Home Fire: A Novel by Kamila Shamsie (Epub)

Description

Isma is free. After years of watching out for her younger siblings in the wake of their mother’s death, she’s accepted an invitation from a mentor in America that allows her to resume a dream long deferred. But she can’t stop worrying about Aneeka, her beautiful, headstrong sister back in London, or their brother, Parvaiz, who’s disappeared in pursuit of his own dream, to prove himself to the dark legacy of the jihadist father he never knew. When he resurfaces half a globe away, Isma’s worst fears are confirmed.

Then Eamonn enters the sisters’ lives. Son of a powerful political figure, he has his own birthright to live up to—or defy. Is he to be a chance at love? The means of Parvaiz’s salvation? Suddenly, two families’ fates are inextricably, devastatingly entwined, in this searing novel that asks: What sacrifices will we make in the name of love?

User’s Reviews

Amazon.com Review An Amazon Best Book of August 2017: You don’t need to recall much about Sophocles’ tale of Antigone to be swept up by Kamila Shamsie’s plot-driven and lyrical contemporary retelling. Shamsie, a native of Karachi who has written six previous novels, sets Home Fire among two Pakistani émigré families living in very different communities in London. Isma Pasha, the devout orphaned daughter of a jihadi fighter, has raised her younger sister and brother in the largely Asian neighborhood of Wembly. Eamonn, the son of the British Home Secretary (a secularlized Muslim) has grown up in posh Holland Park. His family has the power to help hers, and their friendship leads inexorably to a dramatic political crisis. The classical antecedents of this story are virtually invisible behind precisely-noticed modern-day details of Twitter trends, tabloid news and text messages. Shifting points of view allow Shamsie to explore the different relationships at stake, from family loyalties to sexual passion, and these intimate connections counterbalance her broader political point. This is a beautifully-written, angry, romantic novel that succeeds in being both timely and timeless. –Sarah Harrison Smith, Amazon Book Review Review “Ingenious and love-struck … Home Fire takes flight. … Shamsie drives this gleaming machine home in a manner that, if I weren’t handling airplane metaphors, I would call smashing. … Builds to one of the most memorable final scenes I’ve read in a novel this century.” —New York Times“[U]rgent and explosive … near perfect … a difficult book to put down.” —NPR”[A] haunting novel, full of dazzling moments and not a few surprising turns…Home Fire blazes with the kind of annihilating devastation that transcends grief.” —Washington Post“Achingly good…[and] shrewdly subversive.” —The New York Times Book Review“This wrenching, thought-provoking novel races to a shattering climax.”—People Magazine“A Greek tragedy for the age of ISIS … spare as a fable yet intensely intimate.” —Vogue”A thought-provoking commentary on loyalty, love, justice, politics, terrorism, religion, and family.” —Buzzfeed“Elegant and intense, Kamila Shamsie’s seventh novel asks timeless questions about love for and loyalty to family and ideology — and you won’t be able to put it down until you reach its unforgettable ending… it’s safe to say this is Shamsie at her best.” —Shondaland.com“Pitch perfect…We can expect more great work from this audaciously talented author.” —New York Journal of Books“Her last, perfect word serves as a contemporary, against-all-odds, global prayer… Shamsie’s latest is a compelling, stupendous stand-out to be witnessed, honored, and deeply commended.”—Christian Science Monitor“A cross-continental novel about civil disobedience that tackles political and emotional matters with equal assurance.” —Time Magazine”Shamsie’s timely fiction probes the roots of radicalism and the pull of the family.” —O, the Oprah Magazine”A blaze of identity, family, nationalism, and Sophocles’ Antigone.” —Vanity Fair“Stunning…every fall reader who picks this up will be mesmerized by Shamsie’s enchanting prose—and they’ll definitely fall in love with these unforgettable characters.”—Redbook Magazine “So good that it will break your heart.”