An Isolated Incident

by Soniah Kamal

Zari Zoon, a vivacious girl from Kashmir, is looking forward to marrying her fiance when tragedy strikes. Next thing she know, she is on a plane to America to stay with distant relatives who have offered to give her a temporary home to help her stitch back the tatters of her life.

Billy Nabi, fiercely tender-hearted, longs to help Zari but the choices he makes will jeopardise them all.
An Isolated Incident is a story of haunting memories and yearnings of a home lost, of a faith continuously tested and questioned and of a love that blossoms against all odds.

Genres: Fiction

472 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2014

About the author

Soniah Kamal is an award winning novelist, essayist and public speaker. Her most recent novel, Unmarriageable: Pride & Prejudice in Pakistan, is a Financial Times Readers’ Best Book of 2019, a 2019 ‘Books All Georgians Should Read,’ a 2020 Georgia Author of the Year for Literary Fiction nominee, is shortlisted for the 2020 Townsend Award for Fiction, is a New York Public Library, a NPR Code Switch 2019 Summer Read Pick and People’s Magazine pick. Her debut novel, An Isolated Incident, was a finalist for the Townsend Award for Fiction and the KLF French Fiction Prize. Soniah’s TEDx talk is about second chances and ‘We are the Ink’, her address at a U.S. Citizenship Oath Ceremony, talks about immigrants and the real American Dreams. Soniah’s work has appeared in critically acclaimed anthologies and publications including The New York Times, The Guardian, The Atlantic, Buzzfeed and more. Soniah grew up in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and England and resides in Atlanta, Georgia.
Jane Austen Bio: Soniah is a life time member of the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA). She is a Featured Plenary Panelist at 2020 JASNA AGM. Soniah is the 2020 Keynote Speaker at the Jane Austen Festival held by JASNA Louisville Kentucky. Soniah hosted the year long Jane Austen 200th Anniversary Commemoration Book Club for all six Austen novels and wrote about it in Pride and Possibilities. She was Chief Guest at the 2019 JASNA Northern California Jane Austen Birthday Gala and delivered the Jane Austen Birthday Toast. Soniah has served as a Jane Austen Literacy Ambassador for the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation. Austenprose declared Unmarriageable ‘a dream retelling’ and the Jane Austen Center called it ‘a wonderful experience’. Guggenheim awardee Professor Devoney Looser of The Making of Jane Austen says Unmarriageable is a ‘a brilliant fictional homage to Pride and Prejudice’. While Soniah adores Pride and Prejudice, her favorite Austen novel is Mansfield Park. Onscreen she loves the 1995 BBC ‘Pride and Prejudice’, Emma Thomson’s ‘Sense and Sensibility’, Whit Stillman’s ‘Love and Friendship’ adapted from Lady Susan, and ITV’s time travelling ‘Lost in Austen’.

Soniah’s short story “Fossils”, judged by Claudia Rankine, won the Agnes Scott 2017 Festival Award for Fiction and her story ‘Jelly Beans’ was selected for The Best Asian Stories Series 2017. Her essay ‘The Fall: How to Survive Your Father’s Imprisonment’ was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her short stories and essays have been shortlisted for awards including the Sequestrum Editor’s Reprint Award and the Payton James Freeman Prize and are recommended reads by VELA and Longreads. Soniah is the recipient of the Susan B. Irene Award from St. Johns College where she graduated with a BA Honors in Liberal Arts. She was awarded a Paul Bowles Fiction Fellowship from Georgia State University where she earned an MFA in Creative Writing. Soniah is a member of the National Books Critics Circle and PEN America and the Jane Austen Society of North America.

Soniah has taught creative writing and global literature at Emory University, Oglethorpe University and is faculty at Reinhardt University. She has served as Writer-in-Residence for the Fulton County Library System and is a repeat mentor for the Association of Writers and Writing Programs.

Reviews

[Fanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

August 14, 2020: An Isolated Incident greatly weaves emotional resilience and a complete breakdown in this literary, romantic, and cultural story that revolves around two main characters who are deeply connected to this beautiful land of Kashmir, and consequently pulls sensitive, necessary, as well as unfortunate strings in their hearts. Flowering on the themes of pain, heartbreak, loss, grief, cultural identity, and pure love for those who are lost and for what lies ahead. Running through Kashmir, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the United States, this read is not easy in any aspect but is needed if you wish to feel the beauty of a prose and the complexities, tears and hope alike, of being isolated—whether miles away or right there in the land you once called home.

