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

challenging emotional slow-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? Yes

2.0

Really and truly, this should have been a DNF but I was too far through it that I decided to push through.

Sunlight on a Broken Column tells the story of Laila who is brought up in her grandfathers house before moving into her uncle’s house. The difference between her traditional grandfather and her liberal uncle leaves her trapped in the middle. Independence is just around the corner but she is trying to fight for her own amidst the ongoing political struggles.

I really wanted to enjoy this, particularly because it’s about the Partition that happened in India in 1947 but I don’t think it was done as well as I expected. One of my biggest problems was that I genuinely couldn’t remember the characters and how they are different from one another. Several characters blurred together, whether due to their beliefs, personality or their characterisation. There is also a brief glossary at the beginning which does help but it doesn’t help to explain familial relationships which lie at the heart of this story.

At some points, even the main character fell flat for me which was a shame because she was carrying this story. It felt like she just went through life, doing what she was told and thinking what she was told. Maybe that’s the point of her character but I couldn’t get along with it.

However, I did enjoy the brief comparisons of East vs West and how ideologies and behaviour and customs are adapted to fit in. There were moments about the price of independence, not only for the country but also for individuals but ultimately, I was past the point of being interested and just wanted it to be done with.