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A review by shreyabaldwa
History's Angel by Anjum Hasan
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Anjum Hassan's History’s Angel talks about the lives of Muslims face in the India of today. Through Alif Mohammad, a history teacher in Delhi, Hassan highlights the day-to-day struggle of an Indian Muslim. She mentions lynching on trains, discrimination Muslims face while finding a house, the rise of religious extremism among Muslims and the snide remarks they get because of their food, dressing and culture. While taking the story forward, Hassan gives the readers a beautiful tour of Delhi. For someone who has lived in Delhi for a few years, some parts in the story made me nostalgic about the quintessential 'Dilli walli' vibe.
While the premise initially excited me, I couldn't really love this book. There is just too much happening in it. Every other situation in book transports Alif back in time and makes him ponder over some historical figure or event. The frequent and longish references to the past seem like a roadblock in the flow of the story. Personally, I felt the book very history heavy, digressing my mind away from the actual narrative. I did like the second half of the book where the story finally picks up pace. However, the story seemed to flow all over the place and I had to struggle to keep up my interest overall.
While the premise initially excited me, I couldn't really love this book. There is just too much happening in it. Every other situation in book transports Alif back in time and makes him ponder over some historical figure or event. The frequent and longish references to the past seem like a roadblock in the flow of the story. Personally, I felt the book very history heavy, digressing my mind away from the actual narrative. I did like the second half of the book where the story finally picks up pace. However, the story seemed to flow all over the place and I had to struggle to keep up my interest overall.