A review by cowboyrat
Sunlight on a Broken Column by Attia Hosain

3.0

i think that when i leave this book to process in my mind I'll probably rate it higher.

i really enjoyed the story itself. the plot was moving, a wonderful tale of a young woman growing up with conflicting beliefs about her culture and identity but without the conviction necessary to truly stand up for her beliefs. i loved reading about the world that laila lived in and the differing political opinions that could tear a family apart. i wasn't particularly sympathetic towards laila's family and their desperation to cling on to their feudal history but i greatly appreciated the overall sentiments of identity & belonging, the home as a physical manifestation of a family, the role of women in the family, and the idea of love as freedom.

sometimes i do think hosain was overly descriptive where fewer words would have done the trick and i also sometimes struggled to keep track of the supporting characters. but overall, this was such a great book and i would thoroughly recommend it.