—WAMC, “The Roundtable” “An absorbing and incisive study of race and roots, attachment and affiliation — to a cause, a country, a person, a family — which encompasses five fascinatingly divergent viewpoints… timely and incendiary.” —Minneapolis Star-Tribune“All of Shamsie’s novels are deeply moving and morally complex, leading to the kind of rich reading experience most of us hope for in every novel we pick up. Her newest has all of that and more.” —San Francisco Chronicle”Astonishingly accomplished, melding classic story with text messages and contemporary headlines, and Shamsie makes every devastatingly unknown compassionately known.” —St. Louis Post-Dispatch“Shamsie’s newest bestseller unpacks the controversial subjects of love, humanity, and extremism with due care.” —Brit + Co”Intelligent, phenomenally plotted, and eminently readable.” —Bitch“Remarkable… [an] engrossing work of literature, one not only important to current political conversation, but also that holds timeless truths and a story that never grows old.” —Chicago Review of Books “Shamsie’s prose is, as always, elegant and evocative. Home Fire pulls off a fine balancing act: it is a powerful exploration of the clash between society, family and faith in the modern world, while tipping its hat to the same dilemma in the ancient one.” —The Guardian“Home Fire is about love, loyalty, and sacrifice — and it makes the headlines we read every day hit home in a way that will inspire any reader to fight for what’s right.” —Bustle”Shamise’s incredibly moving story addresses the conflict between what we feel to be right versus what the law tells us is right, and what we will sacrifice in the name of family.” —Real Simple“Engrossing… The timely novel—critically hailed on both sides of the Atlantic, and long-listed for the prestigious Man Booker Prize—engages questions of bigotry, nationalism and national identity.”—Pittsburgh City Paper”[A] powerful story of the complexities of love, family and state in wartime …timely and tragic, with an unforgettable ending.” —BBC.com”Home Fire is Shamsie’s seventh and most accomplished novel. The emotionally compelling plot is well served by her lucid storytelling, and she digs into complex issues with confidence… As this deftly constructed page-turner moves swiftly toward its inevitable conclusion, it forces questions about what sacrifice you would make for family, for love.” —BookPage”It’s only 250-odd pages, but Home Fire feels sprawling, almost epic…This is sensitive material, and Shamsie is aware of the nuances. She doesn’t let anyone off the hook…powerful.” —The Daily Telegraph”Remarkable …a provocative work which will inspire the admiration of many but may at the same time infuriate readers expecting a more black and white depiction of terrorists versus non-terrorists, Muslims versus non-Muslims, the role of the state versus the rights of the civilian. It takes a brave writer to tackle these subjects in such a nuanced fashion and a fearless one to recognise that there is enough blame for all parties.” —The Irish Times“Moving and thought-provoking.” —The Millions, Most Anticipated”An Odyssey of the imagination … incredibly convincing.” —BBC Radio 4“Gut-wrenching and undeniably relevant to today’s world… In accessible, unwavering prose and without any heavy-handedness, Shamsie addresses an impressive mix of contemporary issues, from Muslim profiling to cultural assimilation and identity to the nuances of international relations. This shattering work leaves a lasting emotional impression.”—Booklist, starred”Memorable…salient and heartbreaking, culminating in a shocking ending.”—Publisher’s Weekly”Two-time Orange Prize nominee Shamsie (A God in Every Stone) has written an explosive novel with big questions about the nature of justice, defiance, and love.” —Kirkus Reviews”One pays it the highest compliment one can pay fiction; it makes you think. Uncomfortably.” —The Times “utterly contemporary and deeply original too.” —The Standard “Home Fire is everything literary fiction should be — an exciting, beautiful, profound novel of lasting value that deserves laurels.” —The Spectator”Propulsive and unfailingly elegant… [Shamsie’s] brave and brilliant novel strongly suggests that the only way to counter hate-filled fundamentalism is with a fundamentalism of love.” —Sunday Times“Home Fire left me awestruck, shaken, on the edge of my chair, filled with admiration for her courage and ambition.” —Peter Carey, Booker Prize-winning author of Oscar and Lucinda “Shamsie’s simple, lucid prose plays in perfect harmony with the heartbeat of modern times. Home Fire deftly reveals all the ways in which the political is as personal as the personal is political. No novel could be as timely.” —Aminatta Forna, author of The Memory of Love “A searing novel about the choices people make for love, and for the place they call home.” —Laila Lalami, Pulitzer Prize finalist for The Moor’s Account “A good novelist blurs the imaginary line between us and them; Kamila Shamsie is the rare writer who makes one forget there was ever such a thing as a line. Home Fire is a remarkable novel, both timely and necessary.” —Rabih Alameddine, author of An Unnecessary Woman

