Crazy Rich Asians (2013)

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan has recently been turned into a successful Hollywood movie, with the first ever all-Asian cast. The novel was a bestseller and was published in 2013 by Corvus in the US and later by Doubleday. I got hold of the Kindle edition as it was on offer for 99p. The novel is 538 pages long and divided into three parts. I'll briefly cover the writing style and key insights that I found refreshing in my reading. 

The novel is preceded by a disturbing yet fabulous prologue. Each part begins with a quote about the Chinese. The first two parts are divided into chapters that focus into specific characters, either one at a time or as a family. In this way we are gradually introduced to the key personages who make up the complex social dynamic of the novel. In the third part, the chapters are headed by location and the earlier characters are merged into mutual social situations. By focusing onto characters separately at the beginning, the novel reminded me of Shafak's The Forty Rules of Love, however Kwan's insights and style of writing are immensely more interesting and engaging. Through his unnamed narrator Kwan gives the reader selected snippets of information about given characters, sometimes choosing to flashback in time to contextualise their present circumstances. Kwan also includes lots of "Singlish" terminology and words from various Chinese dialects, but these terms and others are comprehensively explained in the footnotes. 

While this novel does have a central romantic couple, it does not feel like a romance in the conventional sense, because this couple's relationship has already been long established (two years) so there is little courting involved. Even so, the couple are (for me) quite likeable because they are mature (nearing 30) and are generally reasonable and sensible personalities. Nicholas's "fatal flaw" is his naivety but no one is perfect and this also drives the plot. 

As Kwan admits, his motive for writing this novel was to give Americans an insight into another lesser known reality of contemporary Asia. For this reason, the book works very much as a socio-cultural tour guide or travel book into the wealthy world of Singapore. There is a sense of it being more of a touristic adventure which allows the reader and Rachel (a Chinese-American) to gain an exclusive insight into a new culture, world and family. In some ways I felt that the extreme wealth of the Singaporeans functioned as some sort of magical powers (money is power, right?) and so it felt other-worldly and bordered on fantasy in my personal experience. This made it even more fun to read.  

Some of the issues that Kwan touches on include racial discrimination as well as social class and standing. He also explains the difference between Old Money and New Money Chinese families and how this is relevant historically as well as in contemporary circles. In this way I felt that I learnt a little about the history of China and its people, including their migration. We also quite quickly realise that Singaporeans love their food, which can result in some friendly argumentation. 

Overall, I found the writing to be dynamic and catchy. I was immediately gripped into the novel and felt like I was exploring a whole new world and culture. Despite being worlds apart to the protagonists, they still captured my interest and care, and Kwan competently deals with socio-political issues while maintaining a strong narrative and plot. I'm on the verge of buying the sequel, and I hope I won't be disappointed! 

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Have you read this novel or watched the film? What did you think of it? Comment your thoughts below, I'd love to hear what you thought. 

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The Forty Rules of Love (2009)

I finally bought a copy of The Forty Rules of Love, because kindle was offering it for 99p so I obviously had to download it. Elif's Shafak's novel was initially published in 2009 though I downloaded the 2015 edition published by Penguin. It is 350 pages long and divided into five parts, which are associated with the four elements and "The Void". I'll briefly summarise what the novel is about, and then share my thoughts on the writing style and some of the ideas expressed in the novel. 

The novel follows two plots. It begins with Ella, who is a wealthy middle-aged, (non-practising) Jewish American housewife with three children. She is at a turning point in her life as she takes up a job with a literary agency. Her first manuscript that she needs to report on is the source of the second plot, and it is a novel about Shams of Tabriz and Rumi, the renowned Sufi mystics of the 13th century. Ella is dissatisfied with her life and the manuscript and the author's words push her to view and experience life differently. 

In terms of structure and style, Shafak plays with the chronology of the two plots by firstly intertwining them but also by revealing scenes from the end at the beginning and then taking the reader through the journey of revealing how those initial decisions came to be made. I'm not sure if this was a good structural move for the Shams story. The novel within a novel Sweet Blasphemy is written through the perspectives of numerous characters, who are interconnected by circumstance. In doing so, it offers several people's engagement with faith and religion, varying from indifference and hopelessness to the "zealot" and the mystic, which are valuable in their own ways. 

However, despite creating these different characters, who speak in their own chapters, and who offer their own experiences (thus changing the content), the style of writing seems fairly unchanging. The lack of variation in these characterisations resulted in me not being able to really get invested in any of the characters. Also, each character's chapter is relatively short (even if we meet them several times) and so this limits one's attachment too. Ella's emails provided a slight change, but that may have also been because it was a change of plot too. So I mainly continued to read for the characterisations of Rumi and Shams of Tabriz, who are renowned personages outside of this novel and thus piqued my interest more greatly. 

