Freedom

Freedom, you are
an arbour in the garden, the koel's song,
glistening leaves on banyan trees,
my notebook of poetry, to scribble as I please.
~Shamshur Rahman, Shadhinota Tumi

...........such is the preface to....

A Golden Age
by Tahmima Anam

Whats the story about?
....about a widow with a daughter and a son living in East Pakistan(pre 1971 now known as Bangladesh). The nerves of steel of this young widow by which she survives a life long struggle to keep her kids who in turn join the war for independence. The poignant tale of this woman of steel caught between holding her children close to her heart and letting them go for a higher cause.

What makes it special?
.....the powerful script, the moving tale, the strong characters, the travails of a common (wo)man in a freedom struggle.

What keeps the story going?
.....the challenges that life throws at one and all, the inevitable depravity that war brings along with it, the scars that take an eternity to heal.

What do you need to keep in mind?
.....somewhere about 2/3rds into the book, it begins to drag some. But keep prodding along because the end makes it worth the effort. Its the cincher that makes a good tale catapult into the elevated ranks of a masterpiece.