Typhoon - Qaisra Shahraz

This review is rather overdue. I actually finished the book almost two months ago now, but the fact that I can still remember every character and thread of the story is pure testament to Qaisra Shahraz’s talent as a storyteller and novelist. This is my second review (and second book I’ve read) on this author, the first one being Revolt. Having enjoyed that one so much, I happily received this one in yet another package from the generous people at Arcadia Books. The books aren’t technically part of an ongoing series, but I really loved the feel of familiarity I experienced between the two. The stories remain separate and always totally unpredictable, but the themes Qaisra tackles are always similar.

In my review of Revolt I discussed the wide range of settings and locations the book spans which manages to effect a sense of universality whilst maintaining a focus on the personal lives of the characters. What I found equally engaging in Typhoon was the use of time. The main body of the book only spans a little over 24 hours; it is framed by a narrative set 20 years later, in the present day. The constant sense of retrospect keeps the novel fast paced and exciting, I was always referring back to the first part to try to fit pieces of the puzzle together and reconcile the characters (basically guess the ending!). However, the slow speed at which time moves in the main part of the novel juxtaposes this rapidness, creating a build-up of suspense and allowing the reader to accumulate a mountain of questions. As well as this, I constantly had to remind myself that all this action was happening in just one day. Whilst it is split between characters so it does not seem unrealistic in any way, I believe it is still a difficult feat to keep the reader focussed on such a short space of time for so many pages. I seriously admire Qaisra’s achievement in doing this.

So as not to ruin it, all I’ll say is that the book is centred around three women who all share a burden or shame that they experienced 20 years ago and that has impacted their lives ever since. What I really love about Qaisra’s writing is her ability to introduce and explain issues mostly unknown to women in the Western world of law, religion, shame and duty, whilst simultaneously showing that this is not what wholly dictates life in places such as Pakistan. Books such as Revolt and Typhoon convey that issues of love, jealousy, loss and desire are completely universal and cannot be ignored, even in the face of such ancient values. Not a single character in the novel lacks a sympathetic side, the village as a whole are constantly forging the battle between religious laws that their society is built on and more modern developments and ways of living that they are desperate to keep up with. Some feel they are able to move on, some just cannot accept modern life: it is who falls into which category which keeps the momentum of the story going and creates an emotional and exciting experience for the reader.

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The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me - Lucy Robinson

As is evident from my review of the first Lucy Robinson book I read, beginning this one was an immense undertaking. I needed to clear my Filofax, switch off my phone, and warn all friends and family members that I would be unattainable for the next few days.

OK, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but Lucy’s books are SO addictive I just knew I’d be dying to read all day every day once I’d started. And I was right. Unfortunately I went on holiday to Florence soon after I started the book (woe is me), but I still somehow managed, in between all the sightseeing and vino guzzling and pizza gorging, to be weeping on the plane home as I reached the last page.

So yes, you could say I had high expectations. I’m a big fan of Lucy’s writing, and regularly visit her blog. Her writing is effortlessly compelling – the perfect balance of subtle wit, and outright hilarity. Luckily, she also knows how to spin a pretty great story, resulting in an amazing novelistic combination. She creates female heroines who are realistic, relatable, un-perfect, and totally imaginable. Unfinished Symphony follows this trend with the introverted Sally Howlett. We join her journey in the present day as she embarks reluctantly (to put it lightly) on the first term of Royal College of Music, all the while getting little snippets of the past few years and childhood of her life as we try to fit the pieces together. I really loved the non-linear structure of the book, it made it even more addictive! Whilst I was in the present scenes I was desperate to learn more about the past leading up to it, but when I was in the past I just wanted to know what was happening back in the present! It also works as an extremely clever and effective technique of making the whole thing entirely unpredictable. Unlike the majority of chick flick reads, the contrasting image of characters as positive or negative in each section of the book made trying to guess the ending impossible.

The majority of the reviews and taglines of the book mention its comedy, hilarity, laugh-out-loud factor etc. This is of course a crucial part of Lucy’s writing, and often hilariously subtle, although the huge emphasis on comedy seemed a bit misleading. What really struck me about the book were not the comic tones, but the more tragic ones. Whilst on the surface remaining a fun-filled romance story, underneath this book really touches upon grave and difficult subjects in an unexpected way. I found Lucy’s subtle treatment of grief, self-confidence, and familial ties very real and very moving. Yes, the book is about opera, and fits its over-dramatic, in-your-face mould, but the constant more serious undercurrents often caught me unawares and made me see both the book, and my own feelings and thoughts, in a new way.

Just writing this post makes me gutted I’ve finished the book, I always say (and probably did say for my last Lucy Robinson review) when you miss the characters once a book has finished, you know it was a good one! I’d love all her books to come to life but I just know nothing would do the characters she creates – the dreamy men, the clumsy heroines, the best friends that always go slightly too far – justice. Whenever picking up one of Lucy’s books, I know there’s the guarantee of all the traits of her writing and imagination, but I also know I’m in for a truly unique and unpredictable read with each different book. I will admit I loved this one a fraction more than the last one, but I think that’s down to pure personal preference and experience. I experienced this book in a very personal way and it has really made me admire Lucy’s writing in a new way. I can’t wait to see what she has in store next!

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