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Under the Tamarind Tree by Nigar Alam. Pub Date: August 15, 2023. Rating: 3 stars. In this debut, the author takes the reader on a journey through the Partition weaving the stories of 4 friends together. This book started off strong with an intriguing premise and a historical topic that is not widely written about in the historical fiction genre. Told through multiple POV, the reader gets to experience life through differing eyes during a time of strife, terror and unexpected consequences. I enjoyed this novel, but I did not love it. I felt it started to slow down the more I read and did not keep my attention as much as in the beginning. Overall, a solid debut. Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #netgalley #underthetamarindtree

What a great story! I really enjoyed the historical aspects of this book and learning how partition affected ordinary people. I loved Rozeena, the main character and was very invested in her story but there was so much going on that I think she became just a mouthpiece for the plot. This is a debut and I expect great things from Nigar Alam. I think she tried to do too much in the book. It could have easily been a lot longer and this reader would have been more satisfied. I didn't "buy" the close relationship between Rozeena and her friend, Haaris's granddaughter. Maybe some content was cut? I felt like I was told rather than shown how their friendship developed. The same for the four friends at the center of the plot. I didn't really see a friendship. When one dies at the end, it's so straightforward in the telling that I didn't feel a thing.

I will definitely pick up the next book Nigar Alam writes as I see incredible talent for pacing and plot. Now. just help us care for the characters! Thanks to all for the preview copy.

“Under the Tamarind Tree” paints a vivid picture of post-partition Southern Asia in 1947, a tumultuous period marred by the British mishandling of the exit and the ensuing chaos as they left vague directives for partition implementation. While I had some prior knowledge of this historical event, I was unaware of the extent of the rioting, bloodshed, loss, and devastation that occurred as the Muslim population migrated to the new Pakistan and the Hindu and Sikh populations moved to India simultaneously.

In this historical fiction work, we follow Rozeena, her parents, and her older brother, Faysal, as they flee from India to Pakistan. Tragically, Faysal is lost and killed during the riots, leaving the family in stunned grief upon their arrival in Karachi. Fortunately, their existing relatives in the city secure them a house, sparing them from settlement camps. Thus, they embark on the journey of rebuilding their lives. The narrative unfolds in two distinct timeframes, one in 1964—a momentous period for Rozeena and her close friends—and the other in 2019, still seen through Rozeena’s eyes but providing some closure as life comes full circle for certain characters.

The shadow of the 1947 events continues to loom over the lives of many characters in this story, regardless of the years that have passed. The book encourages us to ponder the intricacies of ageing, the relentless march of time, and the bittersweet truth that life rarely adheres to neat and tidy conclusions. The ending, while not conventionally satisfying, mirrors life’s unpredictability—a genuine reflection of how we find solace and joy amidst the imperfections of our journey.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The unspeakable trauma endured by forced immigrants is hard for those of us deeply rooted in our comfortable communities to understand. Partition was an event that resonated down the generations, with secrets and lies distorting the lives of the survivors.

Nigar Alam's thoroughly researched novel "Under the Tamarind Tree" explores this generational trauma in a deeply loving and heartfelt way. The dual timeline story explores the lives of a group of young Pakastani neighbors in 1965, and then the lives of the survivors in 2019. Most have immigrated or died. Some have stayed and made successful lives.

This is a lovely story, and deserves a wide audience among those struggling to deal with modern day immigration and its impacts.

Source: DRC via NetGalley (PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G. P. Putnam’s Sons) in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date: August 15, 2023
Synopsis: Goodreads
Purchase Link: Amazon

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Why did I choose to read this book?

I was browsing the Most Requested Books list on NetGalley when I came across this book. When I read the description, it read like a thriller/mystery, kind of an “I Know What You Did Last Summer” vibe. A mistake in Rozeena’s youth comes back to haunt her in her final years – what will happen??

I also enjoy learning about places around the world through fiction, and this book happens during the Partition of India and Pakistan after British occupation and the characters are affected by the aftermath of the event. The description of the book also mentions the exploration of social castes, which is something I always have an interest in learning about.

What is this book about?