Reviews from Amazon users, collected at the time the book is getting published on UniedVRG. It can be related to shiping or paper quality instead of the book content:

⭐ “Habits of secrecy are damaging things.”Home Fire, long listed for this year’s Mann Booker Prize, is Kamila Shamsie’s much acclaimed 7th novel, and the first of hers I’ve read though I’ve long admired her essays. Shamsie uses the old Greek myth about Antigone, to underpin a very modern story following a British Pakistani family based in London. Note: I would recommend not re-reading Antigone beforehand unless you want spoilers to almost every plot point in the book (I refreshed my failed memory afterwards ).Isma Pasha is in her late 20s, quiet and hard working, about to start a graduate program in the States. Her life is finally in her own hands after helping raise her much younger siblings, twins Aneeka (the headstrong beautiful one) and Parvaiz (the dangerously aimless one). Their parents are long dead, their father a jihadist, often absent through their childhood, yet still a powerful pull. The handsome son of a controversial political figure in London enters their lives, and the novel races from taut beginning to shocking end.“For girls, becoming women was inevitability; for boys, becoming men was ambition.”Shamsie is a brilliant psychological writer, and her characters inhabit class, race, and gender in varying and vivid states. The scenes are sharply and finely drawn, the dialogue precise and clever, and the plot vibrates with increasing intensity. There is a bit of hysteria and Hollywood overblown-ness towards the end, though in fairness, Greek tragedies aren’t exactly understated either. Neither, for that matter, is the war on terror or the war on the west. I’m also a little over fraternal boy-girl twins being portrayed as mind-meld ESP close.One of the most powerful lessons Home Fire drove home for me was how the government programs that pursue and punish home grown radicals end up devastating their families. Isma barely knew her father, and her younger siblings never even met him, yet his jihadist life and mysterious death haunt them long after, not just psychologically, but legally, logistically, inescapably. Rifts are created within their family and community, educational and professional ambitions are disrupted, their very movement through the world thwarted. It’s terrifying to see these effects ripple through and to begin to understand how Muslim communities, and by racist conflation, people of color, are affected by Western anti-terrorism programs and policies.Home Fire is a novel for our times, stretching from family ties and community to the wider sweep of global terrorism, religion and radicalism, immigration and nativism, and what we do for love and war. The book will keep you turning pages, but moreover, its gift is its resonance, making the intimate a deeply political act, and the political honing unerringly home.

⭐ Brilliant, beautiful, and full of irony, Shamsie’s story eclipses Sophocles’ original. A principled young woman (Aneeka-Antigone), devoted to her erring brother (Parvaiz- Polynices), seeks to bury his body. Her practical sister (Isma-Ismene) urges moderation and compromise. Orphans of a tragic father (Pasha-Oedipus), the siblings’ fates are entwined with each other, and with power politics (British animus for Muslims and Pakistanis, in Home Fire).A narcissistic, ambitious politician (Karamat-Creon) opposes the brave woman, in his pride and insecurity. Her lover (Eamonn-Haemon), the politician’s son, eloquently pleads to his father on her behalf. His wife (Teresa-Eurydice) appeals to the politician’s best self, his needs, and his desires. The media-chorus reflects popular judgments. Love and loyalty are compelling, in diverse relationships, but pride leads to tragedy, inevitably.Shamsie’s characters are richly developed and complex – especially the sisters. The women are strong and intelligent, passionate and dignified. Social tensions and cultural conflicts deepen the reader’s empathy and understanding. This book is a pleasure, in language and imagery, intellectually and emotionally.

