Fauzia’s death initially left Arifa numb. Their very different experiences of the same parent would ultimately poison their sisterly intimacyHer quest drives Consumed, a debut of fearless inquiry and astonishing emotional integrity. Akbar begins her story in Lahore, where her feuding, chronically mismatched parents attempted to resettle when Arifa was three. When Arifa left for Edinburgh University, Fauzia slipped further away, leaving the younger sister burdened with guilt. Again and again, Akbar questions her recollections and actions, fretting about straying into “the equivocal territory of interpretation” while poring over family photographs and her sister’s artworks.

Source: The Guardian June 13, 2021 07:52 UTC