MY FRIENDS BY HISHAM MATAR

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BOOK NAME: MY FRIENDS

AUTHOR NAME: HISHAM MATAR

GENRE: POLITICAL FICTION 

PUBLISHER: PENGUIN INDIA

BOOK BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.in/dp/0241987032?

BOOK RATING: 5/5

 

BOOK COVER IMAGE

 


 

BOOK REVIEW

If you were to meet me now and find me talking in this vivacious, verbose and intensely tangible poetic language, then blame this book for the influence, not me. I am still trying to crawl out of the world Hisham Matar has carved with his words, and I find it highly challenging to return to my reality. 

 

What do you mean I don't belong with them and haven't witnessed the bond between Hosam, Khaled and Mustafa in person? Was I not a part of Hisham’s world? Did I not live there among them moving between Benghazi, Libya, to Edinburg and London? Was I not a part of the demonstration they were in, and did I not survive my wounds beside them fighting for their country? How can one turn blind to their lives and the bonds that were severed, mended, and severed over time? Did I not fall in love with Claire and Hannah and Malak and Souad and Rana? Did I not feel all that for Hannah as much for Khaled? Was I not screaming enough when the friends parted ways to pursue what their hearts wanted? Or did my eyes not give away my real feelings when it all ended? What do you mean it's just a book, and I need to move on? 

 

Yes, I find it difficult not to accept this book as reality because, though it was someone else’s, it felt very much like mine. This political novel masterfully blends the tyranny of Libya and the liberalism of the Western world to present a canvas that displays the law of mutually exclusive nations and equally tired and resisting residents. A coming-of-age tale of three individuals who meet when they are eighteen to have their lives upturned by an event that no one thought would have such an impact on becoming some of the finest and self-driven individuals in their forties is a pleasure to read. 

 

This book has some of the greatest characters and powerful lines ever written. I haven't read a book on platonic friendships and mutual relationships like this one. Even though the book's central theme was the companionship between Hosam, Khaled and Mustafa, I loved the underrated bond between Khaled and Rana. I wish they had more frames as much as the rest. And, because of how powerful and headstrong the female characters were, I almost fell in love with each of them in this book. That is top-level writing if you can inspire readers with every character you write yet give them all a unique voice. It felt like a blend of A Little Life and Martyr but with a platonic relationship. Yes, I didn't enjoy Martyr as much, but I wish it had the same impact on me as much as this one did. 

  

My heart aches for the author when I realise it didn't make it to the Booker shortlist last year. Now, have no doubts, pick it up, and get ready for an intense literary phenomenon. 

 

 #penbooksandscalpel


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