If you've read Màrai's Embers (bwl 13 & 30) you will recognise this mesmerizing narrative device: a monologue by the protagonist (in this case, a Pakistani Princetown graduate) towards a silent and ambiguous companion in which he explains and justifies his actions. In an atmosphere of suspense and tension, Mohsin dissects the effects of a doomed love affair and the cataclysmic fall-out following 9/11 which contribute to his hero's despair, disillusionment and ultimate fundamental change of values and beliefs.
(Jenny Baker - bwl 44 February 2008 ) |
