gospel. Or maybe that is because of the standard of writing, that it swept me in its stream of prose. It was phenomenal. I had pre-ordered this book before I knew about this blog tour and I jumped at the chance to be on it. I'm so thankful I did as this book is unique, hard-hitting and thought-provoking.
Jia Khan is a successful lawyer in London and is estranged from her family for over 15 years. However, her sister is getting married so she has to return to the family house and face her demons. Whilst there her father, Akbar, is murdered. Akbar headed the Jirga, the organised crime group that rules her home town. They expect her to step into his shoes but others think a woman should not be allowed to do this. Will she expect her familial pressures or return home to London, far away from the blood being spilt on the streets?
Jia is one hard faced bitch. There I said it. I don’t think I liked her at all, even at the start. But then I’m not sure you are meant to. Is she a product of her upbringing? Akbar raised her as a son rather than a daughter, issuing her with life’s lessons from an early age. Or has she managed to put that life behind her? Some of her decisions I understood but some were just brutal.
This book just screamed authenticity to me. Trust me all my knowledge comes from reading crime fiction but all the narrative just rang true. It had an air of quality and insider knowledge. Maybe it's just because the author hails from an Asian community and I don't but I was reading everything as gospel. Or maybe that is because of the standard of writing, that it swept me in its stream of prose. It was phenomenal. I had pre-ordered this book before I knew about this blog tour and I jumped at the chance to be on it. I'm so thankful I did as this book is unique, hard-hitting and thought-provoking.
colorfulleo92's review
5.0
After being massively disappointed in the way another writer wrote a book i finished recently I was completely sold on this novel from the start. Was very well written and intruiging the whole way trough. Different story from what I've read before and very interested to see if Saima Mir have written any more books
jimmydean's review against another edition
This is ready made for TV adaptation, hope the BBC do it justice - found it thrilling and addictive - excited for all the actors who will get to sink their teeth into some really juicy characters.
adamskiboy528491's review
3.0
The Khan by Saima Mir is a powerful debut that truly deserves appreciation. The preservation of community and respect for tradition and culture are firmly at the centre of this story and the struggle for minority groups to be treated fairly in Britain.
The main character, Jai, a successful lawyer, has returned to her home city for her sister's wedding. While she is there, her crime-lord father, known as The Khan, is murdered. This leaves a gap at the top of the criminal hierarchy. Is Jai strong enough to take his place and prevent violence and gang warfare from breaking out?
I couldn't help but see parallels with Mario Puzo's "Godfather", but this book was full of excitement and well-crafted storytelling. But in any saga of a crime family from a minority group faced with a hostile world, that would be inevitable. A fundamental message that the book portrayed was the permanence of Asian culture in British Society. This can be seen by third-generation Asians born and bred in Britain despite the sad continuance of racism against them by all levels of white British society.
ssj88's review against another edition
5.0
Brilliant. Really emotive, vibrant, and an enjoyable read. I could sit here and pick holes, but the most important thing with any book… did you enjoy reading it? Yes… a big yes. Can’t wait to read more of her work in the years to come.
jules_writes's review
3.0
I liked some chapters of the book more than others, but overall it was an interesting read.
I thought the Pacing was slightly off in parts and some chapters felt a bit disjointed from the story.
Memorable main character- Jia Khan made an impact.
I thought the Pacing was slightly off in parts and some chapters felt a bit disjointed from the story.
Memorable main character- Jia Khan made an impact.
jaclyn_sixminutesforme's review
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
agirlandabook85's review
4.0
“Be twice as good as men and four times as good as white men.”
Within The Khan we meet Jia Khan a successful lawyer living in London on the verge of fulfilling her dream to become a judge. She has travelled a long way from the Northern streets she grew up on, where her father, Akbar Khan, led the Pakistani community and ran the local organised crime syndicate.
However, when her father is murdered, Jia must return to take his place as the fragile order of the streets hangs precariously in her hands. A bloody power struggle has broken out among warring communities, justice needs to be restored, but at what cost?
This book oozes with grit, violence, opulence and heart. Jia isn’t particularly likeable as a character on paper she is cold, calculating, distant and self serving but I couldn’t help myself growing to admire and root for her as you learn of her story.
Mir in writing a book with a Muslim female central character heading up a traditional male lead world allows for the book to comment and confront prejudices and stereotypes in respect of religion, racism and gender on so many intersectional and personal aspects. It highlighted the intricate complexity of such matters in both blatant and subtle ways throughout.
