Reading as a hobby, she says, started way back during her schooling at St. Mary’s and she has been more or less of an avid reader since then. She is currently engrossed in Diaspora literature.[break]
Here, she talks about Thunder over Kandahar by Sharon E. McKay, a novel that has juxtaposed Afghan culture, art, traditions and history into a beautiful tapestry beside a war story.
How apt do you think is the title?
The title is suitable and syncs well with the context of a war-stricken nation and the landscapes of Afghanistan where two young girls are fleeing from Kandahar City in search of a safe haven. Amidst terror and violence, the two girls, Tammana and Yasmine, befriend each other in spite of their differences. Yasmine is the Afghan girl who has returned to her country at a turbulent time. Her family is targeted by the Taliban for their modernity and education. Hence she ends up losing her parents whereas Tammana flees to avoid an arranged marriage to an older man. On the way to freedom, education is what keeps their spirits up as they are motivated by stories from Yasmine’s childhood in Britain. The novel thus subtly reveals both the blissful and dark side of modern Afghanistan.
One character that has stayed behind even after having finished the book.
It has to be Yasmine’s father who was a professor at Oxford back in Britain. He felt the nation’s calling at the time of crisis and moved back with dignity and pride to serve his homeland and joined the University in Afghanistan, Herat. He taught Yasmine the virtues and joys of learning and encouraged her to resume education by joining a local school which later led to the path of her self-discovery. Also, he believes, "It is art, never war, that carries culture forward," with regard to the persistent crisis of Afghanistan which I believe is relevant across the globe. Moreover, his zeal for life and deepest concern for his family and education as his utmost priority reminds me of my father who shares the same spirit.
One thing about the book that you didn’t like or you wish was different.
The novel packed with fast-paced action with characters on the run was a delight in its own. But towards the climax after the bombardment, Yasmine’s self-sacrifice for her dear friend Tammana is a bit over the top. The ties between both protagonists has been a strong one but the thought of an altruistic act by a 14-year-old to save her friend’s life is unconvincing as both of them seek freedom and escape. Apart from this, the fiction portrays the true essence of lives of Afghani women and children.
Has the book disappointed you or did it turn out better than you initially expected?
The book did turn out as expected. It was one of the good readings that I casually picked up. I enjoyed going through the pages with the gripping plot of what will happen next and would also like to recommend it to other readers who like to enjoy sound reading about the world’s most conflicted areas. The book is hopeful towards future although the plot is full of drama and tension for the most part. Overall, the writer has done justice to the characters and the readers, too, with a realistic blend in her novel.
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