THE STORY OF THE NOBLE ROT

THE STORY OF THE NOBLE ROT

AUTHOR- UZMA ASLAM KHAN

GENRE- FICTION

ISBN 0-14-100567-X

NO. OF PAGES- 217

FIRST PUBLISHED BY PENGUIN BOOKS INDIA 2001

PRICE-Rs. 200

SYNOPSIS: ‘The sweet taste of wine comes from the muscadelle grape, and the greyish mould that it attracts. The mould is lovingly called pourriture noble, noble rot’.

It is the careless abandon of wine-satiated afternoon that brings together the imperious Mrs.Masood and the humble carpenter’s wife, Malika. As she observes the wealthy woman whose family is responsible for all her troubles, a plan takes shape in Malika’s mind to recover the money Mrs. Masood owes her husband, and rescue her son from slow death in Mr. Masood’s carpet factory.

Unknown to both women, the moment marks the beginning of a relationship that is to change their lives forever.

Into the complex web of Malika’s plan are drawn Mr. Saeed, who dwells in his study with his ruby-studded armallido; the Pathan with the sun dappled eyes; Momin of the hennaed hands with his love for fish and birds; and Saima with her unpredictable affections and fabulous stories.

Vividly narrated and full of funny yet complex dilemmas this is a novel about the sweetness of life and about how we inexorably drive ourselves to our own doom. It marks the debut of a gifted storyteller from Pakistan.

EXCERPT: the carpenter Chaudry was polishing the table when Mrs. Masood walked into his store. A battered radio crackled: o Saqi! Pour me one more drink, just one more....He lowered the volume and bowed, ‘Good Morning. You’re right in time. I just finished it’.

‘Hmmm’, she replied, spreading her fingers over the sides of the table.

‘I did it all myself,, the carpenter beamed with pride. ‘Exactly as you requested, with no help from the young apprentice’, he pointed to his assistant in the corner. ‘How do you like it?’

ANUSHREE SAYS: This was my first book in the genre of Fiction and I surely was not disappointed. The title refers to a French wine or to be more precise the grey mould which is formed around the muscadelle grape during fermentation. The story involves three families- Masoods, Chaudry and Saeed. Malika and Mrs. Masood are the central characters of the novel. Both are doting mothers who want the best for their children, former is a servant while latter is a mistress. Malikas young son Momin works as a child labour in Mr.Masood’s carpet factory. As a mother she wants him to study, grow up to be a learned individual but her husband, an old carpenter, wants Momin to work so that they can accumulate wealth for their daughter Faikas wedding. On the other hand Laila, Mrs. Masoods daughter is all set to marry a French businessman; lavish preparations are being made to make it a memorable event. Malika wants to free her son from the clutches of the carpet owner and wants to teach the rich mistress a lesson. In the process she gets entangled in a vicious cycle of deceit which lead to various situations, some hilarious while some heart wrenching. The story has been written from Malika and Mrs.Masoods point of view.

We have often heard that human mind is very powerful and if we have proper co-ordination between our actions and imaginations, nothing is impossible. The story basically highlights this point. Mrs. Masood was brought up by a strict grandmother and even now she feels that the old lady keeps an eye on her, though she is dead. Whenever she does anything wrong, her conscience doesn’t let her stay in peace and she is haunted by her grandmother thoughts. Malika makes use of this weakness and tries to settle scores with her. While playing on others weaknesses we often stumble upon ours and some ugly realities show up. This is what happens with the poor servant and she finds herself helpless in many situations.

The novel has been beautifully written and maintains a flow. It makes the reader yearn for more. I personally loved the way she gave words to the complex human emotions that we as mortals go through. Some situations are real while some tinker our imagination and make us ponder.

MY RATING: 4/5

Thunder Over Kandahar

THUNDER OVER KANDAHAR

AUTHOR- SHARON E.MCKAY

GENRE-LITERARY FICTION

ISBN: 978-93-80069-47-0

NO. OF PAGES: 279

FIRST PUBLISHED IN U.S.A BY ANNICK PRESS (U.S.) LTD.

