A review by burhan
The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi

3.0

I really enjoyed the first part of the book that dealt with language and translation and learning. In my book club we have been reading a number of translated books recently and so the subject of translation and the subjectivity and nuance involved in it is fascinating and at the forefront of my mind. This part of the book raised some interesting questions about language and the things that happen when you get what you think you want. The new opportunties that arise but also the lack of satisfaction from those opportunities.

The second part where the protagonist begins investigating the "mystery" at the heart of the centre is all pretty meandering and loses sight of the original interesting language stuff. I also didn't find the revelations particularly interesting or compelling.