I'm a reader from the Indian subcontinent but not ownvoices for the Kashmir or Pakistan representation so please pay heed to the ownvoices reviews above mine. Received a digital review copy via Netgalley.

[Huzaifa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ll be honest, the only reason I bought this novel was because it was autographed. That was it. I had no idea what the novel was about until I started reading it.

The story started off pretty strong; Zari Zoon lives in Occupied Kashmir, where her family is murdered. She is traumatized and moves in with her Chachu who lives in Delhi and then with her Khala in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, in the hope that a change in environment might help her recover. It doesn't and so she is sent to America where an extended family agrees to accommodate her in the hope that she’ll recuperate from the severe depression.

Now I loved the start; the prose was eloquent, the story was building up nicely, I could see a Khaled Hosseini touch – if you will – in the story. It all went terribly wrong from there on.

The writer it seemed lost the plot completely. The story was about Zari, not the Nabi’s and that is exactly what happened. The focus shifted from the main character towards the Nabi’s. Half way through, I didn’t want to read the book anymore. From a story that had the potential to become the next Kite Runner, it turned into something painfully stupid.

The series of events that took place were neither believable nor interesting. Characters weren’t strong enough; they came out as confused, the love story was bland and ridiculous. This story was to be about Kashmir, the perpetrated atrocities that have been a constant in the lives of the people living in the area but it wasn't about any of that. This story is actually about a highly unexceptional, daft, senseless and egotistic boy who pities people and then tries to help them. That’s it.

Also, one of the major problems that I have with Pakistani writers is that they always feel the need to impart their brand of wisdom into the story. In the case of this book, it went badly and it didn't make any sense at all.

All in all this was a story that had the potential to become a Pakistani literary masterpiece but sadly for me, it turned out to be just another story that I'll forget.

On a side note:

This is the first time that I have come across a book that was not proofread properly. There were way too many grammatical mistakes for example on page 207 it says “Billy waved then away and”. I can point a dozen others similar to this. These are the kind of mistakes that are so obvious that they should have been taken out by the publisher, but they weren’t. A very dismal job done indeed.

[Alokit Vidyakar · Rating 1 out of 5]

1. You cannot glorify terrorism and organization.
2. You cannot do agenda writing
3. You can not forget about the actual plot
4. You can not redeem everything by writing two pages in end that "oh. he was wrong"

[Wasio Abbasi · Rating 3 out of 5]

First published at Digital Saeen

Published in 2014, An Isolated Incident by Soniah Kamal is an English novel with incredible depth about the lives of Kashmiris, both inside Kashmir and outside, and how their plight is forgotten in the tussle between between India and Pakistan for the region. The story takes place during the 90s in Kashmir, Pakistan, Afghanistan and USA.

Bliss Vs Knowledge

18 year old Zari Zoon is living with family in IoK (Indian Occupied Kashmir) where her sister Kiran comes to visit, bringing her son Baz as well, from Dubai. Zari remembers a time when she could move around freely, but now military and police are everywhere and it's no longer safe. Her best friend Sonea often visits and share both good and bad times. Zari's family gets a surprise visit during the night where they are bundled into a room by freedom fighters who leave in the morning. Few days later, when Zari's fiance Imran comes for a visit from Australia, unknown men murder the whole family (including Imran and Sonea) and gang rape Zari.

She survives, carrying a bullet wound and lifetime's worth of terrifying memories. She goes to her aunt's place in Rawalpindi, Pakistan but doesn't find peace. Finally, she is sent to distant relations place in USA, the Nabis. Amman and Shahla are very accommodating Kashmiri couple who take Zari in until she heals. Their own children, Billal and Salsabil, are close to Zari's age with an American lifestyle; but while Billal is brooding for being denied the history of Nabi family back in Kashmir, Salsabil has wholeheartedly embraced American life. The youngest sibling is Miraag, 4 year old who reminds Zari of her nephew Baz.

