This is the debut novel of an Afghan writer, who now lives in Toronto. It traces the lives of a host of Afghani refugees living in Virginia after fleeing from the Russian invasion, and their partly futile attempts to maintain a distinctive Muslim culture.
When an Americanized teen from a family who became rich strays with a boyfriend rather than accepting an arranged marriage, and then is found drowned in a canal, an investigation ensues, with anti-Islamic and pro-Islamic sentiments reaching a fever pitch. I won’t give away the plot from there, but the whole community becomes irreversibly polarized.
Unfortunately it takes about 150 pages to reach the critical event with many two or three line pages of comments by friends, neighbours, and relatives, as the author builds up the sympathy for the family that seemed to have fulfilled the American Dream, before crashing. A similar number of short pages after the event, including from investigative reporters, an attourney, and police details the deep divide within the closely-knit community of immigrants.
I picked this book up from the OPL for my wife who had it on hold, but read it before her. I almost abandoned it after 125 pages, but in the end will give it a
4/5.
Thanks, Goodreads.
The Passionate Reader 