Book Review 65
Name Of The Book : Things She Could Never Have
Author : Tehmina Khan
Publisher : Mawenzi House Publishers
Year : 2017
Category : Fiction
Review :
Accomplished, sensitive, and often disturbing, these stories take us into the lives of modern Pakistanis—privileged and poor, gay, trans, and straight, men and women, in Karachi and Toronto. “Whisperings of the Devil” takes us into the mind of a mistreated maidservant’s boy who gets seduced into the role of a suicide bomber. In “To Allah We Pray,” two privileged and educated young men, one of them home from Toronto, gallivant through the streets of Karachi, finally walking into a doomed mosque. “Things She Could Never Have” is a love story about two young trans women living in Karachi. “Born on the First of July” opens the door into the home of a Toronto girl who has left to join ISIS and the devastated family she leaves behind. “The First” will astonish many readers by its depiction of sexual encounters of young college girls in Pakistan. These and other stories link us into the complexities of a sometimes troubled and often misrepresented Muslim society.
This book is a collection of twelve short stories set in modern Pakistan. We get a glimpse of the unusual lives of everyday people. Each story touches a sensitive topic and it is handled with maturity. Though the author honestly depicts the realities, the tone is perfect and does not hurt the sentiments of any group or individuals. This is a refreshing collection of short stories which strongly urges the reader to introspect about the society as a whole and of various minority groups. It is very interesting to see how the author has brought subtle connections between the various stories thus making each story like pearls on a string. At the same time, each story stands apart and impacts the readers. The author has a unique style of writing which makes the book stand out. This book really touched my heart. This is a must read for all those who love short stories.
Rating : 4.5/5
Name Of The Book : Things She Could Never Have
Author : Tehmina Khan
Publisher : Mawenzi House Publishers
Year : 2017
Category : Fiction
Review :
Accomplished, sensitive, and often disturbing, these stories take us into the lives of modern Pakistanis—privileged and poor, gay, trans, and straight, men and women, in Karachi and Toronto. “Whisperings of the Devil” takes us into the mind of a mistreated maidservant’s boy who gets seduced into the role of a suicide bomber. In “To Allah We Pray,” two privileged and educated young men, one of them home from Toronto, gallivant through the streets of Karachi, finally walking into a doomed mosque. “Things She Could Never Have” is a love story about two young trans women living in Karachi. “Born on the First of July” opens the door into the home of a Toronto girl who has left to join ISIS and the devastated family she leaves behind. “The First” will astonish many readers by its depiction of sexual encounters of young college girls in Pakistan. These and other stories link us into the complexities of a sometimes troubled and often misrepresented Muslim society.
This book is a collection of twelve short stories set in modern Pakistan. We get a glimpse of the unusual lives of everyday people. Each story touches a sensitive topic and it is handled with maturity. Though the author honestly depicts the realities, the tone is perfect and does not hurt the sentiments of any group or individuals. This is a refreshing collection of short stories which strongly urges the reader to introspect about the society as a whole and of various minority groups. It is very interesting to see how the author has brought subtle connections between the various stories thus making each story like pearls on a string. At the same time, each story stands apart and impacts the readers. The author has a unique style of writing which makes the book stand out. This book really touched my heart. This is a must read for all those who love short stories.
Rating : 4.5/5