Scan barcode
dgrachel's review against another edition
5.0
This is the fourth full length novel in Khan’s Esa Khattak & Rachel Getty mystery series, and quite possibly the best. It certainly is the most heartbreaking. Like her previous novels, the mystery is set against a backdrop of a humanitarian crisis. The Unquiet Dead dealt with the aftermath of the Srebrenica massacre, The Language of Secret with stopping a terror attack on Canadian soil, Among the Ruins discusses the Iranian regime and their torture of political dissidents, and this book brings the Syrian crisis into full view. It is devastating.
It is difficult for me to separate feelings about the book from feelings about the events in Syria and the plight of the Syrian people, both as refugees fleeing their homeland and those left behind. Khan has a PhD in International Human Rights Law and you can tell this is something she cares about deeply. Her characters care deeply and as a reader, you can’t help but care, too.
We’re given more insight into the main characters, their personal lives, including budding romance, but at no point does it overwhelm the greater narrative. As always, there are multiple layers of complexity to the story and nothing is as simple as it seems on the surface. I love that. I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll just say have a box of tissues with you while you read, but know that even in the darkness, there is light, and be prepared to be angry enough to need to take action. Find the helpers, as believe Mr. Rogers said, and join them. That’s my plan.
It is difficult for me to separate feelings about the book from feelings about the events in Syria and the plight of the Syrian people, both as refugees fleeing their homeland and those left behind. Khan has a PhD in International Human Rights Law and you can tell this is something she cares about deeply. Her characters care deeply and as a reader, you can’t help but care, too.
We’re given more insight into the main characters, their personal lives, including budding romance, but at no point does it overwhelm the greater narrative. As always, there are multiple layers of complexity to the story and nothing is as simple as it seems on the surface. I love that. I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll just say have a box of tissues with you while you read, but know that even in the darkness, there is light, and be prepared to be angry enough to need to take action. Find the helpers, as believe Mr. Rogers said, and join them. That’s my plan.
bookishbisimwas's review against another edition
5.0
I love Ausma Zehenat Khan, and this book is no exception. I love the characters, and the plot keeps you engaged from start to finish.
canada_matt's review against another edition
4.0
Returning to her full-length novels, Ausma Zehanat Khan takes the reader into another of the crises facing the Muslim population today, with a Canadian flavouring in this police procedural. Two bodies turn up on a Greek island, one a French INTERPOL agent and the other a Syrian refugee. A Canadian NGO has been processing Syrians for relocation in North America and its founder has gone missing. After a rocky time for the Community Policing Section, Inspectors Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty are back on their feet. Khattak is approached by his close friend, Nathan Clare, that it was his sister, Audrey, who has been heading up Woman 2 Woman and is nowhere to be found. A series of emails between Nathan and his sister provides some assistance in trying to put the situation into context, though it is not enough. Khattak remains highly professional, knowing that he is still being eyed for any misstep. However, the Canadian Prime Minister is also trying to make a difference in his image as it relates to the refugee crisis and has given Khattak free rein to work. Khattak and Getty work angles in and around Toronto, where they learn more about the NGO, but it will not be enough. They travel to the Greek island, where there is much more to learn about the influx of refugees from Syria and surrounding countries. Khattak learns of the European distaste for these ‘migrants’ and must come to understand how a world of haves can refuse help to those who are fleeing nothing. There is also the iron fist of the Syrian government, happy to slay anyone trying to escape the country. Khattak and Getty will have to work hard, not only to understand the Syrian crisis, but to locate Audrey Clare and determine who committed the murders that started this entire investigation. There are more secrets, layered inside bureaucracy and deceptions meant to keep the truth from seeing the light of day. A brilliant piece that packs a punch, allowing Khan to portray a powerful message that will not let the reader ignore the issue at hand. Recommended to those who have loved the series to date, as well as readers who enjoy something deeper that allows them to learn a little while being entertained with great storytelling.
Khan has yet to let up with her full-length novels, keen on addressing some of the major issues facing the more vulnerable portions of the Muslim world. With the current refugee crisis in Syria, the novel seeks to focus much of its attention on the plight of those fleeing horrible conditions while also trying to settle in a new homeland that is both helpful and accepting. Esa Khattak again becomes the voice of reason when it comes to the treatment of Muslims, offering his perspective and insights into the acceptance that Canada has for those in need. He must balance this with the knowledge that his own job is on the line, forcing him to make choices that are not only prudent, but can easily be explained up the chain of command. There is, again, some backstory that relates to his own family, which is embedded into the larger narrative and allows the reader to better understand him, if only for a time. Rachel Getty has her own role to play in the story, torn between trying to see things from a perspective not her own while wrestling with emotions as they relate to a man who is not even formally in her romantic sphere. Series readers will have seen hints throughout but it is all coming to a head, forcing Getty to decide which path to take. There are countless others who find themselves a part of this book. Each character brings something to the narrative and helps to shape the messaging that Khan wishes to portray. I have come to see that she uses her characters with a real intention and does not drop a subplot or individual into the narrative for no reason. It is the attentive reader who can extract the needed information and add it to the story being told. This enrichment makes the reader all the more aware of what is going on and helps to push along the intended message. While the Syrian situation has been going on for a while, it was only after reading this book that I had a better understanding of how things have been going. Refugees come from all parts of the world, but it is more than just opening the border as a compassionate nation. There are politics around refugees and migrants that surpass safety of those in need. These decisions are surely quite difficult and somewhat precarious, forcing politicians to think of a number of interests before making a decision. Khan definitely knows how to fuel the fire with this book (and her others), making it a wonderful choice for a reading group not hesitant to have clashing opinions.