The story primarily follows Zari's perspective until she reaches USA and from there it switches between Zari and the Nabis' a lot. Billal and Zari are the protagonist of the story, each with a history in Kashmir, and Billal tries to find that which Zari is trying to forget. Zari has memories ... memories so painful she has to cut herself to bear; memories she wants to forget and get over. Billal has a peaceful life but he wants to know the truth that he is being kept from by his parents Amman and Shehla ... the truth about his freedom fighter grandfather Abdullah Nabi. This ultimately takes him to Kashmir to train with the Mujahideen and the whole experience is affected by global relations between various nations.

Attention to details

Be it Kashmir, Pakistan, Afghanistan or USA, the author has clearly made efforts to make the description as realistic as possible. From Zari's encounter with Indian army men to cultural shock in US, all have been incorporated effortlessly in the narrative. Not just the physical aspect but also philosophical, psychological, cultural and geo political elements strongly enhance the story. The following passage about freedom fighters give a good idea about author's command over these elements:

Page 27:

She watched through the window as the intruders, having stuffed themselves with breakfast, and packed the leftovers, walked out the driveway and disappeared into the morning mist as if they were college boys stooped with books and thoughts and not weapons and a cause. Militants. Guerrillas. Insurgents. Freedom Fighters. Zari didn't even know what to call them anymore. She remembered a time when they'd invoke safety, not terror. A time when they'd genuinely belonged to Kashmir, when they had been indigenous fighters and not men overtaken by foreign forces with agendas of their own to push. Now their knocks - whether in a remote village or in her upper-middle-class neighborhood - were met with curses and their forced recruitment with suicides. No one knew which group was knocking, native or outsides, asli or naqli, real or impostor. Which group will shoot you for sheer practice, sheer sport, sheer rage at someone or some other situation that the laws of transference had delivered to your door.

These fighters, once rising to fix what was broken in the land, now a part of the shards themselves, breaking apart as they were into different groups fighting for supremacy amongst themselves; some pro-independence, some pro-Pakistan, some under the Indian government's counter insurgency payroll, and some neither for nor against, just that it felt good to be powerful, thanks to the gun in their hands, the gun that enabled them to bleed each other for different goals although the end results were identical: injecting misery into the lives of ordinary Kashimri citizens.

While story in Pakistan is not that descriptive, the feel of the land and culture is good. It is rather unclear how Zari reaches Pakistan. Kashmir and USA have been described in detail and the culture of both locations oozes from the pages as the author illustrates the neighborhoods, shops, people, behavior, relations and expectations. Lifestyle is similarly covered and an illustration on media's role provides stark image how narrative is affected the way things are described:

Page 228:

Billy sat absolutely still. If he moved, he would fall. If he looked at anyone's face, he would crack. If he allowed himself to crack, he would die. Everyone rose for the last prayers of the day and Billy rose too, stumbling through the prayers, through the words, the motions. Nothing virulent had ever been shown at any meeting back home and even the media made sure that death and destruction were cleansed of guts and gore. A fence lined with teddy bears and ribbons and flowers represented hit and run. Shocked neighbors represented the body of a murder victim. A camera panning the outside of a house represented the lair of a serial killer. War, too, was sanitised. Soldiers returned in flag-draped coffins, while battlefields were marked with cenotaphs and bereft relatives looking away from the camera into sombre skies. Nothing like this continuous footage of carnage Billy has just been force fed.

These, and many such passages throughout the novel, exemplify the realities touched upon time and again to make sense of the world Zari and Billal were now living in. Most of these are brutally honest, holding wide spectrum of realities threaded through conflicting cultures and making sense of a mess that otherwise eludes the common person. One example is Fahad's family when they visit Zari and bring their grandmother along. The authority of grandmother, how her approval of Zari despite knowing her background, leaves the family powerless despite an American upbringing.

Some of the areas were not so well detailed. A particular example that stands out is Billal's trip from Peshawar into Afghanistan. Although vivid, the description of his journey lacked the x-factor which is apparent in other description of other areas.

Since the story takes place in the 90s, at one point Salsabil asks Zari to email her the grocery list. Although email systems such as Yahoo and Hotmail were becoming common, it is unclear if it was part of lifestyle to regularly check emails at work. Also, right after emailing the list, Zari searches "Rape" terms and is disgusted by the results and images she finds. It should be noted that during 90s the search engine frequently used was Yahoo and porn or rape fantasies was not something easily available over the internet. How Zari easily find them (and which search engine she used) is not explained.

