Blue Dust

by Ayesha Salman

Blue Dust is an emotional, philosophical and cultural journey that maps the relationships, dreams, hopes and fears of three generations of an extraordinary Pakistani family. Through the story of this family, Ayesha Salman explores issues relevant to class, religious and social distinctions, pedophilia and sexual repression. Blue Dust is a dream-like, touching but often bloody portrayal of the journeys of its characters exploring the dichotomies of reality and perception opening up a world that is both unsettling and intriguing.

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Sharmila Chakravorty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, I don't mean to sound rude, but I didn't quite enjoy the style. It was just too haphazard for me to understand what the author was trying to say. Too many flashbacks and flash-forwards, too many people talking in first person. By the end of it, I just wanted to get over with it, so didn't even read with much interest. It is worth a read, of course, but I don't understand why characters within the book just make life miserable for themselves, add on to their problems! What is going on, is what I kept thinking most of the time.

It just didn't do anything for me :/

[cybill · Rating 4 out of 5]

the only thing that stopped this from being a five was the narrative. it became quite confusing at times and the timeline was a little bewildering to get into. otherwise it’s a beautiful book. it has virtually no plot but the words are magnificent. heavy on earth we’re briefly gorgeous vibes

[Christel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a lovely book for a debutante who weaves fiction and philosophy into a story that spans different women en generations in Pakistan. In the beginning it is a bit difficult to get into the writing style, which seems more like a "work in progress" sometimes, and almost made me put it away. But I stuck with it and enjoyed, although neither the story nor the story structure are very innovative. What eventually made me put it away before finishing it entirely (I admit it) was the fact that I have simply reached my limit of Pakistani family dramas. I like how the author created a sort of dreamy world consisting of women's thoughts, but it ends up reflecting mostly the miserable state of many women in Pakistan, and adds the usual perverted story elements to boot.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was an excellent read - the narrative is unusual, but if you persist, you get used to this slightly experimental form of storytelling, and then really start to appreciate the way fiction is weaved in with philosophy. The novel also gives a fantastic depiction of the culture of the place, being Pakistani living abroad, it really felt like I was home! It also tackles some highly contentious issues, a brave writer. I look forward to reading more of Ayesha Salman's work and highly recommend Blue Dust.

[Mohammad Aly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blue Dust quite cleverly maps the journey of three generations of a Pakistani family. I found the authors writing style to be intriguing, especially how she ties fiction with philosophy into the story.

A must read!