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bluenote's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
constancelee's review
4.0
The Scatter Here is Too Great
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 since I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read it in a day or two rather than over the course of a week. It would have helped me more fully appreciate the interconnections of the characters from one story to the next.
Despite the bomb blast event, it is not a terribly heavy read, though it does touch upon some deep reflections at times. It is more about the characters and their lives than this actual event.
The author has a unique style, but I can’t really put my finger on why, but this uniqueness has a genuine feel to it. It could be that I am just not familiar enough with Pakistani literature, or much of the novel-told-in-stories genre to say for sure how it compares.
I was a little disoriented at times, which could be because my reading was too spread out, or that it was intentionally written this way in order to provide the reader with the feel of the chaos and confusion that characters would feel such a traumatic event, much in the way I felt reading Blindness though Saramago used a completely different technique to get that feeling across.
All in all, a worthwhile book I will probably return to again when I’ve got a small block of time where I can sit down and read it straight through.
I received a complimentary copy via the Goodreads “first reads” program.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 since I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read it in a day or two rather than over the course of a week. It would have helped me more fully appreciate the interconnections of the characters from one story to the next.
Despite the bomb blast event, it is not a terribly heavy read, though it does touch upon some deep reflections at times. It is more about the characters and their lives than this actual event.
The author has a unique style, but I can’t really put my finger on why, but this uniqueness has a genuine feel to it. It could be that I am just not familiar enough with Pakistani literature, or much of the novel-told-in-stories genre to say for sure how it compares.
I was a little disoriented at times, which could be because my reading was too spread out, or that it was intentionally written this way in order to provide the reader with the feel of the chaos and confusion that characters would feel such a traumatic event, much in the way I felt reading Blindness though Saramago used a completely different technique to get that feeling across.
All in all, a worthwhile book I will probably return to again when I’ve got a small block of time where I can sit down and read it straight through.
I received a complimentary copy via the Goodreads “first reads” program.
balletbookworm's review
4.0
Just under a 4-star read. An interesting set of interlinked short stories that form a loose snapshot of Karachi - even though I knew they were linked it took me until nearly the end of the book to understand the structure.
jarichan's review against another edition
3.0
Karachi ist die grösste Stadt Pakistans und Autor Bilal Tanweer wirft uns gleich mitten hinein. Als eine Bombe explodiert, verändern sich die Leben vieler Menschen. Hier lernen wir einige davon kennen, deren Lebenslinien sich alle in irgendeiner Form berühren. Sie alle sind verbunden, ohne es zu wissen.
Es ist ein ruhiges, nach innen gerichtetes Buch, das Tanweer hier vorlegt. Trotz der Aufregung und der Panik aufgrund des terroristischen Anschlages. Die Figuren und ihr Innenleben stehen im Vordergrund, während sich im Hintergrund die riesige Stadt ausbreitet. Durch die Charaktere wird auch die Stadt lebendig.
Wer einen Blick über den eigenen Tellerrand hinaus wagen möchte, ist mit diesem Titel gut beraten. Man lernt Pakistan aus einem anderen Blickwinkel kennen, neue Eindrücke und Lebensentwürfe breiten sich vor uns aus. Feinfühlig komponiert von Bilal Tanweer.
Es ist ein ruhiges, nach innen gerichtetes Buch, das Tanweer hier vorlegt. Trotz der Aufregung und der Panik aufgrund des terroristischen Anschlages. Die Figuren und ihr Innenleben stehen im Vordergrund, während sich im Hintergrund die riesige Stadt ausbreitet. Durch die Charaktere wird auch die Stadt lebendig.
Wer einen Blick über den eigenen Tellerrand hinaus wagen möchte, ist mit diesem Titel gut beraten. Man lernt Pakistan aus einem anderen Blickwinkel kennen, neue Eindrücke und Lebensentwürfe breiten sich vor uns aus. Feinfühlig komponiert von Bilal Tanweer.
katecurry's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Some of the writing was engaging and incredibly descriptive. However, parts of the books seemed complicated for no apparent reason.
mazza57's review against another edition
1.0
This is another of these books that try too hard and achieve nothing. A series of stories meant to work as a whole to describe unrest around Karachi. It simply does not work as a whole or individually. I often wonder who pre reads and writes the blurb on these books.
lailalostinpages's review
2.0
This wasn't really my genre, so it's not exactly my position to judge!
richa087's review
4.0
For starters, this is an excellent travel read. Easy to carry, easy to read and so engrossing that you do not even get to know when you cross seas, mountains, lands and reach your destination!
The book is all about different characters who are linked in some way or the other and revolves around a bomb blast at Karachi Cantt. station that shakes the very fibers of the city. It takes us through the by-lanes of Karachi, scooping stories from the famous bazaars, takes us on a bus ride through the roads, gives you a sense of the city with a sea, makes you want to leave everything that you are doing, take a bus ride and reach the shore of the sea and just sit there and think life through.
Bilal Tanweer writes very well and gives you a tour of Karachi and it's inhabitants through his words. Absolutely loved it!
The book is all about different characters who are linked in some way or the other and revolves around a bomb blast at Karachi Cantt. station that shakes the very fibers of the city. It takes us through the by-lanes of Karachi, scooping stories from the famous bazaars, takes us on a bus ride through the roads, gives you a sense of the city with a sea, makes you want to leave everything that you are doing, take a bus ride and reach the shore of the sea and just sit there and think life through.
Bilal Tanweer writes very well and gives you a tour of Karachi and it's inhabitants through his words. Absolutely loved it!
gildius's review
4.0
Read my review on my blog:
http://www.50ayear.com/2014/08/15/30-scatter-great-bilal-tanweer/
http://www.50ayear.com/2014/08/15/30-scatter-great-bilal-tanweer/