THIS EDITION PUBLISHED IN 2011 BY OM BOOKS INTERNATIONAL

PRICE: Rs.195

SYNOPSIS: Best friends Tamanna and Yasmine cannot believe their good fortune when a school is set up in their Afghan village; however, their dreams for the future are shattered when the Taliban burn down the school and threaten the teacher and students with death. As Tamanna faces an arranged marriage to an older man, and the Taliban target Yasmine’s Western educated family, the girls realise they must flee. Travelling through dangerous mountain passes, the two unaccompanied teens find themselves in mortal danger as they confront land mines, a suicide bomber, and roving bands of the Taliban. But when the two girls are separated, they are left without the one thing that has helped them survive-each other.

EXCERPT: As another dawn broke they stood on a hilltop. Above, the soaring mountains, streaked in ruby, yellow, and muted silver, looked cold and foreboding. Below, poplar trees flashed silver and green leaves. Small white almond flowers blanketed the hills. But down deep, in the gullies and crevices, were graveyards of trucks, tanks, donkey bones, and maybe human bones, too.

A twig snapped. Yasmine grabbed Tamanna’s arm and pulled her down behind a rock. “There!” She pointed. Above, standing on a rock face, a boy waved to them.

“What should we do?” Tamanna whispered.

ANUSHREE SAYS: As the title suggests it is a story set in war torn Afghanistan. As students while studying History we have read a lot about the beauty of Afghanistan, it was a country which was known for its culture, architecture and was home to many poets. Now we read about the tensions and the constant wars going on in that country. This particular story highlights the problem of “contemporary” Afghanistan. There is conflict going on between the foreign forces who want to help in the development of the nation and the Taliban.

The two main characters in this novel are Yasmine and Tamanna. Yasmine is a young girl who was born in England, attended primary school in Oxford and was then brought to Afghanistan by her parents. They wanted to serve and contribute towards the development of their homeland. Her parents are her biggest support and want her to get proper education so that even she can serve her country. On the other hand Tamanna is a shy and timid girl who has been born and brought up in the conservative environment of Afghanistan. She is looked after by her mother and an abusive uncle. Two very different individuals who develop a strong bond of friendship and are willing to help each other in any situation. The story has been narrated from Yasmine’s point of view.

The story has been beautifully narrated by the author and does not lose grip at any point of time. The situations, conversations and the emotions all seem to be real and completely connected to the geographical scenario of the nation. I was personally moved by the part when the two girls set out on their journey to gain freedom from the harsh realities of life. They face land mines, Talib soldiers and go through mind conflicts which prove to be impediments in their path, but they don’t lose their will and eventually get the way. An emotional story written with utmost honesty and touches the readers heart.

MY RATING: 4/5

Daughters of Shame - JASVINDER SANGHERA

GENRE- NON-FICTION
ISBN 978 0 340 91925 5
FIRST PUBLISHED IN
GREAT BRITAIN IN 2009 BY HODDER & STOUGHTON
NO. OF PAGES- 304

PRICE- Rs. 295

AUTHOR - Jasvinder Sanghera


SYNOPSIS- Jasvinder Sanghera knows what it means to flee from family
under threat of forced marriage- and to face the terrible consequences that
follow. As a young girl that was just what she had to do. Jasvinder is now at the front line of the battle to save women from the honour-based violence and threat of forced marriage that destroyed her own youth. Daughters of Shame reveals the stories of young women such as Fozia, aged only fifteen when her family tried to force her into marriage; Shazia, kidnapped and taken to Pakistan to marry a man she had never met; and Banaz, murdered by her own family after escaping an abusive marriage. By turns frightening, enthralling and uplifting, Daughters of Shame reveals Jasvinder as a women heedless of her own personal safety as she fights to help these women, in a world where the suffering and abuse of many is challenged by the courage of the flow.

