Written in the Stars

Naila is a seventeen year old American of Pakistani descent who lives in Florida and is living the typical teen life; she's about to graduate from high school and start college (or uni as we Brits would say) to embark on a medical program that has been her childhood dream. Parties, football games, and prom - these are the focus of the conversations that suffocate her as she is bound by her cultural and religious values that strongly dictate her social life. And of course, she is not allowed to date. In fact, she is not allowed a guy friend, period.

As the story begins, we see Naila's struggles with the rules of her strict parents, how they govern her day-to-day life and how she is now faced with the conflict between following her heart and confining herself to her parents' wishes as she falls in love with Saif, who she has been with for about a year. Her reprieve is her countdown to graduation after which she'll be moving away from home together with Saif, and she can free herself from the shackles she finds herself tied with.

But it all falls to pieces on the day that she is caught with him and she is dragged home by her parents who are full of rage and disappointment, fuelled more so by the fact that Saif is a guy they do not approve of. Or rather, he comes from a family they do not approve of. Naila tries to reason and beg and cry, all of which fall on deaf ears until she is told that they are going to Pakistan to visit the homeland, a vacation that will simultaneously act as a means of escape from the turmoil at home. The catch? They leave on the day of her graduation. Naila has no choice but to go along for the ride.

We are then transported to Pakistan where we are engulfed by the sweltering heat, colourful dresses and exotic foods. We helplessly travel the course of her stay as unbeknown to her, her parents are planning to get her married off; we follow the subtle meetings between her and potential suitors, her confusion when she finds out that their trip has been extended for months past her initial return date, and her betrayal when she eventually falls privy to her parents' plans.

She resists, they resist harder. She is, against her will, forced into a marriage through means that are cruel and brutal and condemned to a life in Pakistan. The life she is subsequently subjected to is tough as she battles with her love for Saif, and having to let him go not only for his sake, but also to ease her emotional pain as she settles into a hard acceptance of the life she must now lead. Her sealed fate lies ultimately in Saif's hands who has limited knowledge of her situation and must fight tooth and nail to get her back home.

This book...just wow. I knew it was going to be an interesting ride when I initially read its synopsis, but it blew me away with how powerful it actually is. The narrative flows easy, there is nothing fancy or metaphorical about the prose, but its stripped back nature makes Naila so relatable. Her pain, heartbreak, and deep-rooted conflicts are so real and believable. You live her story; you feel her desperation and emotional struggle, and you resent her parents and relatives for callously and mercilessly selling her off. I expected an easy love story but what I got was a dark and harsh heart-wrenching read that shocks and horrifies with the brutality of Naila's forced marriage. It encapsulates the loss of Naila's life, her voice and freedom and it makes you ache with each twist that her story takes.

The ending, for me personally, was fitting to the book. It was simple and inconclusive to some degree, and whilst you're left feeling high on emotion, there is a sense of relief as you try to calmly recollect your thoughts and pull yourself out of a world that took you on a gripping journey. And the scenes with Saif, though few, were definite highlights. He is a guy that will go to hell and back for Naila, and their stolen moments are sweet and beautiful, yet very real. Saeed does a wonderful job in portraying a simple, real love that transcends time and space, cultural flaws and social expectations.

It is one the most eye-opening, refreshing books I've read in a long while. It was almost reminiscent of Khaled Hossaini's works (of whom I'm a massive fan), in the way that it tackles a sensitive, cruel issue with a sense of realism. It is a book that makes your heart race not just for Naila, but for all the girls out there for whom Naila's story is a reality with no hope of an escape to see them through the next torturous day.

A whirlwind of emotions and a story-line that tugged on my heartstrings, this book will live with me forever.