SHAMSIE is a highly acclaimed author having been nominated and receiving several prestigious awards.

This is her third novel and proved to be an insightful read into the lives of Karachiites.

Based on the lives of two friends, Karim and Raheen this novel follows through the two friends relationships from birth up until they are mature young adults. Several factors affect their friendship and later having a reciprocal effect on their love.

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Set amidst a time of great political tensions, the book weaves through how this affects not only their lives, but the lives of all those around them. The two soul mates then end up on different sides of the world, but continue thinking of each other even though a silence builds up between them- Karachi still beats in their hearts as does their unrecognised love for each other.

This was a tasteful novel demonstrating the author's ability to bring a city so far away a great deal closer. Although the language used in the book was sophisticatedly knotty, it was easy to discover what was going on.

Review mark: 7/10