Book Review: The Shadow of the Crescent Moon by Fatima Bhutto

The Shadow of the Crescent Moon is a poetic title. The story covers Mir Ali, a small town, bordering Afghanistan perpetually torn by war. The book gains overtly limelight as the author is Fatima Bhutto, native of Pakistan and hails from political family.

The story oscillates from time to time as the setting – Mir Ali town holds memories and values to characters of present day, Friday, the day of festival Eid. Three brothers from the same family, strange enough that they decide to offer prayer in three different mosques, as there lurks fear of bombing the mosques.

The book is poignant, while it reveals sad status of lost lives, lost families and earlier peaceful way of life. How war affects and brings ill-fate to innocent people. The book is based on Afghan war that invariably has been affecting the lives of Pakistanis. Through this book readers may conclude that media coverage and news about wars in Afghanistan isn't that authentic as depicted in the novel. The book opens corridors to explore and comprehend the actual victims’ plight, and their life conditions in that hope dying land.

The book is beautifully written to expertly blend politics, war tragedies and religious diversions. In addition, writing style is fairly poetic as many a time she unfolds a legacy of pains that move and shake along with her.

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