Nationhood - Safety - Irrational Love

Kashmir is the central point in this novel. The love for the land and for the people has led people in various directions. It is a source of pride, nationhood as well as irrational love. Zari's father loved the land so much it bordered on madness, and that irrational love ended up with the death of the Zoon family. Mauj Ji (sister of Amman's father) loved the land irrationally, her own life ruined as a result. Nearly every Kashmiri experienced irrational love of one kind or the other.

Pain, loss, suffering dominate the lives of Kashmiris living in Kashmir and painful memories for those who migrated abroad. Those who moved abroad settled for a life of peace and safety, a far cry from their experiences back home. Amman's description argument aptly sums it up:

Page 173:

"Nullify differences, ignore them, celebrate them, find a balance ... this is the new trick the old dog must learn if it is not to blow itself up. I just do not believe that breaking countries up on communal or religious or ethnic lines will lead to the ultimate happiness of all those involved. I like to believe that diverse people can live together as long as law and order and justice are meted out equally. But then again," Amman said, "I live in the United States of America; I must believe in this."

In similar fashion Amman also deals with realities of life where idealism fails:

Page 174:

"Let me tell you!" Amman sat up. "The end of insurgency does not necessarily means a government better than the one being resisted. It does not mean an end to the bribery and corruption that are rampant in state systems; it does not mean the institution of measures to reign in poverty, or programs to teach ex-freedom fighters a profession. Instead, these unsung 'heroes', as I am sure you'd like to call them, are left high and dry with no education and no practical skills to support themselves and their families in the new world with its changed order. Eventually, these discontented men either turn to overthrowing the very establishment they helped put into place or else, they turn to crime because crime pays better than some menial, back-breaking, reward-less job.

"Look at me Billal," Amman stares into Billy's eyes. "Freedom fighters don't get medals, they don't get any honours. My mother made sure I understand that, and I will make sure you do too before you get caught up in romancing an exaggerated idealisation of a lie."

Strong feelings and emotions about loss are expressed at various points and they are not limited to Kashmir alone. At one place when Shehla's brother and his wife Barbara come to stay for a few days, Zari inquires about the loss of Barbara's son to which she replies in heart-felt words:

Page 287:

"Children whose parents die are called orphans, but there is no such word for parents who have lost their children. Omissions like that used to frighten me. As if the world was Godless just because my language was incomplete."

Kashmiris to the core

Most of the characters in the novel are Kashmiris, though there are sizeable number of non-Kashmiri people the reader comes across. They all share a sense of longing and belonging, cultural confusion, search for peace and safety, camaraderie and a sense of loss that has evolved with the passage of time. The people are very real with problems, aspirations, queries, opinions and stigmas.

Zari is a broken orphan girl trying to mend itself in a foreign land and culture. Billal is in love with the idea of freedom and freedom fighters. Amman has blocked out previous life in order to peacefully live in the USA. Shehla does not want her children to suffer what she and her elders suffered. Salsabil is practical and bold person who doesn't skip a beat to call spade a spade. Various other people they interact with have their own lives and motivations and they have been meticulously described.

Amman's character, one of the major characters, is fleshed out after nearly half the book is done. Compared to others he really has an interesting past that lends credence to his current behavior as a father and son of a freedom fighter.

Most of the perspective is through Zari eyes while Billal's life takes dominance for the last quarter of the novel. We also get to see the world through Shehla and Amman's perspective though not for long periods. At some places, sometimes within the same paragraph, the perspective shifts between the characters and it requires a double take to make sure which character are we looking through.

Blunt and Honest

Soniah Kamal has used simple and straight forward words to describe incidents and events, involving the reader with whatever was happening in the story. Where ideas and philosophy was used, there is a complete absence of flowery language. The words are used with brutal honesty, hitting the nail on the head at every turn. Words of Urdu as well as Kashmiri are incorporated efficiently within the narrative without breaking the flow and are followed by their meanings.

