The Kashmir
Shawl by Rosie Thomas
5 stars
5 stars
I loved this book. The writing is gorgeous. I found myself
rereading passages to savor the words.
That is, until I got caught up in the story! Now I am planning to reread
the book so I can appreciate the writing skill that is so evident.
The characters are real. The conversations are real. The
situations the characters find themselves in are real. The only flaw (if it is
a flaw) is that all of the ends are tied up so neatly – especially Farida and
Zahra – that one was just too pat.
The differing marriages that are explored would make a great
topic for book groups – what makes a marriage or fail, what is a failed
marriage, how are marriages different, what forces do family and culture play
on marriage, who is responsible for making a marriage work, etc.
I learned a lot about India that changed my perspective on
the current situation with China, Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. I also
enjoyed learning a bit about World War II and British India.
There were times when I would have appreciated a glossary of
the Indian terms and occasions used in the book. I wondered what “afternoon
bread” was and how it differed from other breads. A map would have been helpful – I printed one
off the Internet, but, of course, not all of the places mentioned were on any one
map and trying to overlay them just didn’t work.
I would strongly recommend this book to book groups that are
interested in family issues, history, ethnic culture, mystery and just great
writing. I could not decide if this was
“women’s” fiction, historical fiction, romance, and finally decided literary
fiction was the most accurate.
I have a pashima from
my daughter’s two and a half years living in Kazakhstan – of course not nearly
as elegant or beautiful as Nerys’ - but
even with only two colors, the design woven in fine wool threads on my shawl,
is different on the two sides so I can appreciate the intricacy of the “Kashmir
Shawl” described in the book.
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