A review by raven88
Someone Like Her by Awais Khan

4.0

Having previously reviewed Awais Khan’s In The Company of Strangers, and No Honour, I could not resist the opportunity to read Someone Like Her, and once again become immersed in the everyday life and culture of Pakistan, and to follow one exceptional woman’s journey from fear to freedom…

As in his two previous books, Khan once again shows the same extremely finely nuanced and sensitive writing, permeating both the main narrative and his characterisation. As he inveigles us in the lives of both Ayesha- initially a headstrong and assertive young woman and charity worker in Pakistan- and Kamil- a gentle, but emotionally damaged man in London- Khan puts both his characters under extreme emotional pressure, but never loses sight of the stronger qualities of their characters, which raises hope in the reader that all will be well as they navigate their difficulties in life.

This is particularly resonant in Ayesha who sees her life self destruct, when she arouses the attention of Raza, a powerful, persistent and utterly ruthless suitor. He strongly put me in mind of one those sinister moustache twirling figures from the silent movie age, who revelled in tying up defenceless young women to rail-tracks, or as an archetypal rogue from a Lollywood movie. He is a villain through and through, and as Khan slowly reveals to us the pernicious breaking down of Ayesha’s confidence and feeling of self-worth as Raza tightens the screw of his influence in her life, with tragic consequences, I defy anyone not to be moved by her plight. Raza literally infiltrates every sphere of her life, threatening her family’s livelihood, scaring off her erstwhile boyfriend, and the cataclysm of  his physical action towards her, results in her whole life being uprooted. Khan handles all this marvellously, arousing such resentment and indignation in the reader toward Raza, and genuine empathy with Ayesha, that feel utterly terrified for her, as the scope and power of Raza’s influence puts a stranglehold on her. As much as we see her shrinking and withdrawing into herself, from her previous strength and confidence, little glimmers of the real Ayesha remain, as her troubles result in  her escaping to London, but is escape really possible?

As the action relocates to London, we then enter the lives of another family, headed by the matriarchal Jamila Aunty, a family friend and mother of Kamil and Sharmeela (Shar), and their father Akbar.  As Ayesha is taken firmly under the wing of the Khans, this allows the author to introduce a level of levity and humour to the book, as Jamila is a force of nature, with both her children recognising that, despite her outspoken nature, therein lies a heart of gold. In Kamil, Ayesha meets a kindred damaged soul, and again this allows Khan to explore the thin line that lies between the abuse that both women and men can experience at the hands of others, and the long term repercussions, and road to recovery, that brings a path back to life, and love. As events unfold, and their tentative connection becomes stronger, they will need their combined strength to navigate Ayesha’s way back to freedom. Although I felt that Kamil’s character was a little less well-developed than Ayesha’s, the combination of their shared experience together was never less than powerfully moving and affecting.

This change of setting also allows to Khan to draw distinctions between the mores of traditional Pakistani society, and its mercurial and chaotic nature, with that of London. As much as Ayesha slightly circumvents traditional female behaviour in her homeland, Khan is given the scope to highlight the distinctions between Ayesha’s previous small acts of rebellion, to the worldly wise Shar, who also performs her own acts of rebellion to Jamila Aunty. The difference between the Pakistani female experience in both countries is beautifully explored and I also enjoyed seeing London, as if for the first time, through the wide eyed innocence of Ayesha as she finds herself uprooted from the familiar confines of home.

Awais Khan never fails to grab his reader by the heart from the outset of his books, and the sensitivity and depth with which he imbues his characters is pretty much faultless. His villain is beautifully portrayed, with that killer combination of good looks, charm and wealth hiding the darkest of souls. Ayesha is the heroine of the piece, trying to overcome the worst of experiences and regain her former confidence, but danger is never far away, and Kamil as the understated and sensitive salve to her misfortune and master of his own. I loved Someone Like Her and  can highly recommend this latest book to you. Just make sure you have tissues and chocolate to hand…