Book Review — Invisible Ties
Invisible Ties — by Nadya A.R.
Publisher: Rupa Publications India
Pages: 272
Price: Rs. 250 INR(Paperback), Rs. 175 INR(Kindle Edition)
ISBN: 978–8129147974
Buy here: https://amzn.to/2AORb57
As Karachi burned in the 1990s, the painfully shy Noor Kamal found refuge in an antique jade mirror stolen from Daisy, her social butterfly mother. One fateful day, the violence hits home as a motley crew of burglars storm the Kamal residence, killing Joseph, the faithful driver who tried to shield Noor and kidnapping Daisy in the process.
Traumatized by the turn of events and succumbing to familial pressure, Noor reluctantly agrees to start life afresh in Singapore as the wife of Meekaal Kalim, an investment banker. Trapped in a loveless marriage, Noor finds succour in studying psychotherapy.
Her attempt to heal others brings her close to Ella, her neighbour and Jake, a handsome American who is struggling to deal with his emotional breakdown. As she tries to exorcise ghosts from the past and break free from the shackles, where will Noor’s longing for love take her? Would she be able to liberate herself from her strong cultural values and ties?
A saga of love and trials, against a rich contrasting background, Invisible Ties is sure to appeal to the readers.
About the author:
Nadya A.R. began writing in her early twenties. She is a psychotherapist and regularly contributes articles related to psychotherapy and conducts workshops, seminars and talks, in Pakistan and Singapore. This is her second novel.
My take on the book:
Noor the very shy and timid but beautiful girl from Karachi, Pakistan, is unlike her very outgoing mother. Life takes a sudden turn when her mother gets abducted from their home, which leaves Noor with no option but to move to Singapore and get married into a family who never show her the love she always yearned for. In an attempt to bring some meaning and direction to her life, Noor starts studying psychotherapy. Noor who is herself trying to cope with her current circumstances and move on from her past, ends up meeting new people and tries to help heal them. Where does life take Noor on this new journey forms the rest of the story.
The first reason to pick this book is the gorgeous cover which looks very rich along with conveying the core of the story in one glimpse. The journey of Noor as described in the blurb would be the next reason for a reader to be intrigued. The backdrop of the book as well as the story line chosen by the author are commendable. The journey of Noor across years and the world in the middle of circumstances she was forced to face make for an interesting premise.
However the author fails in execution as the book overall does not live up-to the promise the blurb shows. The initial parts can test the reader’s patience as the story takes time to take off. There are unnecessary descriptions of places where the protagonist goes; instead the focus could have been more on portraying her emotions.
If the author could have made the narration more crisp and also concentrated more on developing the characters, the book would have stood out, as I really liked the story as an idea. Nevertheless, pick this book to trace the journey of Noor as she navigates through the years — a demanding family, a loveless marriage and finally finding herself all over again.
My rating:
3.5/5.