⭐ Political strife, a family torn apart multiple times, love lost and found, and tragedy make up Kamila Shamsie’s novel HOME FIRE.Isma, the eldest sister, a devout Muslim and the head of her British family, has practically raised her younger sister Aneeka and brother Parvaiz, who are twins. Their mother and grandmother have passed away. Isma has gone away to graduate school in the States. Parvaiz has left town to supposedly travel, while Aneeka is pursuing a law degree. They know only anecdotes of their deceased jihadi father who left to fight in Afghanistan.Isma meets Eammon, the handsome son of the home secretary, once a rival of her father’s, who has denounced his Muslim background, married to a wealthy American, and worked his way up the political system. Eammon infiltrates, by accident or perhaps not, her family back in London and hooks up with the younger sister. When he tells his father of his impending plans, all hell breaks loose.This is the real world. Where ISIS is stronger than young love. Family members take sides. And politics have the upper hand in the modern world.

⭐ Warning: Contains some spoilers.I heard about this novel in a segment on NPR several months ago and was intrigued enough to purchase it in the hardback format. I rarely give books five stars, but this is hands-down the best book I’ve read this year. I won’t rehash the plot. If you haven’t read the other reviews, it might be helpful to note that this story is a modern retelling of “Antigone”, which may help those who remember their high school world lit classes understand the structure of the novel. Antigone is my favorite Greek tragedy. Shamsie stands with Jean Anouilh in her interpretation of Sophocles’ work.The writing is very good – spare, elegant, and engaging. Shamsie did a fine job of evoking the motivations of Ismene and Antigone in a realistic manner. There was even a bit of deus ex machina in the plot, which may lead some to view the story line as contrived, but had me applauding the subtle nod to the Greek original. Some reviewers did not care for the characterization, though I respectfully disagree. She took the viewpoints of the four main characters, giving enough background on the characters for the reader to understand why they make the decisions and take the actions which their histories and personalities turn into immutable destiny.Despite its relatively low page count, this is not a light read. It’s a work of beauty and depth which requires the reader’s full attention in order to absorb the ramifications of the characters’ actions and appreciate the intricacies of how our choices affect our microcosmic social circles and society at large. Most of the main characters have strong moral outlooks which have evolved based upon their experiences and beliefs. Karamat Lone is not a caricature of a stereotypical venal politician, which would be fairly easy to depict. instead, Shamsie explores his past and present actions through the lens of his experiences and beliefs which outside observers and political opponents have labeled hypocritical or opportunistic.This is a vastly rewarding work which will stay with the reader long after the last page has been turned. Shamsie has succeeded in her goal of updating a Greek classic while making the characters and storyline completely her own.

⭐ I have read all of Shamsie’s previous books, this is probably her best work yet. She tells the stories of Pakistani immigrants, some of whom seem to be fully assimilated in British society, and others who reject the society they live in, and even work against it. But of course life is much more complicated than we see and hear it on the news, and that’s what makes this novel work–it successfully highlights the complexities of human nature. What seems obvious, isn’t always that obvious. The novel keeps you engaged till the end with unexpected outcomes and situations.

⭐ Very upset with this author for her support of anti Israel and BDS. I only learned this after I read her boring book. I would never have read it but I wouldn’t recommend it. It was a slog to get through, poorly written and confusing at times. Not only that, but supporting anti Israel is supporting anti Semitism. I fully agree with her writer’s prize being revoked. There is no place for hate in this world.

