What I’ve Been Reading

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed

Definitely as good as it is rumored to be! Quick-paced but still managing to pay loving attention to the details of everyday life in a Pakistani village–the sugarcane fields, the ironing of the salwar kameez, the hot homemade rotis, trips to the market, the close connections of the village families. There’s more than enough suspense to pull a reader through, and I particularly admired how the characters are multifaceted without being overly complicated–the thug of a landlord is human enough to mourn over a lost love, the mistress of the house is kind yet spoiled, helpful as long as her own convenience isn’t marred. Amal’s father, who lets her be taken as as servant to pay off his debts, isn’t a villain–he’s desperate, helpless, and trying to take care of a family of five daughters, sacrificing one to keep the others safe. Don’t miss this one!