Cultural references are skilfully placed, proving the author's knowledge and understanding of various places. The dialogues are well crafted and words spoken are authentic enough to highlight general mindset of the character. Salsabil was blunt, Billal too idealistic, Shehla being practical, Zari quite introverted and Amman conflicted.

Final Verdict

This is the first novel on Kashmir that is capable of irking everyone around the line-of-control, be they Pakistanis, Indians or Kashmiris. Perhaps there in lies the path to better understand each other. An Isolated Incident is not so isolated as it covers lives of Kashmiris across the globe. Albeit slow, it's a must read novel to better understand the plight of Kashmir and Kashmiris.

[Humaid Merchant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read the works of many Pakistani authors, but for me An Isolated Incident was a unique experience. As someone whose family can trace its roots to Kashmir, i found myself relating to the characters in the novel, particularly with respect to the socio-political problems that have plagued Kashmir in the past and continue to do so in the present.

The highlight of the novel was its writing! Ms. Kamal definitely has a way with words and the novel manages to draw you in right from its opening pages. Both of the novel's protagonists, Zari and Billy, are well developed and as a reader i was keen to accompany them on their journey of self-discovery and pursuit of happiness.

I would definitely recommend An Isolated Incident to other readers and look forward to reading Ms. Kamal's next novel!

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Isolated Incident by Soniah Kamal was recommended to me by a friend whose judgement I trust 100% when it comes to book recommendations. I bought this book based on that recommendation and dove right in without reading any reviews or even the story description on the online ordering page. If my trusted advisers say a book is good, I like to dive in with no preconceived notions or expectations and just be surprised. This book definitely surprised me--in a very good way.

An Isolated Incident is a love story that revolves around the cultural and political lives of people transplanted from Kashmir to the United States. It's a story of pain, heartbreak, redemption, and cultural identity. And, if I had read those two previous sentences prior to getting the book, I probably wouldn't have read it. I'm glad I went in blind.

The first thing that struck me was the beauty of the prose. I've been reading e-books almost exclusively about five years now and I've gotten quite used to being able to highlight passages that I find beautiful, clever, and/or inspiring. I read this one in paperback and was frustrated that I didn't have a highlighter handy. This is an extremely highlighter-worthy novel.

The second thing I noticed was that I was hooked very quickly. I was immediately drawn into Zari's vividly-depicted world and, when tragedy befell her early in the book, I grieved along with her. It's unusual for me to make that kind of connection with a character that early in the book.

After Zari went to the US to live with some family friends, I expected her to fall in love and slowly be drawn from her self-imposed emotional isolation so, for a few chapters, I thought I was reading something beautiful but predictable. Then Kamal surprised me by giving unexpected levels of depth and humanity to each of the supporting characters while providing stunning detail of places, customs, and cultures about which I was completely ignorant.

The most interesting thing to me was the way the author wove complex political issues and rich historical detail into the story without every breaking the smooth, driving pace. What's more, unlike most books that involve Middle-Eastern history and politics and issues of cultural identity, I didn't feel that there was a clear agenda here. There was no Team A is good and Team B is bad and America should support Team A for these reasons. An Isolated Incident left me feeling both extremely knowledgeable and extremely conflicted. There are no easy answers for theses characters' real life counterparts and Kamal didn't sugarcoat reality or manipulate history to create a satisfyingly neat ending.

In the end, An Isolated Incident is a story about courage. Courage to change, courage to accept harsh realities, courage to heal, and courage to love. I'm glad I had the courage to go into this book with no expectations. I am definitely richer for the experience.

[Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2014/11/Iso...

‘An Isolated Incident’ follows the life of Zari Zoon, a Kashmiri girl. She could the girl next door, with a typical life and typical problems even while living under the threat of terrorism at all times. That is until an incident changes her life forever and she is sent abroad for a new beginning. But the new life and the journey towards it could tangle up Zari’s life yet again.

First and most important element of this book is the character of Zari. She belongs to Kashmir – a state under the constant threat of terrorism. Even with everything going on around her, she manages to build a somewhat normal life for herself only for it to be snatched away from her. She then embarks upon a new life in a new place, yet the threat never really goes away. Zari is such a character that you cannot help but feel for. The author has done an admirable job in building her up and portraying her life. Then there is Billy with his own fair share of baggage. Billy’s character could do with a bit of polish and fine tuning. I failed to connect with this character and his decisions.

