Good Reads / Community Library Notes
A Place for Us
Fatima Farbeen Mirza
Review by Priscilla Comen
A Place for Us
Fatima Farbeen Mirza
Review by Priscilla Comen
A Place for Us, by Fatima Farbeen Mirza, is the tender story of an Indian family living in California. It is the account, mostly, of Amar, the son who doesn’t get along with his father, Baba. He smokes weed and drinks whiskey—sins in the eyes of his religion. He loves Amira from a distance and without words. His sister, Hadia, is the oldest of three children and always defends him. Huda is the middle child. She wants to be like Hadia.
At her request, Amar comes home for Hadia’s marriage to a man she has chosen, a rare thing in Indian tradition. Author Mirza takes the family and the reader through childhood birthdays, school spelling tests, and Ramadan. The story seems to be told through the voice of Amar, but, as Hadia thinks, isn’t it always about boys and men? Photos of Amar are everywhere, his favorite ice cream flavor is in the fridge. Baba’s beautiful watch will be gifted to his son. Hadia tells Baba that Amar cheated on his spelling test, writing the hardest word in the sole of his shoe. Even though she loves her brother, she feels wronged. When Amar’s best friend, Abbas Ali, dies in an auto accident, everyone is devastated. Hadia was secretly in love with him.
Amar and Amira meet secretly, exchanging notes of affection. Author Mirza describes this culture where men and women, girls and boys, can not be alone together and must deny their desires. There is no way Almira’s parents would permit a marriage for her and Amar. He is at the saddest point of his life, but Hadia must return to college. He gets into a fight with his father and leaves home saying he’ll never come back. It’s a heart-wrenching scene.
Author Mirza brings us back to the wedding which closely follows Indian customs: the food, the speeches, the clothing, the prayers. Amar has several drinks at the bar then meets Amira. She tells him she can no longer be with him. This is the final straw in his life, and he decides to end it. His father, Baba, reflects on all the mistakes he has made. He regrets he was not a better father to the son he loved so much.
Does Amar ever return home? How do the daughters mature? Do they marry and have careers too? Do they keep their family’s values? Find this compassionate novel on the new fiction shelf of your Mendocino Community Library.
At her request, Amar comes home for Hadia’s marriage to a man she has chosen, a rare thing in Indian tradition. Author Mirza takes the family and the reader through childhood birthdays, school spelling tests, and Ramadan. The story seems to be told through the voice of Amar, but, as Hadia thinks, isn’t it always about boys and men? Photos of Amar are everywhere, his favorite ice cream flavor is in the fridge. Baba’s beautiful watch will be gifted to his son. Hadia tells Baba that Amar cheated on his spelling test, writing the hardest word in the sole of his shoe. Even though she loves her brother, she feels wronged. When Amar’s best friend, Abbas Ali, dies in an auto accident, everyone is devastated. Hadia was secretly in love with him.
Amar and Amira meet secretly, exchanging notes of affection. Author Mirza describes this culture where men and women, girls and boys, can not be alone together and must deny their desires. There is no way Almira’s parents would permit a marriage for her and Amar. He is at the saddest point of his life, but Hadia must return to college. He gets into a fight with his father and leaves home saying he’ll never come back. It’s a heart-wrenching scene.
Author Mirza brings us back to the wedding which closely follows Indian customs: the food, the speeches, the clothing, the prayers. Amar has several drinks at the bar then meets Amira. She tells him she can no longer be with him. This is the final straw in his life, and he decides to end it. His father, Baba, reflects on all the mistakes he has made. He regrets he was not a better father to the son he loved so much.
Does Amar ever return home? How do the daughters mature? Do they marry and have careers too? Do they keep their family’s values? Find this compassionate novel on the new fiction shelf of your Mendocino Community Library.