Book Review 114: Birds of the Snows by Tarannum Riyaz
Translated from the Urdu novel Barf Aashna Parindey , Birds of the Snows by Tarannum Riyaz tells the poignant tale of a Kashmiri family. The novel mainly focuses on the life of Sheba, the youngest daughter of Chowdhury Najam Khan and Suraya Begum. Sheba is very different from her sisters and perceives life very differently. She desires freedom and knowledge. The various situations she faces in life help her come to terms with the responsibilities of life. Her decisions and the choices she makes for herself reflect her strong set of values and ideals. The author has brilliantly explored Sheba's relationship with various other characters in the novel. The wise and ambitious young woman has several sides to her character. She tries her best to fulfil her duties as a loving daughter, a sister, an aunt, a friend, and a student. She possesses a warm heart, a pleasant personality and has a deeply humanitarian and compassionate side to her character. Besides Sheba, there are several oth