Brick Lane

This is a challenging book: long but filled with small moments that add up to a compelling story. Nazneen is from Bangladesh and has an arranged marriage to a much-older Bengal man in London. The book covers 16 years of her marriage, with flashbacks to her childhood as well as letters from her sister, who is struggling to survive in Dhaka after running off for a “love marriage.” There is a lot going on in this book, but what I found most interesting was the process Nazneen goes through of figuring out if she loves her husband, what that even means, and who she is as a wife, mother, and person. I also really enjoyed getting a glimpse into a different part of London than I have previously been exposed to.