Not a shallow book
Shusruto Rishik goes for some leisurely reading
Welcome to Americastan
Jabeen Akhtar
Penguin/VikingSuppose you had a nightmare where the police suspect that you are a terrorist (even though, in truth, you're as clean as a whistle). You're on the brink of going to jail. You had a bright future ahead that is reduced to dust. Your boyfriend/girlfriend cheated on you. You had a criminal record slapped on you which reduced your career prospects to window-cleaning and even that is a long-shot. But before things get 'too' bad, you can simply wake up. The protagonist, Samira, in Jabeen Akhtar's Welcome to Americastan has no such luck- all of the events, while seeming like a bad nightmare to her, is very, very real.
Welcome to Americastan is a very refreshing novel. The story follows Samira, a Pakistani-American through a very rough patch in her life. There are no extravagant elements in the story, no fist-clenching thriller moments and no elaborate plot that ends with a gut-wrenching twist. However these do not have to be, and in this case certainly aren't, disadvantages. On the contrary, it really helps the reader relate to the events and characters in the story. The story is narrated in a very down-to-earth way. The words flow quite informally and there is a very definite and mischievous sense of humor. We basically see Samira come to terms with her situation and move on in life. Throughout all this self-reflection there are bound to be emotional situations and there are. However, the author makes sure they get topped with a twinge of humor which prevents it from getting too sappy.
The book provides excellent entertainment but it isn't shallow. The author does bring observations about real life into the book. However, they aren't elaborate descriptions of philosophy. They are more of a tiny push which starts one's mind thinking. There are too many of these little pushes in the book to really describe comprehensively and it is quite difficult to pick one or two out while leaving the rest. The writer manages to bring in a plethora of topics ranging from religion and regimes to sibling-family relations/ quarreling. All these topics are woven seamlessly into the story-events with a prod of humor giving credence to the notion that humor really is the last form of free speech left. There are so many topics and perspectives at work that it may be difficult to form a non-biased opinion on them. How the reader perceives some of the plot points may be dependent on how he/she processes the issues involved, some of which are a little touchy. What might seem 'right' from the protagonist's point of view might be unfair if looking through the eyes of another character. Yet from another perspective the whole situation might seem to be petty quarrel over unimportant issues and life would flow more smoothly if the characters compromised with each other.
Welcome to Americastan is leisurely read for the casual reader but it also holds messages between the lines for curious readers wishing to look a little closer.
Shusruto Rishik, a literature enthusiast, is a keen reviewer of books as well.
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