'' FORTY DAYS OF MOURNING '' : BOOK REVIEW SNIPPET

'' Forty Days of Mourning '' By Arslan Athar. The novel is set during the uneasy year after the British left, when Hyderabad briefly existed as its own independent state.

Life goes on, but under a constant sense of waiting, waiting for decisions, for war, for things to fall apart. Political negotiations drag on, rumors spread through streets and homes, loyalties are tested and fear quietly seeps into everyday routines.

Hyderabad Deccan is not merely a setting in this novel. It is a living, breathing presence that shapes the people who inhabit it and the events that unfold.

Once a princely state rich in terms of material wealth and cultural plurality, Hyderabad carried a distinct identity that rarely finds adequate representation in narratives of colonial India.

Discussions around the British Raj and Partition often redux history to binaries, and Hydērabad's  nuanced past is frequently overlooked. Athar's novel resists this erasure with care and precision.

One of the most compelling aspects of this historical richness is the attention paid to language. The state's capital Hyderabad is depicted not only as a city of wealth and political significance but also as a place with unique linguistic and cultural identity.

The novel is also remarkably patient. It does not rush to reveal everything about its character or setting.

It trusts the readers to notice subtleties, to observe behavior, and to draw connections between the past and the present.

Even small gestures or conversations carry significance. Saleema's silences, choices, and interactions are given space to breathe. The novel builds its emotional resonance gradually, which makes the impact of its revelations all the more powerful.

Athar's writing is another strength of the novel. The prose is measured, deliberate and restrained, never overreaching or indulgent. Scenes are allowed to unfold naturally, and silences carry as much weight as dialogue.

There is a rhythm to the narrative, especially when history and memory intersect, and this makes the reading experience immersive.

The World Students Society thanks Aleezeh Fatimah.