Kudos, Madam Khan, for making me think. I need that when reading, even as I sit here on vacation.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
Khan has yet to let up with her full-length novels, keen on addressing some of the major issues facing the more vulnerable portions of the Muslim world. With the current refugee crisis in Syria, the novel seeks to focus much of its attention on the plight of those fleeing horrible conditions while also trying to settle in a new homeland that is both helpful and accepting. Esa Khattak again becomes the voice of reason when it comes to the treatment of Muslims, offering his perspective and insights into the acceptance that Canada has for those in need. He must balance this with the knowledge that his own job is on the line, forcing him to make choices that are not only prudent, but can easily be explained up the chain of command. There is, again, some backstory that relates to his own family, which is embedded into the larger narrative and allows the reader to better understand him, if only for a time. Rachel Getty has her own role to play in the story, torn between trying to see things from a perspective not her own while wrestling with emotions as they relate to a man who is not even formally in her romantic sphere. Series readers will have seen hints throughout but it is all coming to a head, forcing Getty to decide which path to take. There are countless others who find themselves a part of this book. Each character brings something to the narrative and helps to shape the messaging that Khan wishes to portray. I have come to see that she uses her characters with a real intention and does not drop a subplot or individual into the narrative for no reason. It is the attentive reader who can extract the needed information and add it to the story being told. This enrichment makes the reader all the more aware of what is going on and helps to push along the intended message. While the Syrian situation has been going on for a while, it was only after reading this book that I had a better understanding of how things have been going. Refugees come from all parts of the world, but it is more than just opening the border as a compassionate nation. There are politics around refugees and migrants that surpass safety of those in need. These decisions are surely quite difficult and somewhat precarious, forcing politicians to think of a number of interests before making a decision. Khan definitely knows how to fuel the fire with this book (and her others), making it a wonderful choice for a reading group not hesitant to have clashing opinions.
Kudos, Madam Khan, for making me think. I need that when reading, even as I sit here on vacation.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
helenecats's review against another edition
3.0
3.5. Fascinating in some parts, and I learnt a lot about the refugee crisis. The writing style is a bit on and off and some of the characters' relationships are frustrating. There were also a bit too many characters, not all of them sufficiently fleshed out. Perhaps it is because I didn't read the 3 previous books? I did devour the last 40 pages though - it felt more like watching a movie than reading a book.
deniset's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
rincey's review against another edition
4.0
See me discuss this book briefly in my February wrap up: https://youtu.be/Gt2n_kr6Q80?t=4m27s
cathyrodgers's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
martha_g's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jooniperd's review against another edition
4.0
ausma zehanat khan holds a Ph.D. in international human rights law, with a research specialization in military intervention and war crimes in the balkans. in each of her novels in the getty & khattak series she brings her experiences into her stories. though the characters are based in toronto, their work, khan's mysteries, have taken readers into the painful history of ethnic cleansing in bosnia, examined radical islamists in toronto and northern ontario, and portrayed the lives of dissidents in iran. in this new story, getty & khattak travel to greece in search of a canadian NGO worker who has vanished from a syrian refugee camp - we are given a very up close experience of the syrian crisis in all its horrors.
as with her past novels in the series, there are heartbreaking moments, yet the astounding strength and perseverance of the human sprit shines through. i really enjoy khan's style of storytelling. in bringing such difficult subjects to life, she displays incredible kindness and sensitivity. her characters are flawed and evolving, and her settings are vividly brought to life. while the mysteries anchor each story, these books are as much about the characters as they are about solving crimes. i do feel a dangerous crossing wobbled a little bit with the esa and sehr storyline, but it will be interesting to see how this plays out. (i suggest reading the series in order as histories are built upon, and certain aspects carry forward from one book to the next.) i often feel that the character of esa khattak reminds me of louise penny's wonderful armand gamache. if you are a fan of the three pines series, i think you will enjoy the getty & khattak series too. (with one caveat: the supporting cast in khan's books aren't as large a presence, and are not as quirktastic as penny's.)
we often hear about the ability of fiction to improve empathy in readers and i feel like this is something khan takes seriously. khan includes informative afterwords in each of her books, which help ground her fiction in reality, and add depth to the reading experience - i always find these sections of her work fascinating and helpful.
as with her past novels in the series, there are heartbreaking moments, yet the astounding strength and perseverance of the human sprit shines through. i really enjoy khan's style of storytelling. in bringing such difficult subjects to life, she displays incredible kindness and sensitivity. her characters are flawed and evolving, and her settings are vividly brought to life. while the mysteries anchor each story, these books are as much about the characters as they are about solving crimes. i do feel a dangerous crossing wobbled a little bit with the esa and sehr storyline, but it will be interesting to see how this plays out. (i suggest reading the series in order as histories are built upon, and certain aspects carry forward from one book to the next.) i often feel that the character of esa khattak reminds me of louise penny's wonderful armand gamache. if you are a fan of the three pines series, i think you will enjoy the getty & khattak series too. (with one caveat: the supporting cast in khan's books aren't as large a presence, and are not as quirktastic as penny's.)
we often hear about the ability of fiction to improve empathy in readers and i feel like this is something khan takes seriously. khan includes informative afterwords in each of her books, which help ground her fiction in reality, and add depth to the reading experience - i always find these sections of her work fascinating and helpful.
More...