ZIN BY HARITHA SAVITHRI (TRANSLATED FROM THE MALAYALAM BY NANDAKUMAR K)

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BOOK NAME: ZIN

AUTHOR NAME: HARITHA SAVITHRI (translated from the Malayalam by NANDAKUMAR K)

GENRE: POLITICAL FICTION

PUBLISHER: PENGUIN INDIA

BOOK BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.in/Zin-Haritha-Savithri/dp/0143461664/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=



BOOK COVER IMAGE 



BOOK REVIEW

There's something special about translated books that others don't have. It's their ability to bring a platter of literature to our table when it's humanly impossible to read books in every language that exists, and I can't stress the importance of it enough. This is another translated gem, especially from Malayalam, that I will cherish forever.


Seetha, an Indian studying in Barcelona, goes to Turkey to search for her Kurd lover, Dewran. Meanwhile, the Turkish government is looking for Dewran and his brother Arman, framing them as extremists for resisting their persecution. Seetha doesn't have a clue where Dewran must be. But she must get to him to break the news about her pregnancy and to take him back. But circumstances change, and Seetha is framed as a terrorist for maintaining relations with Dewran, and she is taken into police custody as a bait. Her Kurd and Turkish friends are enraged by the abuse she suffers in jail, and protests break out in Turkey and Barcelona in support of her. Seetha's unlawful custody and tragedy become global news, and the world finally notices the genocide of Kurds by Turks happening over the years. 


This was a really, really great book. To begin with, this was the first book that introduced me to the Kurdish resistance against the second-class treatment of Kurd minorities that is happening in Syria and Turkey. It bears a close resemblance to the ongoing massacre of Palestinians, Lebanese, and Sudanese, and it hurts to imagine people living in such fear and pain every day. And how men think their victory lies in the exploitation of women! It would be a crime to call this book fiction because I know this is someone's reality somewhere right this moment. But how many books before we realise violence isn't a solution to world peace? 


And about the characters, they were all so well represented and empowered. The Kurds, the Turks, the Indians and others. Seetha and Timur were particularly the characters that outshined everyone else and became unforgettable. This is one of those books that made me appreciate the sophistication and privilege we have in life that we often complain about. The narration was outstanding at parts, except when sometimes each paragraph started and ended abruptly. I understand translation is a tedious process, and while reading this book, I certainly felt a lot was lost in translation. Nevertheless, it's one of the books I would strongly recommend to learn about the birth of the Kurdistan movement.



MY REVIEW: 4/5 

This is a part of Blogchatter’s #TBRchallenge

#penbooksandscalpel

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