Jasmine Days by Benyamin | Complete Book Review [2020]

Helloo Everyone,

I’ve been excited to read this book since it won the JCB Literature award in 2018. I was even more intrigued when I read its sequel “Al Arab novel factory”(i didn’t know it was a sequel🙈 )and yes….this book did give me all the emotions and knowledge I was expecting.

A complete Book Review on Jasmine Days by Benyamin. This book won the JCB Literature award in 2018 (Translated from Malayalam)💕

The Book Blur: 📕

Sameera Parvin moves to an unnamed Middle Eastern city to live with her father and her relatives. She thrives in her job as a radio jockey and at home, she is the darling of the family. But her happy world starts to fall apart when revolution blooms in the country. As the people’s agitation gathers strength, Sameera finds herself and her family embroiled in the politics of their adopted land. She is forced to choose between family and friends, loyalty and love, life and death.

The Harsh Truth: Jasmine Days by Benyamin 😱

This novel tells the story of Sameera Parvin, a young woman from Pakistan who gets a radio jockey job in an unnamed Middle Eastern county. Sameera joins her extended family (her baba, chacha, Taya, Mami…) there She is too excited about her job and thrives as the best radio jockey in just a short span of time. She makes amazing friends in her office, Ali becomes her best friend. Thus her world revolved around the radio station, home and her music brand.

Everything went smooth, till the revolution bloomed in the country. The protest aimed for equality, independence by overthrowing the king rule.FOR few days, “His majesty” and his people watched over the protesters. Warming was given to them after a few days. Also, the king tried to bid them with 1000 dinars for each one.

When all these tricks and plays didn’t work as expected, they attacked them. Likewise, the protesters started attacking the police, government officials and the immigrants.

Though the protest took away the peace and happiness of many, the most affected was Sameera. Why was she most affected. Events that preceded after the revolution changed Sameera personally and mentally.

Finally, Sameera was left to choose between her family and her best friend Ali. What did Sameera do?🧐

The lavish country turned bloodshed and many migrated back to their homeland. Fear overruled people. The detailing of these were incidents were brilliant. The conflicts between Shias and Sunnis Muslim were touching. How badly they were treated in their own land. It was heartbreaking to read the cruelty the citizens of their own country faced. The book does make you weep at certain places. The writing style was fabulous and it was a perfect page-turner.

The luxuriant of Arab’s are not always the way we think or hear. Read this book to know them.📗

AND… Do, read the sequel of the book “Al Arab novel factory” to completely know what happens to Sammer.

Overall, I enjoyed the read and I was happy to know, the problems, hardships face by a migrant to an Arab country. Do give this a read and share me your reviews in the comment section below.

You can Buy the Book here: Jasmine Days by Benyamin (Author) and Shahnaz Habib (Translator)

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