Edgware Road

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Pacing is also an issue. The first third of the novel is well paced, but the rest, from the middle section through to the conclusion, feels rushed. Alia’s on-off relationship with her flatmate goes nowhere, and whilst Denby’s perspective is an interesting one, he often reads like an afterthought and never quite earns his place in the story. They and her grandmother are delighted to see her again. There are countless relatives at the party for her. She represents something. These three narrative threads are interwoven into a compelling structure with some solid characters, each perspective alternating between 1987 and 2003.

It’s an ambitious book, well-written and thoughtful, and I think it’s pretty much achieved its ambitions. There is certainly more to it than I expected. I look forward to seeing how this is received by proper critics. In 2003 Alia doesn’t remember much about her father. Her mum wouldn’t even talk about him. So, when he died she had no reason to think of foul play. It was always referred to as a sad accident, but now twenty years later she wants to know more. She wants to understand the other half of her heritage. She starts to think more about his death and is suspicious of how far his body was found from his usual stomping ground. She decides to find out more and travels out to Karachi where her father’s family are still settled. Her cousin Nadima meets her at the airport and her grandmother has brought the family together to meet her. She feels like someone who matters here and she’s surprised by the instant loyalty they seem to have, simply because she’s Khalid’s daughter. This gives her a sense of belonging to a line or tribe, something she’s never had before. I loved the contrast between British society in the 1980s to the 21stCentury. It was also interesting to see the difference when Alia went to Karachi and where she feels she is accepted more. Khalid loves to gamble, and his faith in winning big tomorrow becomes a metaphor, perhaps for all of us deep down – isn’t sudden wealth one of the tropes of progress that we are all raised to? Take a Look at Our Summary of November Highlights, Whether You're Looking for the Latest Releases or Gift Inspiration This story is filled with real life characters and events which made it all the more fun to read, this is one that grips you from the start as you become connected with the characters and find yourself wanting to understand what happened to Khalid. This is a very cleverly written book about corruption, migration and privilege. well worth a read.

Bob Mortimer wins 2023 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction with The Satsuma Complex Now almost twenty years have passed and she's tired of only understanding half of who she is. Her dad's death alone and miles from his west London stomping ground doesn't add up with the man she knew. If she's going to find out the truth about her father - and learn about the other half of herself - Alia is going to have to visit his home, a place she's never been, and connect with a family that feel more like strangers. About This Edition ISBN: I liked the side story of the MP Mark Denby and how his research (helped by his secretary) hopes to uncover the corruption of the BCCI which it seems is starting to cause concern.

Dr Yasmin Khan (St Peter’s, 1996) is a historian of British India and Associate Professor of History at Kellogg College, Oxford.

Yasmin Cordery Khan Press Reviews

The story is narrated through the eyes of Alia, initially as a child and later as an academic at Oxford University. As the novel progresses and Alia reaches adulthood, her writings and observations become more succinct. At times, the novel feels autobiographical given the fact the author is an Associate Professor at Oxford.

This is a complex story covering different time periods and different characters, not all of whom interact directly but who are connected in some way to the dubious financial transactions we eventually learn about. finds him with a broken marriage and desperate to recapture his dreams. When he is offered the chance of a lifetime to get involved with a business deal involving the creation of a new bank, he is sure that this will be the big break he needs. But appearances can be deceptive and this time the gamble involves some very dodgy business partners. To the rest, she was Khalid’s girl. No one here was interested in her as an individual – not in her PhD research, or her next deadline, or her daily worries. They didn’t want to listen to her account of the journey. Of course, they needed to know that she was healthy and well clothed. But they cared about her because she was part of their line, their tribe, and she was the living link to the man who was her father, who they loved, and for this reason they would do anything for her and in this there was something unconditional and anonymous. She could have been anyone, but because she was his, she mattered. She was their lost property.” He meets and loves his wife, loves his daughter, gets mixed up in some dodgy dealings which involve Adnan Kashoggi, the wealthy Saudi businessman, and finds himself in some scary situations. Khalid’s body is found a long way from his home, and the police decide he accidentally drowned. We obviously have our suspicions because we know the sort of people he was mixing with. Khalid can’t resist gambling himself, although not in the big clubs, which he couldn’t afford. He bets on the race and stops in at a local pub with a mate.I liked Khalid’s comparison of the Irish Catholics and Sufis as “their own little people”. An Irish pub seems an odd place for him to feel at home, but then he’s an odd sort of fellow. The story is set in the 80’s, Khalid and his friend Imran are living in Hammersmith, whilst working nights in Mayfair. Khalid is married to Suzie, an ex-model, Imran is married to Hasina a traditional Pakistani housewife. Unlike Imran, Khalid has great aspirations. He wants a large house in St Johns Wood, he wants his wife to shop in designer boutiques and that his only daughter attends the best private school. He is willing to work hard and take all risks to make these dreams a reality.