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This is one book which is un-put-down-able; one of the few that touched me so much that tears did flow! An easy read, it flows smoothly, neither too fast nor too slow- not many authors achieve such easy story-telling…
A book about women – true, the setting is war-ridden Afghanistan- but a story of many subjugated women around the world. A saga of what may seem to be their biggest weakness, but what keeps their sanity and gives them strength-that of acceptance, understanding with grace; of valuing the simple pleasures of life; familial values.
This is a story of two women, Mariam and Laila, in Rasheed’s unhappy household. Embittered by the losses of his first wife and their son, eccentric Rasheed pours his frustration on the seemingly hapless women. How they live through the ordeal in a Talibanised Afghanistan, a surprising happy-happy twist 2/3rds into the book make it an engrossing read.
I loved the small-small usages of Farsi-Pashto in the book.. Mariam-”jo”, “hamshira”,”Khodaya”. The sweet-short descriptions of Herat, Kabul sprinkled here and there do not interrupt the flow; unlike several poetic descriptions which certain authors indulge themselves in – good if given in small portions at the right point, which usually doesn’t happen.
The liberal outlook of certain families described astonished me- the pre-Taliban times seemed so normal; there were those that were still uneducated and bound by rigid rules, but there were free women too- who could speak their mind, follow the profession of their choice. Because from the time I could comprehend politics Afghanistan seemed like this decadent place. I thank God it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was! A recent article in the news paper on a lady managing a hotel in Kabul seemed very encouraging too 
Times are hopefully, slowly but surely, changing for that beautiful country…
Overall: Wonderful. A must buy
This is a story of the lives and loves of the people from the eyes of Shankar, the one-time receptionist at the regal Shahjahan, one of the largest and best hotels in Calcutta in the 1950s.
The 1st half chronicles the narrator’s story till, as luck/fate would have it, he lands a temporary job at the Shahjahan. It is in the second half when the book grows on you- the characters, who were fleetingly mentioned in the 1st half, are fleshed out by the author through short narratives stitched together seamlessly to form a colorful quilt.
Tragic and triumphant love. Betrayals. Double-speak. Everyone has hidden skeletons here, a story to share with the then naïve Shankar -Marco Polo, the diligent, mysterious hotel manager ; the innocence of Connie the Scottish cabaret dancer; the heartrending tale of Karabi Guha, the beautiful hostess; Sata Bose, the suave receptionist. People find it easier to open up to a “green” person, isn’t it? Their lack of prejudice , their trusting ways, the ghost of what they were earlier… ?
Couple of beautiful lines that struck me the most:
1. “Clouds bloodied in a mining fire, sunset comes” – from Samar Sen’s poem on Curzon Park.
2. “The first symptom of love in a young man is timidity; in a girl it is boldness. The two sexes have a tendency to approach and each assumes the quality of the other” – Victor Hugo
Overall: Good. Worth a read once, but I wouldn’t recommend a buy.
