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May 27, 2005
Review of Kamila Shamsie's recentest novel
Kamila Shamsie – Broken Verses
Shamsie’s 4th novel, published by Bloomsbury in 2005, is a splendid one, a beautiful read, and a continuation and development of Shamsie’s distinctive and charming writing voice.
Shamsie is a Pakistani author, who consistently presents Pakistani society as a highly complex, attractive, mind-boggling, sophisticated society, cramed with distinctive and memorable characters.
The engaging and intelligent protagonist of Broken Verses, Aasmaani, is not unlike the protagonist of Kartography (Shamsie's 3rd novel), Raheen, in her wit, emotional independence, fierce loyalties, wry humour, privileged social status.
The storyline is based on Aasmaani not being able to know whether her mother and her mother’s soulmate and lover, called The Poet, are truly dead. The plot is simple but intriguing, painted in broad brushstrokes but filled with wonderful complexities and nuances and intricacies. However, whatever the plot, I would have relished every page of this novel because Shamsie’s language is so rich, so quick-witted and charming, her characters have such charisma, and the sentences flow so beautifully, unfolding the thoughts in the reader’s mind with graceful rhythm. It is a tremendous piece of writing, the authorial consciousness and self-awareness knife-sharp, the verse sparkling in brilliance.
I tried desperately to slow down my natural reading pace because I could not bear the book to end. I have returned my copy to the library, but I fully intend to buy one to keep. And reread and reread. Is that recommendation enough?
Posted by Lisa Lau at May 27, 2005 08:20 AM
Comments
>>>I have returned my copy to the library, but I fully intend to buy one to keep. And reread and reread. Is that recommendation enough?
i remember finishing kartography, turning back to page 1 and starting all over again. . it's nice to know that my affliction isn't unique.:)
ever since, i've tried desperately to analyse my love for her fiction (since kartography, i've bought both other novels as well, and i'm waiting for broken verses to come to india). because honestly, her plotting could do with work, and her dialogue sometimes rings untrue. there are writers who'r technically more brilliant than her. but none of them convey (at least to me) a similar attraction.
Posted by: vijay at June 10, 2005 05:06 AM
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