Burnt Shadows

Viac o knihe

Beginning on August 9, 1945, in Nagasaki, and concluding in a US prison cell in 2002, this epic narrative explores themes of love and betrayal. Hiroko Tanaka, a twenty-one-year-old in love with her fiancé Konrad Weiss, experiences a life-altering moment as the atomic bomb devastates her world. The only remnants of her past are the bird-shaped burns on her back, symbolizing her loss. Seeking a fresh start, Hiroko moves to Delhi two years later, where her life becomes intertwined with that of Konrad's half-sister, Elizabeth, her husband James Burton, and their employee Sajjad Ashraf, from whom she begins to learn Urdu. With the partition of India and the creation of Pakistan, Hiroko faces displacement once more, navigating a landscape where old conflicts give way to new ones. The interconnected lives of the Burtons, Ashrafs, and Tanakas are overshadowed by personal and political histories as they journey from Pakistan to New York, culminating in a gripping climax in Afghanistan shortly after 9/11. The enduring ties among these families are tested to their limits, leading to unforeseen consequences that resonate across generations.