Tomb of Sand was the winner of the International Booker Prize in 2022 and despite the intimidating length, it was one I knew I wanted to get to. Translated by Daisy Rockwell, reading this novel, especially the first third or so, is quite the undertaking. It’s filled with meandering prose, lyrical and playful language and a stream of consciousness style that left me at times, unsure where exactly the writer was taking us. Saying that, (and because of the sheer uniqueness of what I was reading), I was a willing passenger for the ride. It’s hard to describe what this book is about, purely for the reasons I’ve mentioned above. It follows an octogenarian mother whom when the story begins, is lying in bed with her back turned to her family, grieving for her husband and refusing to engage with anyone. At one point, she takes her precious Buddha statue and leaves the house, causing much worry but eventually returning and deciding to move in with her notoriously modern-living daughter, Beti. Striking up a relationship with Rosie, a hjira (trans) woman and instigating a trip back to Pakistan, the reader is taken to the real meat of the story, where we hear about her life under Partition and the travesties that occurred for those forced to leave their homes. I’m so glad I read this with the lovely @sandladysbooks because it felt like I got even more out of it than I might have done reading it alone. The first part was incredibly tricky as I’ve mentioned but when you power through, it’s easy to see why Tomb Of Sand has had as much critical acclaim as it has. It’s one of the most interesting books I think I’ve ever read. Did I always understand it? Sometimes I didn’t. Yet something in the stunning, flowing nature of what I was reading was captivating and made me want to keep on reading. It’s certainly not an easy novel to read but it’s a rewarding one and I’m already looking forward to experiencing it again on a re-read. Four solid stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 #bookstagramuk #bookreviewersofig #internationalbooker2022 #translatedliteraryfiction #tiltedaxisbooks #tombofsand #geetanjalishree #daisyrockwell #readingtranslatedliterature #buddyreadswithcath https://www.instagram.com/p/CmOPVrHr6oF/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