EXCERPT- Sometimes I lie awake at night thinking about Uzma Rahan.
In the photograph i have seen of her she looks so confident with her gold jewelery and her full red lips and her coloured hair. ‘Flashy’, my mum would have said, the corners of her mouth turning down is disapproval. I don’t agree: to me she looks beautiful and bold. But that’s not how i see her as i stare into the
darkness, trying to lie still, fighting the temptation to toss and turn. Lying there in the silence of the night, I see what the policemen would have seen when they found her in her bedroom, four weeks after she died.

ANUSHREE SAYS- As the title suggests it is a book based on the word ‘Honour’. As we all know, it is an abstract word, but it has serious consequences in one’s life. The story is written by a lady who herself was coerced into forced marriage at a tender age of fifteen, instead of giving in to the situation, she ran away from her house and decided to fight this evil which has changed the lives of many youngsters. It is apparent from the synopsis that the book contains stories about Fozia, Shazia and Banaz.

Apart from them there are accounts of various other fighters. I was personally
overwhelmed by the experiences of Maya and Imran. When I started reading the book, I thought that it was all about the struggles of young girls who face the wrath of their parents and are forced to lead a life which gives them only pain
and eventually turn them into ‘walking dead’. I was indeed surprised to know
that not only girls but even young boys suffer due to forced marriage. Imran’s
story reveals this. Similarly Mayas tale left me numb.

The best thing about non-fiction is that it does not lose its grip at all. I found the book to be an emotional journey of a girl who turns into a women at a very young age and decides to help others who are suffering. It is an honest attempt and leaves a mark on one’s mind. A few parts will leave you numb and are bound to tinker the emotional buds. According to me, a must read.

MY RATING- 4/5

THE FLYING CARPET TO BAGHDAD - Hala Jaber

THE FLYING CARPET TO BAGHDAD


GENRE- NON-FICTION
ISBN 978-0-330-46528-1
NO. OF PAGES- 298
FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2009 IN MACMILLAN
FIRST PUBLISHED IN PAPERBACK IN 2010
BY PANMACMILLAN
PRICE- Rs. 330

AUTHOR- HALA JABER

SYNOPSIS: To find a child to be the face of war- this is the task that
award-winning Sunday Times correspondent Hala Jaber faced when she arrived in Iraq in 2003. Reeling from her own unfulfilled desire for a child, it was the last assignment she would have chosen. Then she met Zahra. Three years old, lying badly burned in a hospital bed, she and her baby sister Hawra were the only survivors of the Baghdad missile strike that killed their parents and their five siblings. She ticked every box, but for Hala it was no longer about the article; she was going to save these damaged children.

A powerful tale of love, guilt and redemption, the shocking story of what happened next reveals more about the human cost of war than the news ever could.

EXCERPT: If it had not been for a strange request from my office, i would never have followed the trail that led me through a teeming, terrified city at war to the hospital where i found Zahra.

‘We need an orphan’ my boss said.
‘Not just any orphan. A special one’.

His instructions were as meticulous as they were startling. I should not settle for the first injured orphan i came across, he told me firmly. I should scan all the hospitals with paediatric wards for the special one.


ANUSHREE SAYS: As the title suggests it is a journalists journey through the arid lands of war torn Baghdad. It is not only an account of the dreadful war that rendered millions homeless and innocent children orphaned, but also the ties of human emotions. I was simply overwhelmed by the simplicity of language used and the way she has explained the pain of not bearing and
nurturing a child.

The book is mainly centered around 4 characters- the author, Zahra, Hawra and the grandmother. I liked the way the author explains the complex stream of emotions she goes through whenever she faces the helpless grandmother and the little girl Hawra, who barely understands the intensity of the situation. In a few portions the mother takes over the role of a war journalist.

The book also speaks about this young boy called Ali who is not only a survivor but an inspiration for millions of people. I personally enjoyed reading Ali’s story. Its written in an intelligent manner, though a few parts may tinker your imagination and force you to feel the pain that the boy goes through. Given that it belongs to the genre of non-fiction, a few parts are heavy and one may think that it is exaggerated. One thing that i loved about this book was that it has no specific mention of Politics. It is an honest attempt to bring out the aftermath of war and the fight that a nation and its people endure.

MY RATING: 3.5/5