i love poetry Because of its lyrical beauty and subsequent ability to convey emotion, it was my favorite literary form to consume even a few stanzas. It tends to tell epic stories.
I recently read “When We Were Sisters” by Fatima Asghar, known for her poetry collection “If They Should Come For Us”. The lyrical beauty of this book made it a very engaging read. When it comes to books by writers who are also poets, Ocean Vong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous and Sabahattin Ali’s Madonna in a Fur Court immediately come to mind. The rhythm of their prose enhances the delivery of the plot and takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster. While flowing, her narration never gets monotonous.
Fatima Asghar is a Pakistani-Kashmiri-Muslim American writer. Her latest book, When Were Sisters, will be published in October 2022 and has been longlisted for the National Book Award for Fiction 2022. This novel follows the growth of her three sisters who were orphaned following her father’s sudden murder. They are put under the control of a careless uncle who pretends to be a good protector just to satisfy his corrupt moral compass, take money from the government, and put on a good mask for the masses. . The children are mostly left in the care of “Auntie” and “Meemoo”, but the story is further complicated by the fact that they are forced to leave this chosen family.
“When We Were Sisters” focuses not only on the loss and grief of three sisters, but also on their struggles growing up feeling completely isolated from everyone else. In addition to losing their parents and a lack of family loyalty and care, the sisters are dealing with years of generational trauma as Muslim women living in the United States.Asghar with Jodi-Ann Burey As they say in interviews, they have to carry not only their own trauma, but the trauma of the entire community. The novel often alludes to the individualistic culture of the United States, which contrasts with the communal culture of the East, further adding to the loneliness of the sisters. , which provides a glimpse into individual struggles, such as the eldest daughter having to assume the role of mother, and the youngest using her imagination to escape her hardships. We will discuss a variety of topics, including citizenship, immigration, and gender identity, as well as the role of
Despite the multi-faceted nature of the novel and the many themes it tackles, readers are able to bond with their sisters and become intimate bystanders on their journey of growing up. I think she accomplishes this through her strength. The feelings of her narrator, her youngest sister Cowther, are conveyed in melodic prose, and her novels are interspersed with vignettes that only make her experience more vivid for the reader.
For example, one day Cowser was sitting alone in his resting place when he saw a boy “rolling around in the mud” and a girl “standing by the bleachers” and saw who I don’t know if I should participate. She questions her own gender identity, often referring to her sisters as “brothers” and fantasizing about what it would be like if they were actually brothers. During her break, she indulges in her daydreaming about heaven instead of playing along, thinking: Pearl docks are waiting to welcome you. ”
Her thoughts are interrupted by a bully who verbally attacks her and speaks badly about her mother, unaware of the fact that she has lost her mother. Kauser cries, but in Asghar’s words, she’s not the only one crying. In the corner of her eyelid, a dock of pearls spills out. Asghar’s metaphor not only conveys Cowther’s pain by making her tears harden like pearls, but emotional pain so intense that it physically hurts her little girl.This phrase refers to Cowser’s innocence and express her wishes. The pearl alludes to her deserving of peace of mind, happiness, and a sense of belonging, like the pearl in front of the gates of heaven. This suggests that Asghar’s background as a poet enhances her powers of prose. This is just one of many useful examples.
Asghar reliably conveys both progress and pain throughout the sister’s journey. Not only their discovery, but also the abyss still unknown even in adulthood awaits. It is not a solution to put an end to their pain, but an ongoing grieving process that they embrace in unity. By using , we seek to demonstrate the never-ending camaraderie and beauty of life. “When We Were Sisters” is by no means a feel-good read, but in tragedy it brings another level of appreciation for sisterhood and unique prose.
“In this world we were born to nothing, but everything is ours: the sidewalks, the yellow markers of the road. The rain pours through the leaves and kisses us. Who What neither can understand is that the world belongs to orphans and all become our mothers,” writes Asghar, who, as most readers say, has simply turned his back on them. It conveys all the ways sisters seek belonging and hope. However, Asghar has a sense of beauty in that world as well, thanks to the bond of her three sisters. So if you’re wondering if there’s anything good left in a cruel world, “When We Were Sister” is definitely worth reading.
Editor’s Note: This article is a review and contains subjective thoughts, opinions and criticisms.
