I enjoy reading debut novels because I am always excited to discover new authors and their work. And while I appreciate what Nawaaz Ahmed was trying to achieve with his debut Radiant Fugitives, it really did not work for me. I was immediately put off by the use of a fetus/unborn baby- I give Ahmed points for creativity but the narration was at most times weird and at some times, uncomfortable. It felt strange when the narrator would address his family members with "you"- I was constantly taken out of the narrative because it was clunky and awkward. While I enjoyed the exploration of relationships and some of the prose was beautiful, the reading experience was so uneven that I vacillated between being bored and being slightly uncomfortable. I think Ahmed's concept was a good one but the execution left me wanting much more.

Radiant Fugitives is an ambitious debut novel with an unusual premise: it’s a story told predominantly in utero by Ishraaq, a sort of omniscient first-person narrator, allowed entry into his relatives’ perspectives before he takes his first breath. We know from the beginning that his mother, Seema, has died during labor, a piece of knowledge that casts a shadow over the book. It’s then that Ishraaq takes us back, unveiling the pasts of Seema and of the rest of his family—his aunt Tahera, his grandmother Nafeesa, and his father Bill—to consider what has led them to this point.

What’s revealed is a complex story that made me ache: it’s full of misunderstandings and missed connections that show the way these characters love each other and yet hurt each other, over and over again. It’s set against the backdrop of the candidacy and election of Barack Obama as President, driven by hope and (all too often) disappointment from those who have dared to hope.

Seema and Tahera immigrated to the United States from India. Seema left home when, after coming out to her family, her father exiled her. Her sister Tahera, a doctor, moved to the U.S. because of her marriage to a man with whom she forges a family who adheres strictly to Islam. It has been many years since their mother Nafeesa saw Seema, but now they’re united because Nafeesa insists that she must help Seema through the end of her pregnancy . . . and also because Nafeesa is dying.

The narrative weaves together these characters’ lives, circling around and back through time, until we delve deeply into their thoughts and feelings, alternately empathizing with them and frustrated by them, by their stubbornness and their inability to reach outside of their own vulnerability to each other. There’s much to admire in the way that Ahmed explores identity, in the ways that Seema is embraced by some and exiled by others because of her sexuality and that Tahera faces the same treatment because of her faith. The fact that those inconsistent reactions occur both among strangers and within their family is painful.

While there’s much to love and admire about this book, I did find the pacing to be slow, and I took several breaks from it to read other books. I think part of my issue is because of the internal nature of the narrative, and part is because the book is, often, quite sad. Still, Ahmed is considering here questions that we are—and should be—asking, about who we choose to govern and why, about who and what we welcome and accept, and about how each of us shapes an identity because of and against our families.

Behind it all is Ishraaq, a character who loves his family with such compassion and empathy and understanding that he forgives all, sharing their stories as utterly beautiful and utterly alive, even in tragedy. The contradiction inherent in the title Radiant Fugitives is borne out beautifully through Nawaaz Ahmed’s novel.

Radiant Fugitives is not a happy novel. One learns very early on that things are not going in end well. But what an emotional ride to that ending! This book is getting a fair bit of buzz, and I get it. I blew through this book as it is easy to become very invested in the lives of the women featured. The center is Seema, a heavily pregnant woman living in San Francisco. She is visited by her mother and sister. Seema is estranged from her family after coming out as a lesbian, and her father disowns her. Her sister Tahera has become a devout Muslim who disapproves of Seema's choices. Their mother has a terminal illness and she is trying to reconcile her relationship with Seema and between her two daughters. There is so much complexity in these women and one can understand their choices and feelings. While the relationship between the three women is the tour de force of the book, secondary relationships are highlighted, most notably (and surprisingly not weirdly) the narration at times by Seema's soon to be born child. Seema's previous and current relationships with women and her marriage to a man are also discussed.

I dove into this book and was completely engaged. The one part that took me out of it was there was a large middle portion that focused primarily on the relationship between her and her husband interspersed with their volunteering for the Obama campaign. It really got into quite a bit of detail about her complicated feelings around Obama, which did give her character nuance, but I was really missing her mother and sister's narratives, so in the final portion when it turns back to the three of them, I was enthralled. The emotional ending is not unexpected but still packed a wallop. I am blown away that this is a debut novel and I cannot wait to read what Ahmed comes up with next.

Thank you to Counterpoint Press and NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.

Radiant Fugitives is an incredible debut novel from Nawaaz Ahmed. Following an Indian family struggling with issues of modernity, globalization, and religion, Radiant Fugitives is an incredibly complex and nuanced treatment with enormous compassion for its central characters. Ahmed has an impressive narrative voice and successfully integrates western and eastern texts, cultural and religious, to enhance his story’s relevance and reach.