The story gets dark in places with some fairly graphic descriptions of violence you would anticipate from a novel centred around organised crime however it also explores the ranges of human emotions and relationships of the characters. As a reader it asks questions about the lines you would be willing to cross for those you love and where your sense of morality and justice sits?
This was a very addictive, thought provoking, gritty read and I devoured it in just a few days.
Within The Khan we meet Jia Khan a successful lawyer living in London on the verge of fulfilling her dream to become a judge. She has travelled a long way from the Northern streets she grew up on, where her father, Akbar Khan, led the Pakistani community and ran the local organised crime syndicate.
However, when her father is murdered, Jia must return to take his place as the fragile order of the streets hangs precariously in her hands. A bloody power struggle has broken out among warring communities, justice needs to be restored, but at what cost?
This book oozes with grit, violence, opulence and heart. Jia isn’t particularly likeable as a character on paper she is cold, calculating, distant and self serving but I couldn’t help myself growing to admire and root for her as you learn of her story.
Mir in writing a book with a Muslim female central character heading up a traditional male lead world allows for the book to comment and confront prejudices and stereotypes in respect of religion, racism and gender on so many intersectional and personal aspects. It highlighted the intricate complexity of such matters in both blatant and subtle ways throughout.
The story gets dark in places with some fairly graphic descriptions of violence you would anticipate from a novel centred around organised crime however it also explores the ranges of human emotions and relationships of the characters. As a reader it asks questions about the lines you would be willing to cross for those you love and where your sense of morality and justice sits?
This was a very addictive, thought provoking, gritty read and I devoured it in just a few days.
fizreads's review against another edition
4.0
The Khan was something that I have never read before. The book is a crime/mystery where Jia (our m/c) has come to her childhood home which she left behind because she must be the matriarch in her family because her father was murdered and she has to now take his place. Akbar Khan- Jia’s father- is ‘The Khan’ the man who was respected, feared and was the leader of the crime syndicate their Pakhtun/Pakistan community which is called the Jirga.
I listened to this as an audiobook and I didn’t really know what to expect. So far fiction audio books haven’t worked for me so will this. I have to say it totally did. Mina Anwar did an amazing job at all the characters she got each character and I have to say I couldn’t stop listening, the characters, the plot I got invested. The book follows Jia as she takes over her fathers role and basically questions can she hold her own in a man’s world.
I really loved this book it was gritty and dark and really dealt with heavy themes that are taboo and not spoken about especially in a South Asian community. I wish I read this (not that I didn’t like the audio) just because there were so many passages and quotes I would have love to taken note of. I loved the first half of the book more than the latter, Maria’s wedding and the backstory of Jia’s childhood, Zan’s death, her marriage to Elyas and her relationship with her father-and mother and her fraught relationship with Benyamin. Also (me and my side characters) but I love her uncle so much. The second half of the book I didn’t like as much but was equally gripping to listen to. Jia’s rise as ‘The Khan’ but being the ice queen towards Elyas and Ahad and the revelation at the end of the book made me kind of hate her it really messed with me. I still can’t get over it and it has been a couple of weeks. It is character driven, a family story that deals with heavy themes, race, corruption, betrayal, loss, grief, power, being a woman in a man’s world. 4.5 (just because I still can’t find myself to forgive Jia, maybe I need to read the book to understand it better). Loved it highly recommend it.
I listened to this as an audiobook and I didn’t really know what to expect. So far fiction audio books haven’t worked for me so will this. I have to say it totally did. Mina Anwar did an amazing job at all the characters she got each character and I have to say I couldn’t stop listening, the characters, the plot I got invested. The book follows Jia as she takes over her fathers role and basically questions can she hold her own in a man’s world.
I really loved this book it was gritty and dark and really dealt with heavy themes that are taboo and not spoken about especially in a South Asian community. I wish I read this (not that I didn’t like the audio) just because there were so many passages and quotes I would have love to taken note of. I loved the first half of the book more than the latter, Maria’s wedding and the backstory of Jia’s childhood, Zan’s death, her marriage to Elyas and her relationship with her father-and mother and her fraught relationship with Benyamin. Also (me and my side characters) but I love her uncle so much. The second half of the book I didn’t like as much but was equally gripping to listen to. Jia’s rise as ‘The Khan’ but being the ice queen towards Elyas and Ahad and the revelation at the end of the book made me kind of hate her it really messed with me. I still can’t get over it and it has been a couple of weeks. It is character driven, a family story that deals with heavy themes, race, corruption, betrayal, loss, grief, power, being a woman in a man’s world. 4.5 (just because I still can’t find myself to forgive Jia, maybe I need to read the book to understand it better). Loved it highly recommend it.