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There are currently 18 member reviews
for Burnt Shadows
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Jan B. (Tetonia, ID)
A family saga spanning from Nagasaki to post 911
This book starts with a man stripped naked in a cell, wondering "how did it come to this?" Then the story starts, on the day the bomb is dropped in Nagasaki, with the story of how a German man, Konrad, and a Japanese woman, Hiroko, meet and become engaged. Their story then ripples outward into the future, to India, Pakistan, and ends in the post 911 America. The ever deepening connections and relationships between the two families, and the stories that are joined together, create an amazing intricate story of cultural differences both understood and misunderstood, the love that transcends the differences and even celebrates them, and the surprising ending that makes one wonder how do we pass on the knowledge of what we have come to understand.
This is a beautifully written book that gives great depth to the intricacies of relationships through time, place and the circumstances of history. It is a book that begs me to pick it up and reread it again.
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Dorothy M. (Maynard, MA)
Burnt Shadows - a book you shouldn't miss
Kamila Shamsie has written an incredible book in Burnt Shadows. Beginning just before the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki and leaving you (I didn't feel that it ended because this is a book that stays with you) in the aftermath of 9-11, she explores the world through the relationships of two intertwined families. The book looks at what brings us together and what separates us in nationality, family relationships, and religion and it explores how languages effect the way we think and understand each other. But primarily this is a great read, beautifully written with wonderfully developed complex characters and a marvelous understanding of the randomness of life and the unintended consequences of our actions. It is a book you won't want to put down once you begin it and it would be a fabulous book discussion choice.
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Deborah M. (Chambersburug, PA)
Searching for Peace in a Violent World
An ambitious novel (maybe a bit too ambitious) that attempts to recreate the atmosphere of the 20th century and our own times with a focus on violence, nationalism, mobility, and the effects of each on two extended and related families.
The story is carried from the dropping of the nuclear bomb on Nagasaki (1945) through post-9/11 paranoia, mainly by Hiroko Tanaka Ashraf. As a young woman, she was scarred by the bomb that also took the lives of her German fiance and her father. The event sets her on a journey in search of peace that takes her to India, Turkey, Pakistan, and, finally, the United States. Some of her moves are by choice, others accidental or enforced, but she remains always, somehow, connected to the family of her lost fiance. There's no happy ending here, but no great tragedy either, just a bleak prospect: "Outside, the world went on."
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Shirley F. (Franksville, WI)
Unique look at tragic events
Burnt Shadows covers 60 years of tragic events that shaped the lives of the three main characters. The unlikely trio of a Japanese survivor from the atomic bomb in Nagasaki, an Indian legal aide and a German woman married to a British officer stationed in Delhi meet and define the story to make it both personal and engaging. The love that they have for each other comes through the beautifully written prose, the horror of the events that shaped their lives and relationships is eloquently described and reveals the beauty of their attraction and understanding of each other. The author did a great job of tying together 3 people of widely varied backgrounds, and developing each character to maintain their individuality as well as their relationships. I recommend this book to any book group for the perspective of the three tragic events and the interrelationships of the characters involved.
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Susan R. (Julian, NC)
Burnt Shadows
The beginning of this book was confusing -- I would have preferred to get to know the characters better before the horror of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki. However, I kept reading and found the book to be really good. The scope of the book was huge - Japan, India, Pakistan, the US but overall the theme of family unity tied together all of the various pieces and characters of the novel. I would highly recommend this book....and if you get bogged down at the beginning - keep reading -- it is WELL worth it!
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Jayne D. (Canton, MA)
Burnt Shadows
It did not take me long to read this book. It was very easy to get lost in the wonderful writing and depth of the story. Reading about this turbulent time in history really got me thinking about how things in history affect people. I would recommend this book to my friends and will suggest it as a book club selection.
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Kathy W. Book Discussio Leader (Appleton, WI)
Burnt Shadows Review
This is an incredible book. It is beautifully written and complex. I can’t seem to stop thinking about the characters. My only complaint is that it may be too complex or ambitious for one book. When the scene shifted to New York, I felt like I was reading a different book and got lost at times.To the book's credit, everything did come together in the end. Those willing to finish the book will be well rewarded. (This book is better than good, but I did not give it five stars because in my opinion five star books are "must reads", and this book is for a more selective and dedicated audience.)
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