Book cover of The Return of Faraz Ali

Book description

NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES AND NPR

“Stunning not only on account of the author’s talent, of which there is clearly plenty, but also in its humanity.” —New York Times Book Review (cover)

Sent back to his birthplace—Lahore’s notorious red-light district—to hush up…

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Why read it?

3 authors picked The Return of Faraz Ali as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I literally fell asleep over the pages several times, not because the book was dull, but because I didn't want to put it down.

All my favorite books have something in common: a vital energy to the prose, an immersion in another world, and characters shown in all their complex humanity.

When Faraz Ali takes up his new role at the police station in Lahore, Pakistan’s red-light district – the Mohalla - two things are clear early on: he’s supposed to cover up the death of a young girl, and he has a disturbing family history in the Mohalla. Even though you know all that, the suspense never lets up.

Any action Faraz Ali takes may be a dangerous choice. He and the children…

A brilliant novel with more than one mystery at its heart, with more than one truth about human emotions. Beautifully written, unflinching in its depiction of corruption and cruelty; lyrical in its evocation of loss and longing, love and survival. Faraz Ali, a young Pakistani police officer is sent to Shahi Mohalla, the red-light district of Lahore, where a girl has been murdered: not to solve the crime, but to cover it up. However, Faraz Ali has his own tormented history with the Mohalla. And, unknown to him his dimly remembered sister, the beautiful and fiery Rozina, is facing the…

From Ravinder's list on by writers of colour.

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