Set primarily in 2010 San Francisco, the novel initially follows Seema Hussein, a successful fundraiser for Democratic politicians in the bay area, as she navigates the arrival of her estranged younger sister, Tahera, and terminally ill mother, Nafeesa. The story is told from the perspective of Seema’s unborn son, Ishraaq, in the final days of Seema’s pregnancy. The novel itself branches off between each woman’s individual story and how they have been shaped by the family patriarch’s decision to disown Seema after she comes out as queer. Seema seeks out a new family in the Bay Area, embracing American culture and political activism, while Tahera chooses to delve deeper into her faith, becoming a fiercely devout Muslim woman living with her husband and two young children in central Texas. Nafeesa struggles with her impending death and sees this visit as a way to rectify the wrongs committed by her husband and her own complicity in following through with his actions against Seema. The novel is like a pressure cooker, culminating to an explosive emotional and tragic end.

I was most impressed with Ahmed’s ability to find empathy for all of his characters and their struggles. Nafeesa, Tahera, and Seema have all been wrong and victimized in their lives, and the interplay between homophobia and Islamophobia in a post 9/11 America is smart and reads authentically. That the novel is narrated by Ishraaq adds a level of magic, hope, and ethereality to the plot. This narration also helps a grievous and tragic end go down smoothly, and leaves the reader with some sanguinity in spite of the, at times, sorrowful content.

Stunning family drama. So many deep issues like religion and sexuality are dissected through characters personal and political experiences. I loved it.

A beautifully written novel that shines a light on the struggle of a family with differing values who are in conflict. The parallel to the American political divide is emphasized by the subplots relating the two Obama presidential campaigns. The narration of the book is done by an unborn/newly born child, at times in the second person voice, and I found it awkward and unnecessary.

Family sagas are some of my absolute favorite types of books!
This was incredibly well written, and had some amazing characters that I needed to learn everything about. It was tragic, but I couldn’t put it down.

The second person writing style wasn’t my absolute favorite, but I got used to it. Although, I do wish that the story was told from a different perspective than Seema’s unborn child.

I adored this book. I generally love stories about sisters and this one was amazing. Two very different individuals who haven’t spent any time together since childhood are thrown together in this book for their dying mother’s sake. The setting is awesome; San Franciso and it’s always in the background, especially the sky. The narrative perspective is different and very intriguing. The unborn son of Seema describes the scenes as they unfold. Mostly the second person is used to move the story along from the view of each of his three foremothers. The sibling rivalry is raw, honest and real. Each daughter has made different choices regarding lifestyle and more specifically their shared faith. There are flashbacks to life in India and the immigrant experience as educated women. Lots of recent history is mentioned and the perspective of a queer Indian Muslim woman on Obama’s election is very interesting. The election of Kamala Harris was fun to read about too. I also appreciated learning about the choice to be a practicing Muslim in contemporary America. Sometimes the voice from the womb waxes philosophical and approaches a prayer-like tone. Will he be born of envy, rivalry or hope? It worked for me but did stall the plot a bit. As a mother and a sister, I can totally relate to all three of the main characters and I felt close to each. Nobody is better or more “right” than the other. We’re all doing the best we can. Ultimately, even family lets us down, the unit and its bonds affect everything we do. Sisters will always be sisters even when friends and lovers come and go. The writing was amazing. I was quite surprised to see the author was male as the experience of women was so easy to identify with. The scene describing Seema’s performance to explain her choices to her dad and her mother’s profession of her love for Seema were juxtaposed in a magical way that was so effective. This book and its characters will stay with me for a long time. The ending surprised me but was satisfying. Thank you NetGalley for introducing me to a new author. I will be on the lookout for the next book from Nawaaz Ahmed.

The premise of this book as being narrated by a just-born baby whose mother is dying was intriguing, but other narrators kept creeping in which made the whole book feel disjointed. The estranged family element was compelling and heartbreaking, but the digressions into political campaigning, were tedious and made for a very uneven reading experience.

4.5 stars. This beautifully written book had me tearing up by the end of it.

This unique story is told to Seema’s grandmother by her unborn child. Seema lives in San Francisco, is nine months pregnant, and is trying to reconcile with her estranged mother and sister after having been driven away for years when she came out as lesbian to her family.

Seema’s mother, is dying and desperately wants to re-establish family bonds even though she is still coming to terms with her daughter’s sexuality. Tahera is a devoutly religious Muslim who lives with her family in Texas. Nafeesa and Tahera join Seema in San Francisco for a fateful week that will change their lives. During this time, the trio must confront their differing beliefs, prejudices, and jealousies.

The sections about Seema’s time as a political activist during Obama’s early presidency really brought her character to life and captured my interest.

