a b "Interview: Monica Ali, author". The Scotsman. 8 April 2011. Archived from the original on 24 May 2015. {{ cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL ( link) The fourth and most important issue hinges on a word much in play these days: offence. I find this the most worrying aspect of the whole affair because it is symptomatic of deep and far-reaching changes in our political, social and cultural life. The protest organisers say they are offended that a character in the novel - Chanu, Nazneen's husband - says rude things about Sylhetis (Sylhet is a region of Bangladesh). He most certainly does. Here is the passage, early in the book, from which the objectors most often quote: All sorts of people take offence at all sorts of things. When Irvine Welsh's junkie novel, Trainspotting, was published, some people in Edinburgh objected to the way it portrayed their city. No one took much notice. The feelings of an offended ethnic minority, though (or rather a tiny minority within a minority) rank more highly. Undoubtedly offering to burn books helps. But there is something more fundamental going on here. The white, middle-class good burghers of Edinburgh can look after themselves, but when offence is taken by the underdog those feelings are valued more highly. Kadang keadaan ternyata tidak seburuk yang disangka. Kadang-kadang hal buruk yang disangka akan datang malah tidak datang sama sekali. Kalian hanya harus menunggu dan melihat keadaan.” Ali's observations of Nazneen, her family and friends, is precise, true and can only emanate out of deep empathy, the quality that gives this first novel its warmth and humour...Ali writes with such confidence and with the kind of control a much more experienced novelist would envy' Independent

Ranasinha, Ruvani, "Contemporary Diaspora South Asian Women's Fiction: Gender, Narration and Globalisation": Palgrave Macmillan. While Nazneen journeys along her path of self-realization, her sister, Hasina, rushes headlong at her life, first making a "love marriage," then fleeing her violent husband. Woven through the novel, Hasina's letters from Dhaka recount a world of overwhelming adversity. Shaped, yet not bound, by their landscapes and memories, both sisters struggle to dream -- and live -- beyond the rules prescribed for them. Hasina, having no other option becomes a prostitute and later marries one of her customers (an Albino) on his insistence. However, after some months, their relations become worse and he starts roaring at her. Hasina again runs away and finds a job in a good family. As Chanu is busy in the struggle for money, Karim enters into Nazneen’s life. Karim is a Bangladeshi immigrant. He feels difficulty in speaking a native language but speaks English without any problem.The tabloid-friendly premise of the novel allowed for a great deal of insightful and engaging discussion of fame, celebrity and the pitfalls of the global media spotlight. But this slightly far-fetched, high-concept exercise was less well-received than Ali’s previous works. Many critics found her grasp on the idioms of American speech, and the nuance of US social mores, inevitably less convincing than the sure grasp on the contradictions and idiosyncrasies of Englishness that her previous works had shown. Karim makes Nazneen know herself and develops her personality. Despite Chanu’s restrictions, Nazneen attends Karim’s meetings. Karim often dominates his rivals during the meetings and Nazneen is quite impressed by him.

As Chanu remains out of the house during the day, Mrs Islam starts coming to Nazneen to demand her money. Initially, Nazneen pays money on her every visit without asking any question. However, one day she decides not to pay any more. Monica Ali quietly documents the harrowing scenes of 9/11 as seen by millions the world over. Chanu is mesmerised, glued to the TV, and his rants have an ominous foreboding of the Islamic extremism that has become pervasive. His wife, Nazneen, is bewildered, such is her detachment from the outside world. It is events like these that begin to dispel the stillness that she previously inhabited. Chanu resigns from his job without any reason and becomes a taxi-driver. He borrows the huge sum from Mrs Islam. He buys a computer, a sewing machine, and other household things. To meet expenses, Nazneen starts sewing business at home. On opening her eyes, Nazneen finds herself on the ice skating ground and on the advice of her daughters and Razia, she goes for it. Sub Plot

Reader Reviews

Climax: Nazneen finishes paying the debt she and her husband, Chanu, owe to the corrupt and cruel Mrs. Islam, refusing, despite intimidation from the woman’s two thuggish sons, to hand over any more money in interest. This act of defiance gives Nazneen the courage to end her relationship with her lover, Karim, and tell Chanu that she will not return to Bangladesh with him but will, instead, be making a life for herself and her daughters in London.