⭐ It took me a while to get into this book and start to figure things out. But once I did, I was hooked.We start out learning about a British woman of Pakistani heritage being questioned by airport authorities while leaving London for the US. She insists on identifying as a Britisher, and resenting the racist treatment she receives. This introduces one of the big themes of the novel, namely whether a person born in the UK is really British if their parents came from elsewhere. In one of the many plot twists, we see a person of similar heritage rising to political prominence, and insisting that even being born in a country doesn’t make you a real citizen. Such hypocrisy.The story switches then to London, where we meet the first woman’s twin siblings, much younger, whom she raised. The boy has disappeared, probably with some Muslim extremist group overseas. The other twin, a girl, is a rebel trying to rescue her brother.This novel has some amazing insights about: (a) why people become religious extremists; (b) the difficulties of being a hyphenated Britisher (or, for that matter, American, Canadian, Australian, etc.); (c) the many complexities of trying to be Muslim in a modern society; the deep bonds and also resentments among siblings; and (d) the question of whether romantic love can be as real, or more trustworthy, than familial ties.This novel is emotionally wrenching. Some of the writing seems a bit over the top. However, I really admire the author for her courage in tackling these difficult topics, and for selecting a wide range of viewpoint characters. Her outrage about torture at the US-led Bagram AF Base in Afghanistan caused me to do research right away. What I learned was so distressing that it was hard for me to re-enter the world of the novel.The ending is extremely dramatic. Not fun. Not hopeful or heartwarming. Tragic. But then what do we expect in a book that deals with ISIS?

⭐ This book was a true “thriller”. I couldn’t put it down. It was superbly written. But then again, that is just part of the issue, the subject matter and the plot were not only fascinating but hit very close to home.I watched the interview with the author where she talks about transposing a modern day story onto the ancient tragedy of antigone. And as greek dramas go, we all know that the tragic outcome is inescapable. Inescapable destiny in life as well as in drama unfolds before our eyes daily, here and around the world.American books & movies, as well as the predominant culture there requires happy endings and resolution of disputes. British culture is split between these two approaches as is our author. Although i find she is far more pragmatic and Asian in her approach.Other cultures accept the inevitable and problems sans solutions.Isma is pragmatic, she is thoroughly British and yet very deeply rooted and influenced by her origins, but keeps a very even balance.The twins are far more volatile and less rooted. They seem more imprisoned between two cultures, affected and influenced by both but never really committed to either. They are young & confused, on a trajectory they cannot control or understand.Bringing home the story was also interesting. Living with citizens who are a minority and Who identify with our adversaries is never easy. Both sides are constantly juggling between fear, loathing, civil rights, human relations and political correctness as well as political interests. We are all torn between the desire for security which demands constant awareness and the desire to live in a world free from suspicion and worry.Also the lack of truly open discussion about islam and the cultural war taking place under our noses is what Karamat Lone has tried to do, making him unpopular with both his co religionists and his compatriots.Literature teaches us, helps us examine ourselves & our world, it does not change a thing, not Sophocles & not Kamila Shamsie.❤️✌ ❤️✌

⭐ If truth be known, I picked up Home Fire with some reluctance. My fear was that Home Fire would be another over-simplified book, painting its Muslim characters as either wild-eyed terrorists or pitiful victims.I needn’t have worried. This is a nuanced book that is good – so good, in fact, that Ms. Shamsie had me in thrall right ‘til the extraordinarily powerful last lines. The book is based loosely on Sophocles’ Antigone, and even in stating that, I’m probably relaying too much.The crux of the plot is an unexpected romance between Aneeka, the twin sister of Parvaiz, who has been seduced into leaving London to work for the so-called media arm of ISIS, and Eamonn, the secular son of the British home secretary who has turned his back on his Muslim faith. Aneeka and Parvaiz were orphaned early on and raised by an older sister who is now studying in America. The bond between the twins is unbreakable.It is far too easy to create spoilers for this book so let me just say this: the themes of duty to country vs. duty to self, natural (or religious) law vs. man-made law and ambition vs. humanity is interwoven with a mesmerizing story of star-crossed lovers in the crossfires of a particularly intense time. The novel is well-paced and explosive with an organic ending that unsettled me and broke my heart. This is a powerful exploration of love, justice and a quest for salvation that could not be more timely.

⭐ This is an extraordinary novel. Shamsie echoes all the characters of the ancient play Antigone and deeply understands the ambiguities inherent in classical tragedy. At the same time, the situation of immigrant Muslims in England is completely modern, nuanced, and urgent. All Shamsie’s characters are entirely individualized, complex, and compelling. The last 50 pages are particularly amazing in intertwining all the characters and plot threads, with shrewd and convincing contemporary dialogue, all building the classical feel of implacable inevitability plus surprise.

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