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1. Feminism
We meet Noor and Reva and many other women in the course of this story who open our eyes and hearts to the real world. Songs of the Reed is a tribute to women who survive each day, holding onto the frail hope of finding justice and equality someday. Women who bear the brunt of social evils like casteism and crimes are blamed and shamed by society, tabooed and called names. Women across the world are either not given opportunities or work hard only to accept a slimmer paycheck owing to the deep-rooted misogyny that permeates the generations.
Ladies, this book is definitely for you.
2. Family-ties and History
It is a story of shared history and separate faiths. Heirloom and heritage. Secrets and regrets. Guilts and redemptions. Written with multiple POVs, each character is given space, reasoning and representation. The story has done a brilliant work for diversity in its characters and disability inclusion.
3. Kashmir and Refugees
The novel walks us through the vale of Kashmir from the point of view of all Kashmiris. We are introduced to the beauty and struggles of both Kashmiri Hindus and Kashmiri Muslims. The historical facts and details are shared with painful intricacies capable of chilling one’s bones and warming their hearts at the same time.
4. An ode to Rumi
Aptly titled after Rumi’s poem, the book explores not only the fairy-tale part of love but all its nuances. It’s charm, passion, ache, longing and grief. It talks about how one is both powerful and helpless in the face of love. We are taken high in the thrill and passion one moment, only to be plunged deep into the longing for unrequited love. The book is a metaphorical splendour ornated with poetry, both of Rumi and the author.
5. Atmospheric blend of Spain and India
The story is profoundly vivid and covers exotic locations such as Seville, Granada, Delhi, Goa and Kashmir. It is multi-layered, and while the beginning is crafted with clever foreshadowing, it soon unfolds its myriad mysteries along the way to keep one on tenterhooks. Not to mention the completely mind-blowing revelations in the end. Heena Singhal has captured the art of storytelling and would be a perfect choice for the fans of Khaled Hosseini and Kristin Hannah. This is undoubtedly one of the most well-crafted stories we have come across, especially from a debut author.
