Book Review
of Shadow on the Wall by Pavarti K. Tyler
Book
Synopsis:
Title: Shadow
on the Wall
Author:
Pavarti K. Tyler
Recai Osman:
Muslim, philosopher, billionaire and Superhero?
Controversial and daring, Shadow on the Wall details the transformation of Recai Osman from complicated man to Superhero. Forced to witness the cruelty of the Morality Police in his home city of Elih, Turkey, Recai is called upon by the power of the desert to be the vehicle of change. Does he have the strength to answer Allah's call or will his dark past and self-doubt stand in his way?
Pulling on his faith in Allah, the friendship of a Jewish father-figure and a deeply held belief that his people deserve better, Recai Osman must become The SandStorm.
In the tradition of books by Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie, Shadow on the Wall tackles issues of religion, gender, corruption and the basic human condition. Beautiful and challenging, this is not a book to miss.
Controversial and daring, Shadow on the Wall details the transformation of Recai Osman from complicated man to Superhero. Forced to witness the cruelty of the Morality Police in his home city of Elih, Turkey, Recai is called upon by the power of the desert to be the vehicle of change. Does he have the strength to answer Allah's call or will his dark past and self-doubt stand in his way?
Pulling on his faith in Allah, the friendship of a Jewish father-figure and a deeply held belief that his people deserve better, Recai Osman must become The SandStorm.
In the tradition of books by Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie, Shadow on the Wall tackles issues of religion, gender, corruption and the basic human condition. Beautiful and challenging, this is not a book to miss.
Author
Information:
Pavarti K Tyler is an
artist, wife, mother and number cruncher. She graduated Smith College in 1999
with a degree in Theatre. After graduation, she moved to New York, where she
worked as a Dramaturge, Assistant Director and Production Manager on
productions both on and off Broadway.
Later, Pavarti went
to work in the finance industry as a freelance accountant for several
international law firms. She now operates her own accounting firm in the
Washington DC area, where she lives with her husband, two daughters and two
terrible dogs. When not preparing taxes, she is busy penning her next novel.
Throughout history, literature and the art of
story-telling have influenced politics, religion and culture. The power of the
epic tale is universal. Why is it that those who never read The Iliad know
Helen of Troy? Her story, Homer’s story, transcends the written word and has
become a part of our human lexicon. The power of the written word is undeniable
and Pavarti is honored to be part of the next wave of literary revolution.
Links
Website and Blog: www.fightingmonkeypress.comMy tumblr is 18+ only: http://pavartidevi.tumblr.com/
Facebook Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/#!/FMPress
Twitter Feed: http://twitter.com/#!/PavartiKTyler
Google+: https://plus.google.com/?gpinv=JFSVnKSj7Uk:FdjR-3NCJW8#me/posts
Book Excerpt
Knock. Just one solid sound.
Recai sat up too quickly and fell
back against his mattress gasping as Rebekah stuck her head into his small
room, her face creased with worry and fear.
“Cover yourself and stay silent,”
she whispered before closing the door and rushing back into the living room to
retrieve her burqa and open the door. Recai heard the movement of the heavy
fabric she wore on top of her house dress as she moved across the room to greet
their visitor. He wondered if she had retrieved her father’s gun which he’d
overheard Hasad say was under the couch in the living room.
Before hiding beneath the thin
sheet that covered him, he reached down and pulled the rug from the floor and
threw it across his legs. He covered his head and melted against the wall with
the pillow on top of his upper body. Feeling foolish, Recai laid there, wishing
he had his ID, his phone, anything to help bribe his way out of this situation
if it was indeed the RTK at the door.
Perhaps
it’s just a neighbor, he
thought. A neighbor come to ask after
Rebekah’s father’s ealth or to borrow some salt. His attempt at
rationalizing the unexpected visit did not quell his fears. The RTK made a
habit of performing home inspections, especially if they suspected a woman
alone. It wasn’t a safe time for anyone under the jurisdiction of Mayor Yilmaz.
Book Review:
This
book is outside the norm of what I usually read. It was a difficult read for me. The topic is one we usually avoid. Generally we say don’t talk to people about
religion or politics, and this book has both.
It also has violence and race issues that are very pertinent to the
world we live in today. There is a lot on
the news about the Middle East and the problems between Muslims and Jewish
people. These are difficult topics to
explore in any circumstance, which makes this book unique.
I do
not think this is a book I would have normally just picked up to read in the store
as I tend to avoid books that make me uncomfortable and this book did
that. However, I am glad I read it. While the topics are traditionally taboo,
this book provides great insight and understanding that people are people no
matter what their religion or political views.
Evil
exists in the world and we cannot avoid it; however we can strive to understand
where it is coming from and learn from it to become better people. That is the message of this book. While I would not have necessarily chosen
this book to read, I am glad that I did.
It has broadened my view of the world and, hopefully, helped me to see
into a world I will never live.
I give
this book 4 out of 5 clouds despite being such a difficult book to read. This is NOT a book for children. It is definitely for adults as the topics
described are serious and not for young people.
The discussion guide in the back was invaluable.
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