I don´t know what other people are reading this August, but I waited for few months already to be able to read the latest by Awais Khan. After No Honour, Someone Like Her, published by Orenda Books, continues the exploration of women characters, boldy fighting for love, empowerment and breaking fee.
An independent, smart single woman Ayesha is decided to built her own life, refusing to accept the expectations a mysoginistic, patriarchal society has from her. Escaping arranged marriage, and trying to run away from a cruel revenge, she is trying to rebuilt her life in London, but shadows of her trauma keep following her and influencing her decisions, including the people she interacts with.
From the very beginning, the local ambiance is meticulously created, that even someone who never been to Pakistan and never heard about the local social context is able to figure out clearly both the mental and physical geography of the novel. The story featuring the struggles of being a woman in Pakistan, featured by Ayesha´s story do speak sometimes on tragic voices, as echoes the stories of women caught between their own right to exist and the overwhelming weight of social expectations. For women in Pakistan, Ayesha´s story may be their own story, less fiction but a story of everyday survival.
It´s hard to resist the unique storytelling of Awais Khan, where one can recognize perhaps the singsong of old tales of courage and resilience. And, as usual, in the case of old tales, once they are over, one is left with so many thoughts and wise ideas to think about.
Someone Like Her was worth waiting for, as both the story and the writing are captivating. Definitely, one of my reading highlights of this year.
Rating: 5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
Thanks for the blog tour support x
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