The plot in itself is another fantastic element that includes a lot of issues. For instance, it gives us a look into the lives of the Kashmiris in general. It also includes a glimpse into the world of a girl who is sequestered by a, sadly enough, a very common incident and it makes you wonder about our society that is such an expert at victimizing the victims. The author has done an incredible job of portraying the situations without pointing fingers or sounding preachy. There were twists and turns in the novel that were easy to spot and though the ending was quite predictable too, it was really interesting to take this journey with Zari.

This is a well written novel with crisp language and detailed narratives. The author has set the book in multiple locations and each come with enough description so as to help the readers’ imagination. It was also a refreshing change from reading the commercial love stories that flood the Indian markets constantly.

Overall this was one hell of an emotional roller-coaster ride that wrenches your heart.

[Samra Muslim · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story, with Kashmir as its backdrop, starts off really well. Having seen the Bollywood flick Haider recently, I could really visualise what Zari Zoon & her family were going thought and the situation in Kashmir.

It is when Zari reaches USA and the focus of the story shifts from her 'mourning' or even 'healing' to the Nabi's that the plot just became average. The ending was super predictable honestly, and seemed like I was rereading another version of Hunger Games' Katniss Everdeen's utopian finale.

[Michael Yudanin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book, for our times and for any time. Author's language is a sheer delight. The exploration of tragedy is deep and meaningful, not suffering from the usual sketchiness - a rare find. The love story is drawn with gentle watercolors worthy of a ukiyo-e. The way Soniah Kamal describes how bookish philosophy meets the lightning speed and hurricane strength of life is nothing short of striking and gives a lot of food for thought. Recommended to anybody who wants a deeper look into the human soul and its world.

[Dipika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful writing, well-developed characters, and a much-needed focus on some geopolitical issues that are rarely covered in fiction. Kamal's writing is exquisite in places, bringing alive Kashmir as well as life in America. Strongly recommended.

[Vanathi Parthasarathi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A one-time read. With extremely confused and immature characters, this is definitely not a great coming-of-age novel, that I am sure the author intended for.

[Nikki Fairbairn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartbreaking and unforgettable story of loss, mourning, healing, and love.

The story plot begins in 1997, Kashmir, a region located on the northern borders of India and Pakistan and the southern border of China, and the subject to territorial conflict between Pakistan and India. The novel introduces two protagonists in their late adolescence, Zari, a girl from Kashmir, and Billy, from the USA.

Following an atrocious incident, Zari accepts an offer to stay in the USA with her distant relatives, the Nabis. Billy, the host families’ college-going son, born and brought up in the States by his Kashmiri father and Pakistani mother, has struggled with his ancestral identity. The consequence of his parents shielding Billy from details of his family history is part of a series of events that steers him towards an Afghanistan training camp, to train as a freedom fighter.

Although a fiction novel, the story was eye-opening and led me to explore the history and current political crisis in Kashmir. It is difficult to imagine living in an area where your people are losing their identity, and the surrounding violence leaves you petrified of who you may face when answering your front door. This storyline presented a considerable amount of sadness which was composed by the author with great sensitivity. This is the first fiction I have read about this area of the world and I loved the author’s intricate details in the traditional wear and cuisine that was ever-present within the storyline. The Kashmiri language was dotted throughout the story which added to the ambience. There is no need to seek out Google translator, as I have done in some other books. The author provides the English translation written within the sentence making it’s easy to comprehend.

Don’t skip over the author’s memoir, after the epilogue. It provides an interesting insight into the author’s family heritage and her own journey. I admired the celebration and care of elderly family members in the author’s story and her memoir, which can be very different in my own culture. A tearful read, discovering that writing about Kashmir was a promise to her grandfather, Abaji, in their last conversation before he died.

I thoroughly enjoyed Soniah's writing and I look forward to reading her other work, 'Rafeeq and the Half Child’ (a spin-off short story featuring Azra, the cleaning lady from this novel) and novel ‘Unmarriageable’. After reading countless books from bestselling women fiction authors over the last four months, I hope that Soniah’s beautiful and powerful writing gets the recognition it deserves!