The novel's main theme, as expressed in the title, is love. It explores the transformative powers of love (and not only romantic love) and it contextualises Shams of Tabriz's forty rules of love by engaging with various characters and human experiences. I think this is a really nice idea, though I am less convinced by the execution of this concept due to the writing style and some structural reservations. 

As well as love, Shafak clearly wants to write about faith and religion. I appreciate her nuanced viewpoints of this controversial and delicate subject (since in many ways religion is considered hugely problematic and almost taboo or backwards now). This is a brave topic to engage with and she provides her readers with an opportunity to look at religion with a more open-eyed approach. Despite this, I did have some reservations about a couple of her descriptions of Sufis, that I felt were problematic, such as a protagonist claiming to be "spiritual not religious" and that Sufis are "not violent even when they have a reason". I felt that these expressions in particular pander to Western expectations of Sufism so it suits them. The first one is problematic because it seems to absolve the likeable character of the "ugly" label of religion, when rather the label should not be considered ugly, as religion comprises of spirituality. The second is problematic because it implies that Sufis (the good guys in this book and the "good Muslims" in Western discourse) ought to be passive and pacifists, which removes their right to self-defence, for example. Later in the novel Shafak counters the second notion slightly by stating that "There's a difference between patience and passivity", which I agree with more. 

Overall, I found that the idea behind the novel was promising, but the execution of it was not to my liking. The writing took some getting used to and perhaps that may be partly because Shafak is not a native English speaker. I do not know if that is the case or rather because I personally did not find myself invested in the story or characters. Nevertheless Shafak shares the importance and universality of love and how it can break barriers and transform people from all backgrounds and experiences, including those most "disconnected" from the real world or notions of injustice. The praise this novel received no doubt created high expectations and I was somewhat let down. I would give it about 3 stars. 

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Have you read this novel? What did you think of it? Comment your thoughts on it below, I'd love to hear what you thought. 

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Homosexuality in Islam: Critical Reflection on Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Muslims (2010)

Homosexuality n Islam: Critical Reflection on Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Muslims by Scott Siraj al-Haqq Kugle was published by Oxford Oneworld in 2010. It is a non-fiction text that comes to 275 pages (main body) but goes up to 335 including the notes, bibliography. glossary and index, which illustrates the extent to which this text is well-researched and comprehensive. I will highlight some of the key arguments in the text, divided by chapter, and provide my own thoughts on how convincing Kugle's argument is. 

Kugle begins his work with a case study to contextualise the need for this research and the social repercussions of publicly acknowledging a gay sexual orientation. By the end of the book he brings to the fore his engagement with contemporary realities (in terms of the legalisation of same-sex marriage in secular countries) and how Muslims of different sexual orientations and gender identities live and negotiate their life and faith in relation to these matters. 

He highlights the methods of coming to Islamic legal rulings and how they are negotiated, from Quran, hadith (reports of the Prophet Muhammad's words and actions) and reasoning of the various major schools of thought. These are divided into separate chapters. He makes the following significant points made in the respective chapters. "Liberating Quran: Islamic Scripture" points out that the story of Lot does not condemn gay people, as the crimes of Lot were not limited to sodomy and if their crimes included this element, it condemns rather the violence of the action. Furthermore, laws of previous nations are not necessarily applicable to Islamic law, as is the case for many other matters. "Critiquing Hadith: Islamic Oral Tradition" notes that there is no prophetic example to follow in terms of same-sex relationships (punishments or otherwise). It also highlights the prevalence of weak or fabricated hadiths. "Assessing Fiqh: Islamic Legal Reasoning" competently compares the logical reasoning behind the various schools of thought and thus explains their differing stances on same-sex sexual acts in relation to illegal heterosexual sex. Through these chapters he deals with the notions of prejudice, bias and inconsistency which then inform legal interpretations. 

From these criticisms and analyses, Kugle goes on to offer his own suggestions on how to address same-sex relationships in contemporary society. In his chapter "Reforming Shari'a: Islamic Ethics of Same-Sex Marriage" he offers the possibility of legalising same-sex marriage in the Muslim community and argues how such a shift in approach to nikkah contracts will also benefit women (and feminists) as well as gay Muslims. His argumentation is compelling and informed, as he deconstructs the reasons not to do so competently. 

