In the slow world of English literature and especially fiction, there is a welcome new addition. Ayesha Salman launched her debut piece of fiction titled Blue Dust on a pleasant, springy day at Kuch Khaas.
Although this is her debut novel, she is a writer and a poet with publications in several literary journals. Tall with a beautiful and sultry accent, Ms Salman read out excerpts of her book to the audience. And the depth of her voice led to the atmosphere of the
book.
Not unlike much of the best fiction coming out of Pakistan, Blue Dust also takes an introspective approach to mapping the journey of three generations of an affluent Pakistani family. The mood of the book, therefore, stays rather thoughtful intermingling the events of the outside with the internal mess of the characters.
And as one reads, one starts wondering if the book will present something much different from that which has been offered before. “This style is not unique. Many great authors, even contemporary ones like Mohammad Hanif and Mohsin Hamid have written like that. I am not the only one.
But, in the book there is prose, suddenly juxtaposed with little bits of madness- those paras that go into the heads of the characters,” explained Salman, and this might present readers something that is different in their experience of the book.Ms Salman is clear in her agenda: “I am very interested in the interplay between the public and the private domain, in terms of how you relate to the public world and how you see yourself.” And it is this relationship she explores in her works giving them a touch of her own.
Although this is her debut novel, Salman has launched high into the world of Pakistan literature with a bang of a start at the Karachi literature festival where she was part of a panel with the likes of Mohsin Hamid.
And the audience was eager to take on her book and discuss the way it was received. “Some parts of your book get kind of weird.
Is that because you are weird?” asked one witty member of the audience. Salman’s reply was unapologetically witty, “I am very weird,” she declared.
And she has thrown an open challenge to the world. Read the book if you dare to.