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No Honour by Awais Khan #Review #Giveaway
Today we have a complete change of tone with Awais Khan's searing novel, No Honour. which was published by Orenda Books on 19th August. I also have a great giveaway with the chance to win a print copy of the book. Details on how to enter are at the foot of this post.
In sixteen-year-old Abida’s small Pakistani village, there are age-old
rules to live by, and her family’s honour to protect. And, yet, her
spirit is defiant and she yearns to make a home with the man she loves.
When
the unthinkable happens, Abida faces the same fate as other young girls
who have chosen unacceptable alliances – certain, public death. Fired
by a fierce determination to resist everything she knows to be wrong
about the society into which she was born, and aided by her devoted
father, Jamil, who puts his own life on the line to help her, she
escapes to Lahore and then disappears.
Jamil goes to Lahore in
search of Abida – a city where the prejudices that dominate their
village take on a new and horrifying form – and father and daughter are
caught in a world from which they may never escape.
Moving from
the depths of rural Pakistan, riddled with poverty and religious
fervour, to the dangerous streets of over-populated Lahore, No Honour is
a story of family, of the indomitable spirit of love in its many forms …
a story of courage and resilience, when all seems lost, and the
inextinguishable fire that lights one young woman’s battle for change.
My Thoughts
This novel takes an uncompromising look at the practice of honour killing and at times makes for uncomfortable reading. It is such a stark portrayal of the powerlessness of women in society in some parts of Pakistan where age-old beliefs are predominant. Through Abida's story, you are shown how violence is used to subdue women and there is real misogyny present in the relations between men and women. Fearful of going against this culture, terrible crimes are perpetuated against young girls and women who it seems have no voice. Denied education and kept apart, they are expected to live in subjugation to their male family members.
The opening sequences are shocking and certainly shows you the cruelty that these beliefs demand. As the story moves from rural Pakistan to the city of Lahore, you see a different way of life but one in which women are still punished and used. The story is told through the alternating perspectives of Abida and her father, Jamil. Despite the misery which is inflicted on vulnerable people, there is also a hopeful message where some family ties are shown to be able to move away from old practices and love cements a better way of life. Dark and upsetting at times, the story nevertheless shows us the resilience of the human spirit.
In short: a challenging read
About the Author
Awais Khan is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario and Durham University, and studied creative writing with Faber Academy. His debut novel, In the Company of Strangers, was published to much critical acclaim, and he now regularly appears on TV and radio. Awais also teaches a popular online creative writing course to aspiring writers around the world. He lives in Lahore and is currently working on his third novel.
You can follow Awais here: Twitter
Book link: Amazon UK
Thanks to Awais Khan, Karen Sullivan and Anne Cater of Orenda Books for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.
Check out these great bloggers!
Giveaway (UK only)
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Thanks so much for the blog tour support x
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