Brick Lane (Monica Ali)

Sent to England to marry a husband she has never met, the book plots the growth and development of Nazneen from victim of an ancient cultural system to hero of the modern Asian woman. Through her eyes, we see the transformation of north London culture over three decades, from desperation to extremism. The author uses letters from home to link the local setting with family connections back in Bangladesh, comparing Nazneen’s challenges with the more extreme choices faced by her sister. These letters are written in a broken style to convey the language and distance separation, which seems unnecessary and can be frustrating to read at times. But, most of the book keeps the story moving along as Nazneen grows, learns to take on the system and develop strengths to surpass her mediocre husband.

The story develops as an immigrant tale for the first two thirds, but then develops a radical edge, centred around the events of 9/11. I guess the book was part written at this point, and these events may have influenced changes in the rest of the book. While the politics and challenges are handled well within the context of the novel, it seems to add to a drawn-out ending that lets down the rest of the book.