The Storm by Arif Anwar

THE STORM by Arif Anwar is a fascinating book to read for all kinds of reasons. First, it offers an opportunity to explore different regions of the world and different points in time.  Anwar tells three interconnected stories: one is set in 1970’s India and what comes to be called Bangladesh; another occurs during the 1940’s in the Pacific Theater of WWII, initially near Rangoon in Burma; and the third is set in Washington DC in the early 2000’s.

In addition, the structure of Anwar’s novel mirrors the bands or concentric circles that form around the eye of a cyclone, (also called hurricane or typhoon depending on its location).  I appreciated the “gathering” section where characters were introduced, including a poor, young wife and mother named Honufa and her fisherman husband Jamir.  There lives are linked to and contrasted with another couple: Zahira and Rahim who are much wealthier and well-connected, but therefore a target at a time filled with unrest and religious strife. During the war years, Anwar shares perspective from Claire, a British army doctor married to a high ranking officer and from Ichiro, an injured Japanese pilot. In the most contemporary period, readers meet Shahryar and Val, former lovers and parents to Anna as he struggles to extend a student visa and remain in the United States close to his daughter. A range of emotions is involved and as with a real storm, there is a sense of foreboding and suspense which also kept me reading.

THE STORM made me question and think about moments in history such as the Indian partition, about religion and beliefs spanning Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist faiths, and about social customs and practices.  Throughout, I was definitely interested in all of the characters and the varied ways in which they exhibited love, honor and sacrifice. This is a great debut which will be popular with book groups – here is a link to the discussion guide from the publisher. Thank you to Atria Books for an advanced reader copy provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Arif Anwar’s THE STORM received starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal.

Novels Dealing with Friendship

TIN MAN by Sarah Winman is a tender, delightful read with a memorable last sentence…. “It was a moment in time, that’s all, shared with strangers.” Set in the UK, this novel gives us the story of Ellis, Michael and Annie.  Spanning decades between post-war 1950, through the beginning of the AIDS crisis and the mid-90s, TIN MAN explores the lives of two young men who have lost their mothers, who find a special friendship and a sense of family. Sarah Winman’s writing is gentle; yet, she evokes strong emotions in this short book which deals with art/beauty and passion, with kindness and insensitivity, with love and loss. 

Another LibraryReads selection for May, TIN MAN was short-listed for the Costa Novel of the Year Award and received starred reviews from Library Journal and Publishers Weekly. 

A similar quiet and contemplative novel, EIGHT MOUNTAINS by Paolo Cognetti was published in March in the US although it has already spent more than a year on the bestseller list in Italy.  Friendship between Pietro, a young boy from Milan and Bruno, an adventuresome boy who has grown up in the mountains is at the center of this novel which also deals with relationships between the generations, particularly those between fathers and sons. I originally thought that this title might work as a selection for our Global Voices Senior English class; however, the lengthy descriptive passages and relatively sparse dialogue likely would be less appealing for those students. The publisher recommends EIGHT MOUNTAINS for fans of Elena Ferrante and Paulo Coelho and it is indeed filled with nature and a beautiful book, particularly for those who know and love the Alps.

THE ENSEMBLE by Aja Gabel is also about friendship although this quartet is especially bound by their love of music and care for one another. Gabel herself is a former cellist and expertly captures the concerns and uncertainty as these string musicians try to establish their careers. The novel begins in San Francisco in 1994 as Jana, who plays first violin, starts to form the group with Henry, an immensely gifted viola player. Brit, an orphan, plays second violin and has a secret relationship with Daniel who is an older cello player and conflicted about choosing music given the poverty he faced as a child. Each shares a part of his or her life and the dueling egos, maturing talent and competitive disappointments experienced over the next 18 years.

Like its beautiful and eye-catching cover, THE ENSEMBLE is a performance to savor, appealing especially to aspiring musicians. This debut work received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal and Publishers Weekly and was another LibraryReads selection for May.