I will end with one of my favourite excerpts from the novel, showcasing the author's imagination and creativity.

“She had guided the heavy scissors in his small fingers, and, together, they’d cut along the traced outlines of the paper dolls without so much as a second thought to the discarded silhouettes. But those silhouettes had been dolls in their own right, outlines of their former selves, shadow dolls that did not protest or resist at being trashed and so, as such, they behaved”.

Thank you NetGalley and Allison & Busby for my gifted copy of the book in return for my honest review

[Rammi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book holds so much emotions that it will leave you speechless and overwhelmed. It’s kind of book which we need to discuss aloud and it’s strange that how quietly it’s existing in the world of books. If I haven’t found it on NetGalley, I would have been unaware of this underrated gem.

This book has two protagonist: Zari and Billy. Zari, who has been living with her family in Kashmir happily. She’s dreaming of her wedding and bright future unaware of what future is holding for her. Then, on an unfortunate day her entire world turned upside down and she has to pack her wrecked and leftover world to a suitcase which became her home. The plots explores Zari’s life which is being haunted by her past and tormented with the memories of her loved ones.
Billy, an eighteen years old boy who’s been lost somewhere in being Kashmiri-Pakistani-American and searching for his ancestral history, roots and identity. He’s sensitive and wants to bring change in the world. Instead, he gets trapped in a training camp when he all wanted to be a freedom fighter.

Most part of the story is set in America and it tries to highlight the struggle of people making balance between their own respective culture, religious values and American culture. The entire plot echoes continuously in the back of narrator’s voice to stop the war and make peace with what we have, instead of destroying lives and humanity.

The author has brilliantly penned down a sensitive issue with ease and without any biased opinions. It’s haunting and heartbreaking that how many lives are being destroyed because of politics, nationalism, separatism, terrorists/freedom fighters. It’s got complicated because nowadays it’s hard to differentiate between a freedom fighter and a terrorist. Author also highlights the issue of cultural stigma, sense of purity and impurity and hypocritical behavior towards a rape victim. Unfortunately, it exists regardless of religion, culture and country.

The plot is intense and complex and it’s not for someone who’s looking for light read. It depicts rape, murder, violence and self harm. But this is a must read to understand the struggles of people living in occupied Kashmir, whether it’s IOK (India occupied Kashmir) or POK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir). The people living these areas have gone through such atrocities which are beyond our imagination and I found this book as a fragment of those crushed dreams and lives.


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Tilly Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excuse me if this is a terrible review, but quite honestly this novel has left me almost speechless for its brilliance. How can this wonderful novel have passed by so quietly when we should all be shouting from the rooftops?!
Zari is content in Kashmir with her family, friends and fiancé when tragedy strikes and she is sent to America to live with the Nabi family. Their eldest son Billy doesn’t know what he really wants to do other than make a positive change in the world, until Zari comes into his life and changes everything. What follows is a story of loss, faith and love that had me feeling so much I never wanted it to end.
This is one of the most beautifully written, vivid and emotive novels I have had the pleasure of reading, and I can only hope that it receives the attention it deserves - from now on, this will be the book that I compare all others to. An absolute must read - I cannot wait to read more by Kamal.

[Gabriela Houston · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was quite honestly, one of the best books I read this year. No doubt it will haunt my dreams for a while yet.
Beautifully written, nuanced and heartfelt, a meditation on the meaning of home and a life well lived.

[Lynn Hailes · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautifully written and lots of food for thought.

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

#AD: gifted product

I was gifted a free eARC* of this book by the publisher, via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

*eARC: electronic Advanced Readers Copy.

This review also posted on my blog.

TWs: rape, murder (of family), self-harm, violence, freedom fighters/terrorism.

An Isolated Incident by Soniah Kamal tells the story of Zari Zoon, a Muslim Kashmiri girl who loses her family in a terrible act of violence perpetrated by a group with unknown affiliation, and for reasons unknown. As such, from the start, this is a heavy book to read. Fortunately, I’m not one to shy away from books that address difficult topics, and I knew very little about Kashmir, so I was intrigued from the start. As the book goes on, the situation Kashmir is in becomes clearer, with Pakistan and India fighting over the territory, while a third faction fights for Kashmir’s independence. Zari, however, is left with nothing in her home nation, having lost her extended family, friend, and fiance in the same horrific incident. She ends up moving to America, having been offered a home by the Nabis, friends of Zari’s family, where much of the story takes place.


