Burnt Shadows

Longlisted for the prestigious Orange Prize for Fiction, Kamila Shamsie’s Burnt Shadows is an enthralling meta-cultural epic, the panoramic tale of two families tangled together in some of the most devastating conflicts of modern historyNagasaki, August 9, 1945. Hiroko Tanaka watches her lover from the veranda as he leaves. Sunlight streams across Urakami Valley, and then the world goes white."Any reader anticipating a predictable yarn about the radicalisation of Islamist youth may feel cheated. Far more, I suspect, will feel challenged and enlightened, possibly provoked, and undoubtedly enriched." - Maya Jaggi, The GuardianIn the devastating aftermath of the atomic bomb, Hiroko leaves Japan in search of new beginnings. From Delhi, amid India's cry for independence from British colonial rule to New York City in the immediate wake of 9/11, to the novel's astonishing climax in Afghanistan, a violent history casts its shadow the entire world over. Sweeping in its scope and mesmerizing in its evocation of time and place, this is a tale of love and war, of three generations, and three world-changing historic events. "Some novels are so intensely charged with emotion and beauty that the reader, emerging reluctantly from the last pages, feels flayed – as if a layer of skin has been delicately stripped off. Kamila Shamsie’s fifth book, Burnt Shadows, is one such rarity... Yet the merit of this formidable arching tale about loss and foreignness is entirely Shamsie's. Her achievement is tremendous." - Angel Gurria-Quintana, The Financial TimesKamila Shamsie's Burnt Shadows is a story for our time by "a writer of immense ambition and strength... This is an absorbing novel that commands in the reader a powerful emotional and intellectual response" (Salman Rushdie).Orange Prize Nominee for Fiction Shortlist (2009), Winner of Anisfield-Wolf Book Award (2010) A powerful, sweeping epic crossing generations, cultures and continentsIn a prison cell in the US, a man stands trembling, naked, fearfully waiting to be shipped to Guantanamo Bay. How did it come to this? he wonders...August 9th, 1945, Nagasaki. Hiroko Tanaka steps out onto her veranda, taking in the view of the terraced slopes leading up to the sky. Wrapped in a kimono with three black cranes swooping across the back, she is twenty-one, in love with the man she is to marry, Konrad Weiss.In a split second, the world turns white. In the next, it explodes with the sound of fire and the horror of realisation. In the numbing aftermath of a bomb that obliterates everything she has known, all that remains are the bird-shaped burns on her back, an indelible reminder of the world she has lost.In search of new beginnings, she travels to Delhi two years later. There she walks into the lives of Konrad’s half-sister, Elizabeth, her husband James Burton, and their employee Sajjad Ashraf, from whom she starts to learn Urdu. As the years unravel, new homes replace those left behind and old wars are seamlessly usurped by new conflicts. But the shadows of history – personal, political – are cast over the entwined worlds of the Burtons, Ashrafs and the Tanakas as they are transported from Pakistan to New York, and in the novel’s astonishing climax, to Afghanistan in the immediate wake of 9/11. The ties that have bound them together over decades and generations are tested to the extreme, with unforeseeable consequences.Sweeping in its scope and mesmerising in its evocation of time and place, Burnt Shadows is an epic narrative of disasters evaded and confronted, loyalties offered and repaid, and loves rewarded and betrayed. Shortlisted For The Orange Prize 2009 In A Prison Cell In The Us, A Man Stands Trembling, Naked, Fearfully Waiting To Be Shipped To Guantánamo Bay. How Did It Come To This? He Wonders... August 9th, 1945, Nagasaki. Hiroko Tanaka Steps Out Onto Her Veranda, Taking In The View Of The Terraced Slopes Leading Up To The Sky. Wrapped In A Kimono With Three Black Cranes Swooping Across The Back, She Is Twenty-one, In Love With The Man She Is To Marry, Konrad Weiss. In A Split Second, The World Turns White. In The Next, It Explodes With The Sound Of Fire And The Horror Of Realisation. In The Numbing Aftermath Of A Bomb That Obliterates Everything She Has Known, All That Remains Are The Bird-shaped Burns On Her Back, An Indelible Reminder Of The World She Has Lost. In Search Of New Beginnings, She Travels To Delhi Two Years Later. There She Walks Into The Lives Of Konrad's Half-sister, Elizabeth, Her Husband James Burton, And Their Employee Sajjad Ashraf, From Whom She Starts To Learn Urdu. As The Years Unravel, New Homes Replace Those Left Behind And Old Wars Are Seamlessly Usurped By New Conflicts. But The Shadows Of History - Personal, Political - Are Cast Over The Entwined Worlds Of The Burtons, Ashrafs And The Tanakas As They Are Transported From Pakistan To New York, And In The Novel's Astonishing Climax, To Afghanistan In The Immediate Wake Of 9/11. The Ties That Have Bound Them Together Over Decades And Generations Are Tested To The Extreme, With Unforeseeable Consequences. Sweeping In Its Scope And Mesmerising In Its Evocation Of Time And Place, Burnt Shadows Is An Epic Narrative Of Disasters Evaded And Confronted, Loyalties Offered And Repaid, And Loves Rewarded And Betrayed. _______________ 'A formidable arching tale about loss and foreignness' - Financial Times 'Powerful, epic yet skilfully controlled ... Shamsie's voice is clear and compelling, with a welcome sparseness' - Guardian 'Completely authentic, complex, and breath-stopping' - Emma Thompson _______________ SHORTLISTED FOR THE ORANGE PRIZE BY THE ACCLAIMED WINNER OF THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION August 9th, 1945, Nagasaki. Hiroko Tanaka steps out onto her veranda, taking in the view of the terraced slopes leading up to the sky. She is twenty-one and on the verge of marrying Konrad Weiss. In a split second, the world turns whiteIn the numbing aftermath of a bomb that obliterates everything she has known, all that remains are the bird-shaped burns on her back, an indelible reminder of the world she has lost. In search of new beginnings, Hiroko travels to Delhi to find Konrad's relatives and falls in love with their employee, Sajjad Ashraf. As the years unravel, new homes replace those left behind and old wars are seamlessly usurped by new conflicts. But the shadows of history – personal, political – are cast over the entwined worlds of different families as they are transported from Pakistan to New York, and in the novel's astonishing climax, to Afghanistan in the immediate wake of 9/11. _______________ 'Shamsie achieves the near impossibility of a truly intimate epic tale ... I challenge anyone to put this book down lightly' - Shami Chakrabarti, Observer, Books of the Year 'A giant of novel ... Beautifully realised' - Independent A powerful, sweeping epic crossing generations, cultures and continents In a prison cell in the US, a man stands trembling, naked, fearfully waiting to be shipped to Guantánamo Bay. How did it come to this? he wonders... August 9th, 1945, Nagasaki. Hiroko Tanaka steps out onto her veranda, taking in the view of the terraced slopes leading up to the sky. Wrapped in a kimono with three black cranes swooping across the back, she is twenty-one, in love with the man she is to marry, Konrad Weiss. In a split second, the world turns white. In the next, it explodes with the sound of fire and the horror of realisation. In the numbing aftermath of a bomb that obliterates everything she has known, all that remains are the bird-shaped burns on her back, an indelible reminder of the world she has lost. In search of new beginnings, she travels to Delhi two years later. There she walks into the lives of Konrad’s half-sister, Elizabeth, her husband James Burton, and their employee... Hewer Text UK Ltd