How can love survive betrayal?
For as long as they can remember, siblings Isma, Aneeka and Parvais have had nothing but each other. But darker, stronger forces will divide Parvaiz from his sisters and drive him to the other side of the world, as he sets out to fulfil the dark legacy of the jihadist father he never knew.
Home Fire is a story of unconditional love and loyalty. It may be inspired by the greek classic Sophocles’ ‘Antigone’, however it is a contemporary and highly relevant socio-political commentary, with a human soul.
“What would you stop at to help the people you love most?”
Set within western and eastern capitals, Home Fire examines their respective ideologies. It is an exceptional insight into how and why young British Muslims are able to be radicalised and sparks an interesting conversation about consequences. When is too late to avoid the consequences of our actions (both on a personal and political level)?
‘For girls, becoming women was inevitability; for boys, becoming men was ambition.’
Shamsie examines some weighty themes, forom race, identity and faith to the need for a sense of belonging and security. She uses the conflict between family and state to bravely and eloquently challenge the status quo. I strongly agree that the political is always personal and personal is always political. Home Fire illustrates this perfectly, it is an emotionally astute melting pot of politics, religion, humanity and sacrifice.
‘Grief was what you owed the dead for the necessary crime of living on without them.’
I have to give special mention to the unparalleled description of grief in the novel. Sadness is a consistent undertone of the story, as is familial and romantic love, it is not lacking in humour and levity either. Shamsie purposely treats bureaucracy with a deserved ridicule and her characters with compassion.
Shamsie cleverly combines subtle but effective characterisation and powerful themes in a beautifully moving, and surprisingly short story.
Written with an equal helping of empathy and lyricism, it’s prose is stripped back, unpretentious and elegant. I found the writing style captivating, with a great build up of narrative tension and a truly unforgettable finale. I was rendered speechless but will be raving about this book for years to come.
This award-winning novel is deserving of all its high praise. A stunning fictional account of what it means to be a British Pakistani Muslim that I think everyone should read. Please teach it in schools, and even make it required reading for the Etonians before entering parliament.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 Stars
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