BOOK REVIEW: THE RUNAWAYS BY FATIMA BHUTTO

"Rise like Lions after slumber

In unvanquishable number...," P.B Shelley 

The Runaways by Fatima Bhutto is a fiction novel. It was published in 2018. It's a powerful novel and an excellent read. It has a complex mixture of ideas on, self-destruction, betrayal, loneliness, national, identity, love, sexuality, politics, social media, violence, and religion.  

The Runaways gives a glimpse of the bitter reality that exists near us, in this modern world. The story revolves around Three main characters, Anita Rose, Sunny, and Monty. Slowly gradually, bitter reality shows up why are all of them running away from their lives? It made me question if life's suffering is never ending why do we want to run away from them?  Suffering's labyrinth have no way out. The characters run away down the wrong path and also never get rid of their past till the end. The central theme of the novel is the radicalization of young minds. It was my first time to read such a topic and know what elements involve in it. Religious movements and politics and self-destruction are painted well. In simple words, it highlights why and wherefore these young people join terrorist organizations related to Islamic State. I thought of watching movies and clips of people joining ISIS, only because they believed revolutionists of holy war must be fought. 

Fatima Bhutto leads board discussions on such topics. It's interesting social, political, and cultural debates. I get to know more about it why people join ISIS. A debate and mind full of thoughts to discuss it openly and we have to until it ends. 

Its non-linear plot sometimes breaks the interest of the reader. The sudden shift from one character's story to another, from past to present. Well, it's a psychological novel. It is a marvelous novel. Especially its cultural presentation. The way the author used Urdu words without translation and letting the reader go and understand. 

In Layla’s words, “Don’t you feel strange, speaking a language every day that’s not your own?”

My favorite part or if any so then Anita Rose was all I relate with. Her and Monty's love doesn't attract me as much as her fight for herself. How she got the strength after facing much, reminding herself that "I am a Lioness." "Layla the Lion" Bhutto's talent is much appreciated when she used many writers. But famous Pakistan revolutionary poets like Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Habib Jalib etc. Faiz, in fact, provided the words that might serve as the book’s central idea: “There are other griefs in this world apart from that of love. And other pleasures apart from that of the union.” 

Furthermore, Fatima Bhutto's way of illustrating scenarios through out novel is amazing. The reader feels the scene by reading the descriptive style of the writer's writing. When I started reading it I loved it, but in the middle, I was losing my grip slower in reading it. When I reached its end, I got more in my mind than I expect. I assure you if you read it continuously, you will love this novel. Because it's about 423 pages book, and its length not justifying its story. It could be finished within 300. Like Sunny and Monty survived in the desert and crossed it well, nothing special we read except their switching to eating, sleeping, and checking phones. 

Therefore, I learned that social media is an obsession and it can lead you to any path, without your realization of that. Crossing borders, transnational, and anti-international and lead you into any propaganda. It proved to be a good read, a novel that gave me strength and knowledge.

Another important question I have in my mind is, who gives us identity? Where or by whom do we get our identity? Are we choosers of our identities or does our society decides it for us, or someone else? *Kon sala ye kheel khel raha he? I wanna know the reason behind this big problem which the writer also reflects through the characters. 

At last, quotes from different authors and some beautiful poetic lines I couldn't hold myself but highlight in the book. 

"That's the thing with betrayal- it's always the people you love."

#Therunaways #fatimabhutto