Kugle's transgender argument is much shorter, being limited to the one chapter: "Reviving Spirit: Islamic Approaches to Transgender Experience" and is, for me, less convincing outside the frame of hermaphrodites. When I say "less convincing", that is not to contest Kugle's case for fair, human and compassionate treatment of people who choose to identify with another gender (and even surgically change their body with this intention), rather I mean that I do not know how such a decision can be deemed more than a "whim" in the Islamic perspective, and correspond to the essentialist notion of sexuality and gender that Kugle adopts. It is a complex matter and it requires more study, which Kugle at least offers a starting point for. 

To conclude, Homosexuality in Islam: Critical Reflection on Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Muslims that provides essential insights into the contemporary reality of homosexual and transgender Muslims in the light of Islamic understanding. It explores the conflicts gay Muslims face due to cultural and social forces prejudicing Islamic interpretation and consequently human treatment of homosexuals. He offers strong and convincing arguments for his case, especially for gay Muslims, and does so by breaking down the multiple components that inform Islamic legal jurisprudence. Due to this, this book also provides much information and insight, for those who do not know, into the workings of the Islamic law (or shari'ah) and its many nuances- obviously with a limited focus on this topic. 

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Sexual Ethics in Islam and in the Western World (2011)

Sexual Ethics in Islam and in the Western World by Ayatollah Murtada Mutahhari is a compilation of articles published in Maktab-e-Islam, the leading religious journal in pre-revolutionary Iran. They were translated into English by Khurshid Ali and published by the Islamic Centre of England in 2011. The book is extremely short and concise, at only 67 pages and 7 chapters plus an Introduction by S. Khalil Toussi. I will share a brief description of the author, provided by Toussi, before mentioning the key arguments presented in the book. 

Mutahhari, considered a reformist of his time, was born in 1919 to a clerical family in a village near the city of Mashhad. He began basic Islamic training in Mashhad and later went to Qom for advanced education in the Islamic sciences, where he stayed for fifteen years. He attended lectures by Ayatollah Ruhullah Khomeini on Mulla Sadra's philosophy, mysticism, ethics, and principles of jurisprudence amongst many other disciplines. He was also involved in socio-political activities and his theological writings aimed to debunk Marxism and atheism, which were influencing Iranian intellectuals of the time. He was assassinated in 1979. 

Mutahhari compares former Western concepts of sexuality, which were strongly influenced by a Christian culture, to contemporary thought and modern approaches to sexuality (i.e. a more libertarian approach). These offer two opposing approaches to sexuality. The Christian-influenced approach glorifies celibacy over sexual activity (because sexual activity is base), while maintaining that marriage and sex are necessary for reasons of pro-creation. The contemporary Western approach to  sexuality is one of fulfilling one's desires to the utmost and is greatly hedonistic and indulgent, and often associated with freeing oneself from the chains of institutions like marriage or concepts like chastity. 

Mutahhari notes the influence of Western thought on Muslim communities, since there has been an exchange of culture and ideas between Islamic thinkers and Western philosophers for centuries. Consequently, he describes in which ways Islamic thought and Western thoughts on sexuality are distinct. One way in which he does this is by underlying the importance of marriage in Islam and the goodness that lies in engaging in sexual relations. This is supported by the practice of the majority of the Prophets, who had wives and this was not a hinderance to their worldly or spiritual success. He links the spiritual virtues of sexual activities to a wholesome way of living and is not merely a union required for procreation. He argues that Islam does not advocate self-denial nor does it condone lustful activity.

Mutahhari distinguishes between love and lust and consequently finds flaws in the arguments offered by the Western thinkers Bertrand Russell and Will Durant. He also briefly engages with some of Freud's thoughts on the subject. Mutahhari argues that the institution of marriage aims to nurture love rather than encourage lustful behaviour. 

I found this short book to be extremely insightful because it competently engages with Western thinkers as well as offers comparisons and reasoning that reflect the changing attitudes to sexuality as I've noticed them (as well as the trends that we have been taught) through my literary studies. Yes, it promotes Islamic values and marriage, but it also highlights what elements of Western thoughts Muslims are prone to being influenced by and how Islam relates to these matters. The collection of articles are informative and worthwhile read for those interested in comparing Western sexual ethics to those in Islam. 

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The Translator (1999)

The Translator by Leila Aboulela is one of my primary texts for my Masters thesis (in progress) so although I may discover more interesting interpretations and analysis through the course of my research, I thought I would share a quick review of the novel now. It was first published in 1999 but my edition is from 2008, published by Polygon. This was Aboulela's first novel and is 196 pages and 23 chapters long. I will explore some of the key themes of the novel as well as its socio-historical significance. I will also briefly discuss the choice of genre but firstly I will add the blurb of the novel. 