This book is not about what I thought it would be about. As mentioned above, I thought it would be a sort of murder mystery, and while there was a significant death that changes everything, what happens is super obvious to the reader. The stress comes from holding your breath waiting to make sure that the group of friends handles the aftermath in a way that prevents them all from getting burned. Luckily one of the friends is in a higher social circle and is able to help them keep everything under wraps.

What is notable about this story?

Nigar Alam does an excellent job with tension in this story. Everything always seems to be on the brink of collapse: the lower social class friends’ hidden identities, Rozeena’s young medical aspirations, all the families’ status and living situations, the love connections – all of it is threatened at all times and is reflective of the turbulent political climate that exists at the time.

I love it when an author tricks me and it is always notable when they pull it off. The accidental death of someone in the story is a distraction from the true mystery, and Alam makes you wait until the very very VERY end before it is revealed. Much respect to weave a tale that was able to keep me interested for that distance and then also surprise me with something that wasn’t even on my radar. Bravo and cheers to you, good author.

Was anything not so great?

I always consider a story’s purpose when I write these reviews. Which was more important, the story moving along quickly or our relationships with/depth of understanding of the characters? In Under the Tamarind Tree, the speed of the story was crucial to keeping you looking every which way except where the secret was, and so the investment in the characters and their relationships suffered a bit. But story vs. characters is always a balancing act, and some stories are best told as a series of events with the characters being pushed along by the current. I just tend to enjoy a character-driven story better, because if I don’t care about the characters, I tend to care less about what is happening to them along the way.

Alam did a great job of investing me in the story despite my lack of investment in the characters, and so while this is something that isn’t usually very great to me (and wasn’t here), the strength of Alam’s writing got me through to the end anyway, and that’s awesome!

What’s the verdict?

4 stars on Goodreads and a hearty recommendation from me. If your local library carries this one, definitely put it on your holds list to read at some point. Let me know if you are as surprised as I was by the twist!

Well written, although I enjoyed the second half a lot more than the first. Rozeena’s story was quite intriguing as was Mansur’s beginnings. The author did a brilliant job of bringing the story together.

I loved how the story educates is on Pakistan’s history and the partition.

Excellent read. A real page turner. Combined historical fiction of the times when Pakistan was formed. Out of drama, lawlessness and family saga. Adult subject material and hidden secrets. It was initially a little slow to start but then I couldn't put it down. Excellent use of description and cultural references, but accessible to those who aren't familiar with the culture as well.

Thoughts

When I saw this I knew I really wanted to read it. I really want to learn more about the Partition.

This book had some really strong parts. I do feel like it was slow in parts but it was still a good story.

I think if this is on your radar it is worth checking it out.

Partition Literature is an ever-growing sub-genre across South Asia. And this debut novel earns its place well alongside the other well-known, much-awarded works here. Alam's dual-time narratives are woven skillfully, although we can see some of the plot points coming. Still, we root for these characters as they try their hardest to deal with the cards they've been handed.

This story is told in 2 timelines, both set in Karachi, Pakistan following the Partition. The first is set in 1964 when we are introduced to 4 childhood friends. The second timeline is set in 2019, and is mostly about Rozeena, a retired doctor, and her friendship with the American granddaughter of one of her old friends.

I am not a huge fan of dual timeline books, however in this case both timelines were interesting. Unfortunately, the constant jumping back and forth made for a disjointed and confusing reading experience. The author had a tendency to end chapters just as they got interesting, and then go to the other time period. I found that annoying. The 2019 timeline constantly hinted at big secrets from the earlier period, but the big reveals came too late in the book. I expected that the 1964 timeline would be more about the Partition, but it turned out to be more of a soap opera. I was hoping for more history, but that is my problem - I should have read a nonfiction book. This book was well written, and I would read more by this author, even though this book was not exactly what I was looking for. 3.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Under the Tamarind Tree is a historical novel telling the story of Partition through the lives of the characters. It's not a period of time where most Americans know much and this novel while being an enjoyable read, also made me want to know more about what actually happened.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Under the Tamarind Tree in exchange for an honest opinion. It is available now.