This is a story that just sweeps you along and will probably have you bawling by the end of it. It is masterfully written with wholly realistic and imperfect characters. It takes some time to get into, but once it gets going it is hard to put down. I found myself thinking about the characters when I wasn’t reading it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Counterpoint Press for the digital ARC.

There is a really good book in here somewhere. However, this reader found this book a little too long for the subject matter. I had to force myself to finish it. My take is that this one more thorough editing.

I wasn't sure what to expect based on the summary, but this one really surprised me. Told from the perspective of her unborn child, the novel explores the life of Seema, a political campaign volunteer, and the dynamics of her relationships, including with her mother (Nafeeza) and sister (Tahera), who have come to help her with the pregnancy. Seema was disowned several decades prior after coming out as a lesbian to her father, and hasn't seen her family in years.

During the course of the novel, we see Seema fighting against the compromises politicians make at the expense of LGBTQ people and Middle Eastern civilians. She also struggles with her queer identity, and still identifies as a lesbian even after marrying a man and having her entire community abandon her. We also see Tahera's Muslim identity and family, including the Islamophobia they face, and how easily it can push an angry young man to a type of extremism. These are all woven together with mentions of Keats, Wordsworth, and the Quran, a beautiful literary device that did start to lose me by the end, but otherwise really impacted the story in a positive way.

More than anything, this is a novel about the gray areas of life and identity, about family dynamics and responsibilities, and how some wounds never heal. What do we owe to our communities? To our families? To ourselves?

Radiant Fugitives is a unique book with a lot going on. Told in the perspective of the main character's unborn child, the baby-in-the-womb is somehow privy to all of his mother's family history and traumas. This story is beautifully written and an example of modern and inclusive literary fiction. Seema is a complex character, whose lesbian identity cost her a solid relationship with her Indian family. When Seema becomes pregnant, both her mother and sister come out to support her, however hesitantly. What ensues is the dredging of hurt feelings, jealousy, and confusion.

As the story continues and twists from past to present, there are honestly great moments that I deeply connected to. Seema's memories of her current and past lovers were raw and showed a perspective of the LGBT community many don't represent in literature: the person who doesn't quite know what label to identity as. Seema is incredibly flawed in this book, and while there are plenty of times I grew frustrated at her choices, I couldn't help but understand why she felt so determined to follow through with her original declarations. When you lose people close to you, you tend to cling closer to the things that divided you from them.

Seema's sister and mother were interesting in their own right. I loved the challenge Seema's mother had with supporting her daughter and also her husbands wishes for the household. I thought it was special that at the news of a big life event, Seema's mother would fly all the way from India to Seema's home to support her, even when it was against the family's wishes. The jealousy Seema's sister experiences due to this was also very frustrating. Seema's sister seemed to be there only for the mother, and she serves as a point of stress for Seema, even when Seema tries her best to reconnect with her family. The fact that Seema's sister and mother are almost always together in the narrative paints a tragic "what could but will never be" scenario. By the time this novel started, Seema will not be able to fix the hurt that has already been established. She will always be a mark, and by extension, so will the narrator of this story.

Be aware that this story doesn't end happily. This is a literary tragedy, set in Obama-era USA. If you want a new piece of literary fiction which tells a complex story with a different perspective, however, Radiant Fugitives will be comfortable on your bookshelf.

This novel's unusual narrator exists within his mother's uterus as a keen observer of the family dynamic within which he will soon he born. The family at the center is Muslim Indian, and in the present the mother, Nafeesa, and younger daughter, Tahera, are visiting the elder daughter, Seema, in San Francisco as she prepares to give birth. The strained dynamic requires a lot of back story, and this is what is largely told throughout the book. Seema was estranged from her family when she came out as queer, and Tahera's increasing devotion to Islam had also isolated her from the rest of the family. The father remains behind in Chennai, refusing to have anything to do with Seema. That leaves Nafeesa, who is ill and will not live long, to bridge the gaps.
The first part of the story could have been the book by itself, but the second part delves into Seema's life as an activist and organizer in the early 2000s, her relationship with Bill (the narrator's father), and the subsequent dissolution of their marriage. Seema grapples with her queer identity while growing close to Bill, and this is juxtaposed against the election of President Obama.
The story also provides some back story for Tahera, who felt left behind by her older sister and whose increasing practice of Islam sets her apart from the rest of her family. She married a more devout man, had two children, and now works as a doctor in Texas. Through Tahera and her son, issues around spirituality and morality are explored as well.
Nawaaz Ahmed writes a complex family with dynamics that are constantly shifting. He gets into the character's insecurities, their innermost thoughts, and all the fleeting feeling that affect how they interact in each moment. Radiant Fugitives is a hefty novel, but one worth the time.