Category Archives: Cultural Fiction

The Bookseller of Kabul, by Asne Seierstad

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The story starts out with the chapter “The Proposal” in which Sultan Khan, the bookseller, feels that he is ready for a new wife although he already has one. And while Afghan customs permit more than one wife, some of his family are against his decision. The author concentrates on Sultans decision and the effects it has on his family. The reader is taken inside the head of the first wife, Sharifa, and his new young bride. Through their voices, we see a glimpse of the caste system. 

“A wedding is like a small death.” 

While emphasizing Afghanistan customs through the tangled emotions that the family experiences because of Sultans marriage decision, its culture is revealed through the occurrences in the bookshop. With Mansur Khan working in his father’s bookshop, the reader sees a colorful and vibrant city that sometimes weeps for its people. He sees the effects of war surrounding them and craves a different reality. 

Though not nonfiction, I still found the information and story enticing. The author writes with a journalists touch and has an affinity for incorporating political thought through the dialogue. The Foreword at the beginning of this book explains how the author ended up living with the Khan family in Kabul. It is a must read before beginning the story since the story is based on real events and people, although considered a work of fiction. 

Being only 288 pages, it is a short read for those pressed with time.

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It Would Be Night in Caracas, by Karina Sainz Borgo

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Grieving over the recent loss of her mother, Adelaida struggles to persevere amid revolution in Venezuela. While alone and desperate, she is forced to make a harrowing decision in order to ensure her own safety. 

In my opinion, this story can best be described as monotonous. The blurb misled me to believe it would be a penetrating page turner, but the story itself was underdeveloped. It said there would be twists and turns, but I couldn’t find them. Yes, there was looting and raids. Yes, it was during the revolution…but what about the story? The only thing intriguing in the novel was the setting itself and what it entailed: Venezuela during hyperinflation with the revolutionaries controlling imperative economical aspects. The main character relies on this setting for intrigue. But everything she did was droning and predictable; it was the impact around her that provoked any sense of substance. However, even that began to become repetitious and anticipated. The same thing seemed to happen again and again.

This was a missed opportunity for a great story to grow and flourish. The background was all there, but the story wasn’t. 

I also wanted to note the organization of this book. The flashbacks of the main character occur sporadically without pattern. It was very difficult to get used to at the beginning because there was no page break, tense change, notation of time, or anything to indicate that a flashback was occurring. At moments it made it difficult to read the story fluently. Then, the story starts to use page breaks 30% in, and I was relieved but only momentarily because it quickly stopped and reverted to sporadic flashback disruptions. Some of the flashbacks told memories that were not relevant. The flashbacks were my least favorite part of the book. 

Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Karina Sainz Borgo for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

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The Weight of Heaven, by Thrity Umrigar

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A young American Michigan couple, Frank and Ellie, grieve the loss of their 7 year old child, Benny. The story focuses on the grieving process individually for Frank and Ellie when losing a child. After Benny dies, the couple then moves to India when Frank accepts a position there. They see it as a form of escape. Frank quickly attaches himself to Ramesh, the 9 year old child of the poor Prakash and Edna who are locals of India. Once Frank begins to overstep his boundaries as friend to father, the thriller begins. Prakash, the father of Ramesh, does not agree with the relationship Frank is developing with his son and feels like he is trying to replace him as a father. Meanwhile, Ellie feels Frank is replacing their passed son Benny but just wants Frank to be happy again. However, there is a BIG plot twist in the end of this novel in regards to the decisions Frank makes- How far will he go?

The reader sees the reactions, thoughts, and struggles through the eyes of the parents who have lost a child. I took a star off because of all the bickering and arguing between Frank and Ellie. The arguing and fighting was heavy and dating. I felt like the story could have endured without each and every single argument. To be frank, it got old and draining.

The story is not just about the grieving process, but also the moral dilemma of globalization through Frank’s job. His company has caused much pain in the local village. At times, the locals riot and push for him and the company to leave India. The reader also experiences a small taste of the caste system in India.

This book is not for young readers or for the faint of heart. I say, though respectfully, that you must be in a strong place mentally to endure the entirety of this novel. It notably includes– Miscarriage, murder, abuse, suicide, alcoholism, globalization sex, religion, and of course death’s affect on those left behind.

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The Secrets Between Us, by Thrity Umrigar

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How does Bhima’s past fit into her present? Are Bhima’s misfortunes her greatest treasures? Are the secrets we carry a unifying element in our relationships? Is holding onto grief the way we legitimize the things we have lost or broken?

Thrity Umrigar takes you back to India where the first book, The Spaces Between Us, left off. The Secrets Between Us allows you to peek into daily Indian life and culture through the eyes of two poor elderly females Bhima and Parvati.

Bhima is raising her granddaughter, Maya, after losing her own daughter to AIDS. Bhima struggles to put Maya through college and takes multiple jobs after being fired from the Dubash family. Bhima gets a small taste of independence, selling fruit in the marketplace and balancing housework for the rich while playing tug-of-war with the caste system in India. She watches Maya changing along with Mumbai but isn’t sure how she fits into this picture.

Parvati has nothing except a large mass growth to call her own. Her secrets lay deep within the darkness of her past where only she alone can find them. Her health and life depend on selling six old cauliflower at the fruit market until Bhima and her develop a business plan. Tougher than nails, Parvati relies on her past to gather strength and courage in her present. She challenges religion, the culture, and her newfound companion Bhima. The ending of this book was majestic and I was sad that it was over.

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The Space Between Us, by Thrity Umrigar

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This story focuses on three women in India and the caste system.

The reader is quickly made aware that the young teenage granddaughter, Maya, is pregnant out of wedlock and lives with her grandmother, Bhima. No one knows who the father is. Through her pregnancy, which is considered a big problem, the author takes you on a journey through the struggles of different classes in India are revealed– Bhima retells the story of her life through the challenges of poor social status. While Sera, a high class elite that Bhima works for, experiences her own conflicts within her life as a result of endogamy. Then there is Maya, who has to decide between education or work shortly after her abortion.

The author has a gift for manipulating words and language that you will not experience with anyone else. Note-This novel entails physical abuse, abortion, alcoholism, rape, and other topics that would be recommended only for mature readers.

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