A Golden Age

A Golden Age
By: Tahmima Anam
Copyright: 2007
Harper Collins

5 Bookmarks out of 5

I found this book on my bookshelf, just like Tuesdays with Morrie. Like I've said before, it doesn't bother me when random books that are not mine appear on the bookshelf. As any book lover and avid reader can tell you, some of the best books you read are books that you only accidentally land your hands on. I assume that it came from my older sister, but with this one I can't entirely be sure. One thing is definite, though, I did not expect this book to blow me away as much as it did.

The book is about Rehana Haque, a mother who is living in East Pakistan right before the 1971 war for independence. Just as some background for those who are unfamiliar with geography and history - East Pakistan eventually breaks away from West Pakistan to become the country of Bangladesh. I was worried because I was afraid that the war would be the only part of the plot, but Anam does an amazing job of making sure the plot is about characters as well. You see, Rehana Haque is a mother of a boy and a girl and the story is really about her love for them. The reader also gets to see how Rehana talks to her dead husband Iqbal still, especially when making important decisions.

The character driven book is really what stands out about this read. Anam goes through great efforts to inform the reader of Rehana's motives through every step of the book. Usually, I feel like authors go to some length to develop a solid character and then at the end leaves the reader guessing as to why the character acted in a certain way. In the end, Anam allowed the reader to get lost in the momentum of the plot but made sure to write enough at the end to ensure that the reader knew exactly what was going on. As a reader, I know that I often get lost by vague words and actions but desire a poetic use of words. Anam demonstrates her ability to command the English language by providing beautiful writing that doesn't lose the reader in its vagueness. I found myself re-reading the ending of the book because of the powerful emotional punch. I knew exactly why Rehana acted in the way she did and that was the reason that the ending was so powerful to me.

What I also appreciated in this book was Anam's ability to create a viable love interest with Rehana and the Major. If any of my readers can recall, when I reviewed So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish I let everyone know how much I really dislike love stories when they have nothing to do with, well, anything. With this story, I was afraid that Rehana would fall in love with the Major and it would do nothing to further the plot. I was ecstatic to find that this was not the case. The interactions between the two did a lot to give insight into Rehana as a person and helped further the plot along.

Besides having amazing characters, this book was also a must-read in my eyes because it also gave an interesting history lesson. I am, by no means, saying that this book will tell you everything about the Bangladeshi war for independence. But it will give you an idea about why it was being fought, who the people were who died, and what happened to the people who survived. One of the most gripping parts of the book comes from seeing how the Pakistani army treated Bangladeshi rebels in prison. And on a personal level, stories like these need to come out because so many people feel like genocides and mass murders by a government and army can't happen in the modern day. A Golden Age tells us otherwise, just like Hotel Rwanda gave a stark image on what happened in that country.

All in all, I try to remain as skeptical as possible when rating books. But this book had it all - amazing characters, a plot that went at a good pace, and it dealt with a major historical moment. Tahmima Anam also demonstrates her mastery of English in her use of words and literary techniques. This is a book that needs to be read by everyone - it is a book about a mother, a lover, and a revolutionary. I think that everyone who reads this book will take something away from it. (And did I mention that I just learned that there is a sequel? So the amazing quality that is this story doesn't have to end here!)