1.THE MEMORY OF LOVE
By Aminatta Forna.
"Adrian had read press accounts, the post conflict reports. He knew how the war had begun - the barely remarked border crossing of a small contingent of foreign-trained rebel soldiers, who soon declared their presence by taking over a series of towns and vowed to march on the capital and overturn the bloated autocracy, which had ruled twenty years.
And he knew how it ended - how civilians had borne the brunt of the rebel's fury from the outset and endured their agonies for a decade until the war was brought to a halt by the army of a nearby state whith an ambitious despot of its own. "
This is how Adrian a voluntary psychiatrist through the press' eye would describe the Sierra Leone war.
Elias Cole a psychiatrical patient of Dr. Adrian accounts his side of the story to the doctor,the before, during and after. His insatiable longing for Saffia, relationship with Julius and just how he stayed through it all.
During his stay Adrian a European who was actually in pursuit of reason feels like he has found in this new place. He cares for his patients which leads him to unraveling their lives until he realises he has become part of their story. He let's us into the psychiatric world with lots of terms to learn and human psychology.
A new friendship blossoms between him and Kai a surgeon in the same hospital until Nenebah (Mamakay) who often stands in the middle of her relations comes again. There is for Kai what could have been if only...but forever for him there is something stronger 'the memory of love'
Men, women and children were ghastly murdered, there was no justice. The aftermath is crippled humans, increased psychiatrical cases that were formerly dominant in drug abusers but are now about nightmares and flight from reality. Suicide attempts and hostility from perpetrators. There are also white people from overseas coming to seek what might be there for them and fully enjoy their freedom.
The novel continues in flashback and present, hence a stream of consciousness. There are accounts of who loved who and who betrayed who.
Love in romantic relationships, family and friendships has been a huge factor in influencing characters' choices of actions. The accounts are bittersweet.
Pay attention to details especially the numerous anologies used by characters. There is often a meaning or reference to be unraveled in an utterance during conversations.
It may take one 3 to 6 days to complete the read depending on how much time you are willing to allocate the book per day.
2.A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS.
Khaled Hosseini.
"The freedoms and opportunities that women had enjoyed between 1978 and 1992 were a thing of the past now. Laila could still remember Babi saying of those years of communist rule, it's a good time to be a woman in Afghanistan, Laila since the Mujahideen takeover in April 1992, Afghanistan's name has been changed to the Islamic State of Afghanistan.
The supreme court under Rabbani was filled now with hard-liner mullahs who did away with the communist era decrees that empowered women and instead passed rules based on Shari'a, strict Islamic laws that ordered women to cover, forbade their travel without a male relative, punished adultery with stoning. Even if the actual enforcement of these laws was sporadic at best But they'd enforce them on us more, Laila said to Mariam, if they weren't so busy killing each other. And us. "
Mariam a 'haram' child at fifteen is given into marriage by her father Jalil to Rasheed a man twice her age despite her mother's protests. She lived with her mother and were frowned upon by other people. The only other person who came to see her and make her feel special is Jalil.
Years later Laila a sixteen year old girl from a well off family suddenly wakes up orphaned by the ongoing attacks, intrudes Mariam's home as a junior wife but dear Mariam is not pleased with this development. After a long period of a cold relationship Mariam comes to the realization that she would rather kindle a relationship with Laila for the sake of their survival and her new bubbly baby who has brought a new meaning to Mariam's life . The little girl is very warm towards Mariam who has had none even after eighteen years in marriage. The enemy is within. Their husband.
The Afghan war isn't getting any better and Rasheed their husband isn't either. He lost his job and is hostile and very irritable especially towards Mariam. Regardless of how much she tries to be a good wife the beatings always come.
There gets to a time Laila starts receiving the beatings too until one night it goes overboard. There is no turning back.
There are moments of loss, despair, deceit, hope, romance, bliss, trust and sacrifice in each character's life. What really stood out is the plight of women and children in these times.The amended laws make conditions horrendous for them. The story albeit gloomy is beautifully told. In the midst of dark times there are found glints of splendid even if fleeting moments. A love story has blossomed and braved a turmoil.
This is also a long novel and may take about 5 days of active reading.
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