Deftly balances the story of nation against that of family . . . heart-shattering -- KAMILA SHAMSIE * * Guardian * *
A stunning debut. Anam writes of torture, brutality, refugees and desperation, but she also writes of love and joy, food and song * * Observer * *
A real page-turner, with a bravura, heart-stopping ending * * Sunday Telegraph * *
Beautifully told, intimate and touching; Anam has a knack for making you care so desperately for her characters that you admire their failings as much as their strengths * * Daily Mail * *
Anam's prose is glowing and graceful throughout; whether detailing the degradations of a refugee camp, the tenderness of an unexpected love affair, or the exhilarated dread of a nation in cataclysm * * Guardian * *
The authenticity shines through beautiful, simple prose * * Harper's Bazaar * *
A striking story of a spirited mother struggling to bring up her children * * Financial Times * *
A voice of real eloquence -- ANITA SETHI * * Independent * *
Compellingly twists the personal and the historical, humming with handed-down wisdom * * Literary Review * *
Anam has done a service to her country . . . No other writer has treated the subject with such clarity before * * Times Literary Supplement * *