The Translator is a story about love, both human and divine. Sammar is a young Sudanese widow, working as an Arabic translator at a British university. Following the sudden death of her husband and estrangement from her young son, she drifts- grieving and isolated. Life takes a positive turn when she finds herself falling in love with Rae, a Scottish academic. To Sammar, he seems to come from another world and another culture, yet they are drawn to each other. 

As indicated above, this is a novel of love, loss and healing where faith plays a central role. Sammar marries her childhood sweetheart and first cousin, Tarig but after his death she has to renegotiate her notion of love and heal herself in order to be able to love again. Aboulela manages to write about the grieving process in a delicate and careful manner and illustrates some of the "extreme" decisions that may be taken in grief but also shows how invaluable a strong support network is, since her trauma meant that she was incapable of being a mother to her child. Slowly she reveals what she considers to be some of the underlying factors in love, such as gratitude, feeling understood, respected and safe. 

The relationship between the East and the West is a strong theme in the novel. Aboulela deals with the Orientalist tension, which is voiced via her colleague Yasmin, and attempts to remove the division between the two worlds by indicating a "crossing" or exchange of the two. While Yasmin is critical of Western academia, Sammar attempts to engage with it (via Rae) to deepen the understanding of Islam in the Western context. This is while Sammar herself negotiates her faith and its practise in the secular context of Aberdeen and the culture shock of enjoying practising her faith freely and openly in Sudan to the secret prayers in the UK. This theme highlights the central role of religion in a practising Muslim's everyday life, as opposed to it being a random disposable hobby. The importance of faith is highlighted again when Sammar is faced with the reality of her situation: that she loves a non-Muslim man, who she cannot marry unless he converts. This predicament is in many ways symbolic of the relationship between the East and the West and it challenges contemporary notions of romance and the romance narrative. 

In terms of the writing style itself, Aboulela writes in a largely linear chronology, making use of occasional flashbacks and memories to fill in gaps in the reader's knowledge. The novel is narrated with a slow and careful pace with a third person voice with the majority of the novel focalised from Sammar's perspective and occasionally from Rae's. In terms of genre, it parallels Jane Eyre and the nineteenth-century domestic novel in many ways, although Aboulela clearly adapts the story to suit the changed context and protagonists. 

This novel, having been published in 1999, illustrates the tense relationship the West has had with Islam from before a 9/11 era, which people often use as the benchmark of when islamophobia began. Although 9/11 may have led to increased discrimination towards Muslims, there is a deeper history behind hostility towards Muslims and it goes beyond simplistic conclusions of one or two terrorist attacks. This novel strongly implies the difficulties Muslims in the West have to face in order not to perpetuate imposed stereotypes and for how long these stereotypes have existed. 

Overall, this novel is a serious, calm and sombre reflection of the experience of a Muslim woman in Britain. The secular prejudice that is criticised in the novel, still exists in academia today, almost 20 years later, thus making it relevant to contemporary struggles. The Translator challenges Orientalist discourse but does not seek to create a divide between the East and the West but rather looks at positive exchange and a new approach to their relationship. It was a thoughtful novel that quietly dealt with deep social and personal issues. I personally found that the technological restrictions of the time illustrated the nature of patient perseverance and it added an extra charm to the relationship.  

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Have you read this novel or anything else by Leila Aboulela? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below or message me via instagram. 

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Seasons of Splendour (1985)

Seasons of Splendour: Tales, Myths and Legends of India was written by Madhur Jaffrey in 1985 but my edition was published in 1992 by Puffin Books. I found this book in my childhood bedroom while clearing it out and my recent study into Indian history and culture obviously made me keep and read it. This collection of short stories is 183 pages long (including the guide to pronunciations). It was a fascinating and enjoyable read and I'll review its structure, themes and my overall thoughts so you can consider having a read for yourself. 

Jaffrey structured these Indian short stories in the order of the Hindu calendar and more specifically followed the chronology of selected festivals throughout the year to head her chapters. Each chapter includes one or several short stories associated to the named festival. Because Jaffery herself was told many of these stories orally via her family members, she respects this oral tradition by including a comprehensive pronunciation guide at the end of the book. The 12 chapters are as follows: Introduction, A Special Birthday, Time For The Dead, Dussehra The Festival of Victory, The Day of The Wintery Full Moon, Karvachauth- The Little Clay Pot, Divali- Festival of Lights, Holi- Festival of Spring, A Day For Brothers, Nine Days' Festival and The Festival For Parvati. 

