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_askthebookbug 's review for:
Hellfire
by Leesa Gazi, Shabnam Nadiya
// Hellfire by @leesagazi
Hellfire by Leesa Gazi is a stunning book that has a very dark undertone to it. The start is seemingly normal yet astonishing when Lovely, a forty year old woman steps outside of her house alone for the very first time. She feels fear and anxiety as she goes to the market, a million thoughts racing in her head about all the other places she can visit. Mentally, she feels like a teenager but outwardly she's just an awkward middle aged woman. Lovely is still shocked by her mother's kindness for being let outside alone and she can't help but feel sad that her sister, Beauty isn't with her to enjoy this sliver of freedom. This story takes place in a single day with Gazi giving us a peek of this strange family's past ever so often.
Lovely and Beauty grew up under the hawk like gaze of their mother. They have no friends, no husbands and no freedom. The two women start seeing nothing wrong in their mother's behaviour after years of being confined. Farida, the mother however loves her daughters fiercely because why else would she protect them so hard? The story unravels during Lovely's unexpected journey to the city on her birthday, Gazi cleverly divulging details of their past as well as the present day events. Secrets are disclosed, drawing sharp breaths from the readers. This novel, which initially seems straightforward has a complexity to it in the way the characters are woven. The jealousy and cunningness that exists between women, the poisonous words dipped in honey uttered to each other; all of these are laid bare in the story. Relationships are often not what they appear to be and Gazi explores exactly this.
This book would perhaps be a perfect fit for mental health month. There's a lot to unpack from this story, the end most assuredly taking the story to different heights. I recommend this.
Hellfire by Leesa Gazi is a stunning book that has a very dark undertone to it. The start is seemingly normal yet astonishing when Lovely, a forty year old woman steps outside of her house alone for the very first time. She feels fear and anxiety as she goes to the market, a million thoughts racing in her head about all the other places she can visit. Mentally, she feels like a teenager but outwardly she's just an awkward middle aged woman. Lovely is still shocked by her mother's kindness for being let outside alone and she can't help but feel sad that her sister, Beauty isn't with her to enjoy this sliver of freedom. This story takes place in a single day with Gazi giving us a peek of this strange family's past ever so often.
Lovely and Beauty grew up under the hawk like gaze of their mother. They have no friends, no husbands and no freedom. The two women start seeing nothing wrong in their mother's behaviour after years of being confined. Farida, the mother however loves her daughters fiercely because why else would she protect them so hard? The story unravels during Lovely's unexpected journey to the city on her birthday, Gazi cleverly divulging details of their past as well as the present day events. Secrets are disclosed, drawing sharp breaths from the readers. This novel, which initially seems straightforward has a complexity to it in the way the characters are woven. The jealousy and cunningness that exists between women, the poisonous words dipped in honey uttered to each other; all of these are laid bare in the story. Relationships are often not what they appear to be and Gazi explores exactly this.
This book would perhaps be a perfect fit for mental health month. There's a lot to unpack from this story, the end most assuredly taking the story to different heights. I recommend this.