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A review by readingunderpinkskies
Maps for Lost Lovers by Nadeem Aslam
4.0
Where do I begin with this one?
From the very first page, the writing takes you in with its stunning metaphors and lush prose.
Aslam portrays the life of Pakistani immigrants settled in an unnamed town, which the residents call 'Dasht-e-Tanhai' (Desert of Loneliness). Most of them are desolate in a foreign land where they are unwanted, where their children are fast moving away from them and the religious ideals they hold close.
At the heart of the novel is Kaukab, an extremely devout woman who never questions her faith, even when she knows how cruel it can be. Her unquestioning devotion creates a widening rift between her children, as they reject the tradition of upholding honour and reputation above everything else.
Through Chanda and Jugnu, the murdered lovers, Aslam puts honour killings into focus, showing how men's obsession with protecting a woman's honour destroys entire families and communities. It is clear Aslam is no fan of religion and all the oppression that happens in its name, and yet he treats Kaukab with incredible dignity, she who overlooks terrible crimes just to avoid criticism of her beloved faith by outsiders.
Aslam also pays homage to the brilliant flora and fauna of England, weaving dazzling descriptions of moths and peacocks within his story of lost lovers.
There is heartbreak, loneliness, and oppression in nearly every page, but there is so much love, too. Love of a mother, a wife, a lover. Love for a lost homeland, its food and its scents and its warmth, love for nature, for family, for God, and for freedom from God.
My only complaint would be the overuse of metaphors to describe nearly everything (a vegetable, or a cup, or a color), though I cannot let that take away from the incredible achievement of this novel and all it tries to capture.
From the very first page, the writing takes you in with its stunning metaphors and lush prose.
Aslam portrays the life of Pakistani immigrants settled in an unnamed town, which the residents call 'Dasht-e-Tanhai' (Desert of Loneliness). Most of them are desolate in a foreign land where they are unwanted, where their children are fast moving away from them and the religious ideals they hold close.
At the heart of the novel is Kaukab, an extremely devout woman who never questions her faith, even when she knows how cruel it can be. Her unquestioning devotion creates a widening rift between her children, as they reject the tradition of upholding honour and reputation above everything else.
Through Chanda and Jugnu, the murdered lovers, Aslam puts honour killings into focus, showing how men's obsession with protecting a woman's honour destroys entire families and communities. It is clear Aslam is no fan of religion and all the oppression that happens in its name, and yet he treats Kaukab with incredible dignity, she who overlooks terrible crimes just to avoid criticism of her beloved faith by outsiders.
Aslam also pays homage to the brilliant flora and fauna of England, weaving dazzling descriptions of moths and peacocks within his story of lost lovers.
There is heartbreak, loneliness, and oppression in nearly every page, but there is so much love, too. Love of a mother, a wife, a lover. Love for a lost homeland, its food and its scents and its warmth, love for nature, for family, for God, and for freedom from God.
My only complaint would be the overuse of metaphors to describe nearly everything (a vegetable, or a cup, or a color), though I cannot let that take away from the incredible achievement of this novel and all it tries to capture.