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margaret21's review
4.0
Uncharacteristically for me, I didn't review this book as soon as I had finished it, some 10 days ago. And now I find I can't remember it very well. Which is surprising, because I did find the whole thing a page-turner. This saga which starts in the (almost) present day, but quickly leaps back to the 1970s before dipping in and out and establishing a dual timeline was bound to pique my interest. I've read a fair bit this year about empires such as the British Empire, and the less than savoury ways in which peoples and resources were exploited in those countries over which their imperial rulers had jurisdiction.
The contrasts between the Shah's Iran, modern Bahrain and an England of faded rural gentility are pointed up throughout the book, and help explore Empire, the power of the Establishment and expose colonialism's legacy of moral compromises and corruption.
The characters never really became fully-formed in my mind, with the possible exception of Phoebe. Fauzia, Reem, Kate somehow never came alive as characters for me. This may not matter too much, as it's the fast-paced narrative that carried me long. This is a thoughtful and fast-moving thriller that leaves me with plenty to think about.
The contrasts between the Shah's Iran, modern Bahrain and an England of faded rural gentility are pointed up throughout the book, and help explore Empire, the power of the Establishment and expose colonialism's legacy of moral compromises and corruption.
The characters never really became fully-formed in my mind, with the possible exception of Phoebe. Fauzia, Reem, Kate somehow never came alive as characters for me. This may not matter too much, as it's the fast-paced narrative that carried me long. This is a thoughtful and fast-moving thriller that leaves me with plenty to think about.
thelibraryofimagination's review
4.0
I was intrigued by this book, it shocked me several times, it broke my heart many times and it left me with lots to consider.
A story of a family like no other. Ceremony of Innocence is a dual time line story that delves in the history of the Wilson Smith family and how they acquired their vast wealth. The story focuses on several women connected to the family; two of which question the family’s involvement in Middle Eastern arms deals and its political agenda - the other oblivious to the treachery; blinded by the privilege of a vast fortune.
The story itself was interesting and really played with my emotions. The writing certainly helped ignite the varied emotional responses. As for the pace, for me, it seems to have ebbs and flows; some of which I struggled with at the time. I was eager to finish so it did not deter my reading.
Overall I recommend Ceremony of Innocence because of its enlightening and controversial content, its engaging characters, and the story telling. I also recommend this book if you a family saga and historical fiction.
A story of a family like no other. Ceremony of Innocence is a dual time line story that delves in the history of the Wilson Smith family and how they acquired their vast wealth. The story focuses on several women connected to the family; two of which question the family’s involvement in Middle Eastern arms deals and its political agenda - the other oblivious to the treachery; blinded by the privilege of a vast fortune.
The story itself was interesting and really played with my emotions. The writing certainly helped ignite the varied emotional responses. As for the pace, for me, it seems to have ebbs and flows; some of which I struggled with at the time. I was eager to finish so it did not deter my reading.
Overall I recommend Ceremony of Innocence because of its enlightening and controversial content, its engaging characters, and the story telling. I also recommend this book if you a family saga and historical fiction.
swifteagle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
karteabooks's review against another edition
4.0
Another book that I would never have considered picking up if it wasn’t for the lovely people at @tandemcollectiveuk, who allowed me to be on the readalong for this with lots of other fellow bookish people.
When a young Muslim woman goes missing, the trail leads to a quintessentially English family's tangled and dark connections with Empire, the Shah's Tehran, and modern Bahrain, in this evocative and page-turning novel. Neem has been investigating the secretive business of the wealthy Wilcox Smiths in Bahrain. When she goes missing, presumed dead, those close to her unravel a trail that leads back to the 1970s in Tehran where Martin Wilcox Smith began his career as a diplomat. Phoebe, Martin's enigmatic wife, is divided between her love of Neem and protecting her husband; Fauzia, Martin's daughter-in-law, is a reporter investigating British ties to the Middle East; and Kate, Martin's niece, is in a relationship with a Bahraini refugee who opens her eyes to Martin's corruption; together they are on a path of discovery into their family's secret past. A vivid and evocative story that travels between the Shah's Iran, modern Bahrain and the English countryside, Ceremony of Innocence explores one family's entanglement with Empire and the power wielded by the establishment, to uncover colonialism's legacy of moral compromises and corruption.
I was completely taken in by this book, by its characters, the setting, and the sheer force of this book. It is one of my top books this year, and I have some amazing titles in that list!
It’s a story that slowly pieces together, it’s a triple (!) timeline book that jumps from Tehran in 1969-70, before the Shah was deposed, onto England in 2012-13 and then to now. There are moments of intense drama, painfully so, mainly in the storyline involving Kate and Hussain.
If I’m completely honest, I’m just not sure about the ending. I think I was expecting more as I think my expectation of the ending were slowly built up during the book. Although on reflection, maybe the unfinished business that results from cover-ups and unsolved (and resolved) mysteries are realistic in the world of political thrillers.
Even though this is primarily a political thriller, I highly recommend this as it tackles so much more than just a missing woman.
anntharai's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
3.75
To say I enjoyed this book isn’t quite accurate. It’s good, there’s no question about that, but I don’t know if I can describe the sad and infuriating story as enjoyable.
It’s important for people to understand that while this is fiction, it’s very very real. From the highest level of arms trafficking to the utterly unfair system and hideous treatment of asylum seekers.
It’s very well written, I feel like I know these people now, and I’m left righteously angry at the state of the world.
*another reviewer on GR mentioned that there isn’t street view in Bahrain. When this book was published in July 2021 there was one section - the highway next to the airport. Now there’s a little more. And like that reviewer I’m a bit of a pedant. There’s no way that detail got added in the 4 weeks before publication. I wish all research was treated equally - they looked into the history fairly deeply from what I can tell, but assuming everywhere has street view coverage like London? Not quite a yikes, but certainly an ugh.
It’s important for people to understand that while this is fiction, it’s very very real. From the highest level of arms trafficking to the utterly unfair system and hideous treatment of asylum seekers.
It’s very well written, I feel like I know these people now, and I’m left righteously angry at the state of the world.
*another reviewer on GR mentioned that there isn’t street view in Bahrain. When this book was published in July 2021 there was one section - the highway next to the airport. Now there’s a little more. And like that reviewer I’m a bit of a pedant. There’s no way that detail got added in the 4 weeks before publication. I wish all research was treated equally - they looked into the history fairly deeply from what I can tell, but assuming everywhere has street view coverage like London? Not quite a yikes, but certainly an ugh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Infidelity, Islamophobia, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content, Pregnancy, War, and Medical content
sazdavy's review
4.0
Like others it's a 3.5 and in end rounded up because I appreciate the subject and the writing is evocative but the story felt a bit flaky in parts. Some good characters though and I felt like I was in the various geographical places described.
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