Since these stories are taken from Hindu mythology and scripture, they deal with both spiritual and worldly matters and their relationship. The themes are consequently linked to this worldly life and its spiritual significance, and so life, love, conflict, loss, family and death are amongst some of the topics of instruction. When matters of good and evil arise, I found the stories and characterisation of people to be more nuanced than most, although there is still the notion of good and bad we see that it is not always possible to come to a conclusion on the matter without looking beyond the surface. 

I was already familiar with some of these stories and festivals through my Religious Education classes at school and from watching lots of Indian dramas/ films but some of the festivals I didn't know the reason and stories behind and those I was familiar with were told with more detail and depth than what our brief school lessons taught. Jaffrey enhances the collection by connecting the festivals to her own childhood and family, which adds a valuable layer of how these festivals are celebrated and "lived" but also a glimpse into an Indian family's life along with its heritage. The book is nicely embellished by the black and white illustrations by Michael Foreman; they are detailed and add a visual dimension to the tales. 

Overall, this collection of short stories was a pleasure to read and I only wish there were more of them, which I am sure there are- but I may have to delve into the traditional Hindu texts to learn more. This would be a great book to read to young children (even for bedtime as the tales are not too long), or for them to read for themselves, but I also find that it is a valuable book for adults searching for a sneak peek into Indian cultural and religious heritage without going into academic study. It is engaging and informative and I believe that it makes a refreshing change from mainstream children's literature. 

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Have you read any interesting books about Hindu mythology and legend? Do you have any suggestions of some similar books? Do let me know in the comments below. 

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The Good Immigrant (2016)

The Good Immigrant is a collection of 21 essays by people of colour (POC) that recount their immigrant/ diaspora experiences and/ or concerns in Britain. This collection was published by Unbound and edited by Nikesh Shukla; it is 234 pages long if I exclude the list of acknowledgements and supporters, of which there are many. It was produced thanks to the support of the public. My sister lent me her copy of this book after I told her I wanted to buy Reni Eddo-Lodge's Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race, since Eddo-Lodge contributed an essay to this collection. Along with my personal reflections, I will briefly describe some recurring themes in the collection. 

This book's strongest feature (for me) is that it addresses and gives voice to a whole spectrum of ethnic narratives and experiences. It obviously cannot cater for every immigrant experience in Britain but it definitely provides a solid variety with which POC can identify with and/or learn from. It covers several continents and takes varied approaches to the subject. I personally felt that it provided me with valuable windows into other worlds and cultural experiences, such as that of the Chinese minority and the Black community, while simultaneously showing me mirrors where I read narratives very close to my own. This combination creates a sense of solidarity with people from other cultural backgrounds, since we may experience discrimination differently depending on our race, and we can thus identify wider social issues that need to be resolved. 

While each essayist brought his/ her own perspective to the fore, a recurrent theme was the complexity and richness of each person's lineage (and consequently the experiences that come with it). Highlighting these complexities not only humanises us but also underlines to what extent our lives have been simplified for the "White man", whether it be on administrative forms or in the media. I sensed both a personal and analytical approach in the writings, which raise it above pure anecdotal sentimentality. The collection discusses the effects of living in the diaspora in the context of politics, culture, the education system, the media and even sex. 

Another recurrent theme is that of representation, especially in the media (including literature), to the extent that POC children (and maybe even adults) have internalised that stories are about White people, with White people representing the "universal" by default. Several essayists discuss the role of media and pop culture on upbringing and self-perception. This issue is being increasingly voiced on social media but I do not know to what extent it is being addressed in the real world- though I believe there is an active attempt for greater diversity in literature in terms of characters and authors. Nevertheless, it shows the bias we face from early on and the bias we expose our children to. 

To be clear, this book is far from being an emotional diatribe of 21 bothered Britons. It is an assessment and critique of multicultural Britain that raises important issues that need to be addressed in order to create an empowering, healthy and representative environment for the various communities that make up Britain today. The Good Immigrant explores the burden of Empire and living in the wake of colonisation while still being expected to conform to white standards like our ancestors while our White counterparts do not live with the same pressure to rectify the wrongs of the past. The ideas in this book are well articulated and the writing is quite beautiful; it is funny, shocking, sad and eye-opening. This is an important read for anyone in the diaspora- or whoever is considered an immigrant. 

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Another little shoutout and thank you to my little sister for loaning this book to me. It's a great piece of work and I'm so close to ordering my own copy!

Have you read this book? What did you think of it? If you haven't read it yet, do these issues interest you?