The novel revolves around an Indo-Pakistani family in the 1960s, a decade or so after the Partition from India. They have settled in Karachi and its members are navigating through the 60s in various ways, some questioning their belonging in Pakistan and others questioning the future they've been told they should have.

As the next generation, the younger generation Rozeena and her friends seek to break the norms of tradition, but their parents and society also hold them to the past, one in which young women get married, have children, remain in the domestic inner world. There is an allusion to a traumatic event in 1964, but it is shrouded in some mystery for most of the novel; it is the catalyst which changes the course of Rozeena and her friend's lives.

The novel toggles forward to 2019 and back to the 1960s, unraveling the story of Rozeena and her friends. as it does. In 2019, the same resistance to social conformity duplicates itself in Zara, a young woman under Rozeena's care.

About 3.5 stars for me. The impact of Partition on the families in the story was very interesting and something I haven’t read about before. I liked the dual timelines and seeing Rozeena in her younger years and in the current timeline where she is elderly. I also liked how Zara’s family and Rozeena’s entwined. The reason I didn’t give this a higher star rating is I felt removed from the characters and the story - there was a distance or lack of engagement I noticed. Could be just wrong time wrong book for me or the writing style- I can’t pinpoint it. That said I liked the book.

Thank you for the ARC! Beautifully and tenderly written, I want to revisit this book. Can't wait to re-read the paper release and gift it to my friends.

There are a lot of emotions going on in Under the Tamarind Tree, mostly sad and devastating. I knew very little about Partition in 1947 that split India and Pakistan along a made up border. There were 20 million people displaced and millions killed when Muslins were forced to flee to Pakistan and Hindu and Sikh fled for India.

In that mix were Rozeena and her parents who left much of their property behind in India and settled in Karachi where they were lucky enough to obtain a house. Rozeena grows up with neighborhood friends, a foursome who stick together until shortly after one fateful night when tragedy occurs.

The story is told mostly in 1964 when the four are young adults and also in 2019 when Rozeena is retired from her life as a doctor and not feeling very needed anymore by family. There are lots of secrets by everyone, somewhat a sign of the times and also by class. Only Haaris, one of the four, has money and standing in the community and we see not only the positive results of that but also how it eats him up and ultimately controls his life.

It is sad but so well told and I so appreciate learning about times and places that I was rather ignorant about.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

More like 3.5. I found this book hard to get into and a little confusing at first. Once I got 1/3 of the way in it started coming together and was an interesting read. It was an interesting look into the Partition that took place between Hindus and Muslims, India and Pakistan, which altered the lives of so many families forever. In many ways it's a forgotten time in our modern history, but lives on with those most effected and shapes their society today. Unavoidably, there is generational trauma that follows the future generation whether or not they are aware of all that happened. I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't had to work so hard to get through the beginning. Thanks Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book early!

This lyrically written and heartbreakingly beautiful book depicts the horrors of the Partition (when India and Pakistan were divided following independence from the British, forcing thousands to flee for their lives) and the long-lasting trauma of colonization, even several generations removed.

Devastating and hopeful in equal measure as a woman, now in her eighties, must confront her past with the help of the teenage granddaughter of a friend she thought she would never hear from again.

I knew as soon as I started this book it was going to make me cry. I made sure not to read it at night before bed because I didn’t want to go to bed with a heavy heart. This story is told in present and past recollections by Rozeena from her younger twenties to her present eighties self. It’s the story of how once incident changed the course of lives for four friends. Sisterhood is questioned, friendships become estranged, and a love story unfulfilled as result of one tragic event. The repercussions of that and of the ever present question to “what will people say,” alters the lives of these four people. The story is tragic and beautiful. As I thought when I started it, I knew this book was going to make me cry and it did but it was worth the time spent reading about Pakistan after the partition and the aftermath.

I love books with alternating POV’s and that cover a piece of history I don’t know too much about. So I was really excited to start this one.

The writing was done exceptionally well and there was so much potential. However, something about it was hard to follow and it moved rather slow at first.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and would be interested to read more from this author. Ultimately, I think I just may not have been in the right head space at the time I read this. I think it was worth coming back to eventually and reading again to see if my feelings shift.