What do readers think of Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq? Write your own review.

"Heart Lamp: Selected Stories" by Banu Mushtaq tells 12 stories of women living in a Muslim community in Southern India. They have many customs for the reader to learn and understand. Keep an AI resource handy for the vocabulary. The translator did a sound job, but many Islamic traditions involve words that the average Christian American will not know.

The third story, "Black Cobras", gets the novel going, with pontifications about polygamy and women's rights. Having "up to 4 wives" in India benefits no one; it only results in frustration. "A Decision of the Heart" reminds us of the complicated relationship between wives and their mothers-in-law. The cultural differences keep you engaged and do not reveal what will happen next.

The unique writing style takes a little getting used to. Mushtaq adds a lot of detail for short stories, and you will think you missed the point when nothing happens. For example, the story "High Heeled Shoe" shows how something so simple can become scandalous in the eyes of men whose culture does not consider cheating, divorce, or other impropriety.

Each engaging story starts anew and shows the cultural importance of unconditional respect for one's elders and tradition. You accept their reality and truth while predicting their inevitable actions accordingly. I learned more about the characters as the book went on, even though they were completely different. The norms and mores made more sense since I knew so little before.

As much as I enjoyed the stories, I hesitate to recommend them to everyone because I need to look up many terms and translations. Only the most patient will do so. At the end, I read all of the thank-yous and translation details and knew that I had just finished a one-of-a-kind experience and read the work of a talent.