My honest thoughts: I tried valiantly for three days to get interested in this book, but unfortunately I just couldn't make it happen. I felt that the opening seventy-five pages were very slow and for some reason I had a hard time switching from past to present. Because of this I am just going to highlight Tahmima Anam's book for my reader's today. I hope that you will take the time to visit the other bloggers on this tour and read their reactions over the next few weeks. I'm sure that it really comes down to being the wrong time for me to pick up this book. I will try to give it another chance at some point in the future and when I do I will make sure that I post my thoughts. I want to make every effort to make sure that my experience does NOT influence anyone unjustly. This could be a 5-star read for one of you!
About The Good Muslim
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (August 14, 2012)
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (August 14, 2012)
In the dying days of a brutal civil war in Bangladesh, Sohail Haque stumbles upon an abandoned building. Inside he finds a young woman whose story will haunt him for a lifetime to come.
Almost a decade later, Sohail’s sister, Maya, returns home after a long absence to find her beloved brother transformed. While Maya has stuck to her revolutionary ideals, Sohail has shunned his old life to become a charismatic religious leader. And when Sohail decides to send his son to a madrasa, the conflict between brother and sister comes to a devastating climax.
The Good Muslim is an epic story about faith, family, the rise of religious fundamentalism, and the long shadow of war from prizewinning Bangladeshi novelist Tahmima Anam.
About Tahmima Anam
Tahmima Anam was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and grew up in Paris, Bangkok, and New York. She holds a Ph.D. in social anthropology from Harvard University. Her writing has been published in Granta, the New York Times, the Guardian, and the Financial Times. A Golden Age, her first novel, was the winner of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book. She lives in London and Dhaka.
Tahmima’s Tour Stops
Tuesday, August 14th: The Year in Books
Wednesday, August 15th: Life in the Thumb
Thursday, August 16th: What She Read …
Friday, August 17th: Between the Covers
Monday, August 20th: libbysbook blog
Thursday, August 23rd: The Feminist Texican [Reads]
Monday, August 27th: Bibliosue
Tuesday, August 28th: Book Reviews, Fiction Reflections, n’ More!
Wednesday, August 29th: Broken Teepee
Thursday, August 30th: Silver & Grace
Friday, August 31st: Books in the City
Review Book #26
© 2012, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
I appreciate your honesty.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you couldn't get into this book. But maybe at another time you can.
ReplyDeleteI got a copy of this one from PBS, so I'm hoping it works a bit better for me when I get to it:(
ReplyDeleteHopefully it'll work for you the next time around.
ReplyDeleteIt happens to everyone sooner or later - I think you gave it a fair chance for now. Maybe down the road it will be a better read for you.
ReplyDeleteSorry this didn't work for you - hope it's the 'right time' when you try again...
ReplyDeleteThinking I will take your word on this one :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your honesty Staci, it sounds like you gave it a fair chance. It may be timing or the story just doesn't work.
ReplyDeleteToo bad this wasn't the right time for you to read this one Staci because it does sound good but it happens to all of us. Sometimes things just don't click. Thanks for spotlighting it though.
ReplyDeleteThe book seems a bit heavy on the politics. I have a few lighter novels in mind from this region and hope to get my hands on a recent book, Enchanted Lily by an Indian female writer.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that, bit it happens to the best of us
ReplyDeleteThere are times when that just happens.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your honesty. Sometimes it is just a matter of when we read it.
ReplyDeleteDarn, sorry this one didn't work for you. Thanks for sharing your thoughts for the tour.
ReplyDeleteIt's a bummer that it didn't work out, but 3 days IS a valiant attempt.
ReplyDeleteGood for you - I have a hard enough time putting down a book, even if it's not working for me, but I've never been able to put down one that I needed to do a review for. You did a great job explaining why you didn't finish this without bashing the book in the least.
ReplyDeleteIt's really hard to feel invested in a book when that many pages at the beginning are slow. I really dislike slow starts, so I think I'll skip this one.
ReplyDelete