My Feudal Lord
This is by all standards a courageous book. Durrani, the daughter of an extremely wealthy Pakistani public servant, writes about her second marriage to Mustafa Khar, once known as Sher-e-Punjab (the Lion of the Punjab) for his political popularity in that part of Pakistan. The tagline to the book says, "A devastating indictment of women's role in Muslim society." The indictment is certainly eye-opening for those not intimately acquainted with subcontinental gender issues. Durrani's continual beating at the hands of Khar, his torrid affair with her younger sister, his grievous emotional abuse of her are in every sense of the term, horrifying.
For all this, a better understanding of Pakistani politics and a deeper insight into the cultural milieu of subcontinental Islam, My Feudal Lord is a good read. However, I found that the last quarter of the book dragged on forever, and for some reason Durrani has attempted to detail all sorts of vagaries in the political situation which are neither particularly interesting nor material to her story. Also, her storytelling degenerates after the first half of the book into what sounds like a loud whinge. There were times when I (and I completely understand her frustration and desperate need for independence) got very annoyed and wished she'd just get to the point and stop dramatising so much along the way.
In the final run this is an inspiring story, though. Ridding herself of Mustafa Khar after over 15 years of marriage and 4 children was a hugely courageous step and one that is even more laudable in the light of Durrani's cultural background.
For all this, a better understanding of Pakistani politics and a deeper insight into the cultural milieu of subcontinental Islam, My Feudal Lord is a good read. However, I found that the last quarter of the book dragged on forever, and for some reason Durrani has attempted to detail all sorts of vagaries in the political situation which are neither particularly interesting nor material to her story. Also, her storytelling degenerates after the first half of the book into what sounds like a loud whinge. There were times when I (and I completely understand her frustration and desperate need for independence) got very annoyed and wished she'd just get to the point and stop dramatising so much along the way.
In the final run this is an inspiring story, though. Ridding herself of Mustafa Khar after over 15 years of marriage and 4 children was a hugely courageous step and one that is even more laudable in the light of Durrani's cultural background.
Comments