Bright Lines

Three Brooklyn girls grapple with their Bangladeshi roots and modern sexual challenges in Islam’s debut novel. Ella, orphaned by her parents’ murder, lives with her aunt Hashi and uncle Anwar, serving the role of an honorary daughter; further complicating the family dynamics is her suppressed romantic love for their daughter, her cousin Charu. The family also welcomes Maya, the daughter of an Islamic cleric, who has run away from her father’s oppressive household. When the family travels to Bangladesh in an effort to restore their bond, they find answers but also tragedy. Too often, the narrative is distracted by Anwar’s many spiritual and sensual conflicts, including his brother’s unresolved murder. But Islam depicts lush Bangladesh and a gritty Brooklyn very well, and she’s at her strongest when following the free-spirited young women. The characters’ halfhearted feelings toward their Muslim identities provide an original and intriguing backdrop for their misadventures. [em](Aug.) [/em]