Scan barcode
A review by jooniperd
Bone & Bread by Saleema Nawaz
4.0
this is a big, heartfelt novel. nawaz has created some very interesting, complicated characters and so much of the dynamics of relationships felt true and real. the psychology at play in this book will have me thinking for ages to come. while the novel very much navigates the terrain of sisterhood, it's also reads a bit like a mystery, as the circumstances of sadhana's death, though known, are more fully explored and, eventually, revealed. i wasn't quite fully captured by the inclusion of the political unrest going on in quebec at the time, and which was included as one arc in the book. it just didn't hit solid footing for me. (another recent read of mine, which i loved and that handled the quebec referendum quite well, elizabeth hay's [b:His Whole Life|22747914|His Whole Life|Elizabeth Hay|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1429637700s/22747914.jpg|42292807].) otherwise, there are some wonderfully meaty themes going on in the story.
i have owned this book since its publication - yes it's taken me a while to get to it! but i am so glad i have finally read it, and that it made the cut for this year's edition of canada reads. the theme for the show in 2016 is 'starting over'. so this context was very much in mind as i read. i have read 3 of the 5 contenders so far ([b:Minister Without Portfolio|19395369|Minister Without Portfolio|Michael Winter|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1453556951s/19395369.jpg|24943516] and [b:The Illegal|25622897|The Illegal|Lawrence Hill|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1435193110s/25622897.jpg|11205314] being the other two). i have certainly appreciated the resiliency, and ability for the characters in each of the books to carry on and continue moving forward. is this the same as starting over, though? of course, all of these traits/abilities are so important and necessary in a person being able to start over. so it's been interesting to approach each of these stories in the context of 'canada reads'. but, as happens every year, i wonder how my experience with a book would be without the program in my mind??
there is one line in nawaz's novel which completely speaks to the theme, though, and i fully expect it to be noted, quoted and built upon on the show. (context: at a diner for breakfast, celebrating a birthday; the girls were raised as vegetarians. from p. 343.)
i have owned this book since its publication - yes it's taken me a while to get to it! but i am so glad i have finally read it, and that it made the cut for this year's edition of canada reads. the theme for the show in 2016 is 'starting over'. so this context was very much in mind as i read. i have read 3 of the 5 contenders so far ([b:Minister Without Portfolio|19395369|Minister Without Portfolio|Michael Winter|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1453556951s/19395369.jpg|24943516] and [b:The Illegal|25622897|The Illegal|Lawrence Hill|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1435193110s/25622897.jpg|11205314] being the other two). i have certainly appreciated the resiliency, and ability for the characters in each of the books to carry on and continue moving forward. is this the same as starting over, though? of course, all of these traits/abilities are so important and necessary in a person being able to start over. so it's been interesting to approach each of these stories in the context of 'canada reads'. but, as happens every year, i wonder how my experience with a book would be without the program in my mind??
there is one line in nawaz's novel which completely speaks to the theme, though, and i fully expect it to be noted, quoted and built upon on the show. (context: at a diner for breakfast, celebrating a birthday; the girls were raised as vegetarians. from p. 343.)
"Of all meals, breakfast the way it was served in a diner bore the least connection to anything we had grown up eating. It was nourishment without attachment, merciful food. Every piece of bacon was like starting over as someone else."but, back to 'bone & bread' (sorry about my 'canada reads' tangent) - nawaz's writing is beautiful and this is a strong debut novel. i hope you will read it, if you haven't already.