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 other important characters in the novel, especially the women characters, whose poignant tales are narrated by the author quite skilfully. 

Spanning over decades, the novel brilliantly portrays the transformation that takes place in Kashmir along with the changing times, and how this change has a deep impact on the people.

A tale of self-discovery, freedom, love and realisation, Tarannum Riyaz's Birds of the Snows is a thought-provoking and intriguing novel. A must-read.


About the author: Dr Tarannum Riyaz was a noted Urdu writer, critic, poet and translator. Born and educated in Srinagar, Kashmir, she had Masters’ degrees in Urdu and Education and a doctorate in Education. She was the author of more than 20 books of fiction, criticism and poetry. Her works have been translated into many national and international languages. Her writings are prescribed for research and studies in educational institutions of India. She had also been a visiting lecturer at many prestigious educational and research institutions in India and abroad. 

She was a former Senior Fellow with the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and had received many awards for her work, including the SAARC Literature Award (2014), the Jammu and the Kashmir Academy for Art, Culture and Languages for the Best Book Award (2008) and the Delhi Urdu Academy Fiction Award (2006). Dr Riyaz has also participated in many national and international conferences and seminars.


My rating: 4 of 5 stars.
First Published: 2022
Pages: 498
Price: ₹695

You can buy this book from Amazon.


Thanks to the publisher, Niyogi Books, for providing me with a review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. 

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