While a lot of this story takes place in America, Kashmir remains present throughout in many different ways. The scenes that take place in Kashmir build a great image of a war-torn country, juxtaposing family life with the violence and destruction caused by the struggle for power. The images of Kashmir are haunting and devastating. While this book is about Kashmir, the violence that occurs there in the fight for control over the region is certainly not unique, and knowing these things have happened, and continue to happen across the world filled me with horror. Kamal builds an incredibly powerful image of Kashmir, one that I am sure will stay with me for a long time.

While this book is unable to offer any hope or redemption for Kashmir in an ongoing power struggle, there is hope and redemption to be found for individuals. Zari and Billy (the son of the Nabis), the central characters, both experience severe trauma throughout the course of the book. The depiction of mental health issues in this book was really sensitively dealt with, and it also addressed the cultural stigma that came along with these issues for the characters. The culture around shame and purity came into play a lot in this novel due to the trauma Zari goes through, and I loved that the younger generation were really fighting against these stigmas, and the older generation were also able to move past the stigmas and accept Zari. The conflict the older generation had around this was really interesting to me. While they take Zari in, and treat her kindly and appear to reserve judgement, they are shown to have internalised stigmas attached to rape victims. This internalisation is something that crops up throughout the novel, and is something that the characters work towards overcoming.

The characters in this book were really complex, well-written characters. Even the supporting characters feel really well drawn out, and there’s a lot of character development (and even a nice bit of character regression!) throughout the book that kept me on my toes. Zari, as the protagonist did really stand out, as did Billy, but Billy’s sister Salsabil also really stood out to me, as did Fahad and Billy’s aunt Babara. Even the least likeable of characters were still captivating. The stories and secrets that gradually unravel throughout the book, family secrets kept hidden away adds to the complexity of the narrative and makes for some amazing character development.

4.5 stars.

Continue reading on my blog.

This review also posted on The StoryGraph and NetGalley.

[Pratiksha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took this book becoz it was a tale of Kashmir & ofcourse a love story.... :) Though I have never been to Kashmir due to some or other reason but I always wanted to & after reading this book I m more excited & eager to go there....
An isolated incident with which the story started told us about the suffering of common kashmiri who is neither a freedom fighter nor a pro-pakistani or military... but still are the one worst affected & where der fault is only dat dat they love Kashmir or their own land much more den der life or family....
they way author Soniah described each person each character of Zoon family I can actually imagine people like dem so clearly.... she knew what she was writing about....
I was actually angry, hurt & thinking of ways for revenge like Zari was that was authors amazing way of telling....
& den her grief, her insecurity, her fears, dey all seemed soo real.... hats off to u Soniah Kamal.... the way u described Zari & her trauma, her plight where though everyone sympathize with her but cannot fathom her demons & fears ...
the way she cudnt open her suitcase which was like Pandora box a box full of memories of home, of own people whom she will never see in real.... d way she was shifted frm one to another place to make her feel better but it didn't helped & den was atlast send to US to Nabi's who are the distant relatives & were ready to help.....
they did der best for a stranger dey never knew & den came der son Bilaal or Billy who was all sensitive boy in uni & still confused about wat he wanna do in life & trying his best to knw his history & root frm his parents who were trying to hide it at all cost....
he loved his Dada who was according to his knowledge was a freedom fighter & was very brave, he adore his maujee his dada's sister & slowly started falling quiet & introvert Zari who was still not able to adjust to d foreign land....
Then came fahad who was like a fresh breeze for Zari his flirting, flowery words actually made her blush & alive.... but it made Billy jealous & realize his love for Zari but he kept quite for Zari's happiness & den came d shocking revelation dat Zari was raped & dat made fahad back off frm his advances for Zari... A distraughted Zari just couldn't take it & Billy in trying to help her blurted out his feelings for her & to make her believe it he was even ready to marry her but.... in a secrecy.... though I liked it how Billy stood by Zari but still he was bit scared of wat & how he should proceed with things.... No it wasn't like he wasn't sure abt Zari or didn't loved her enough it was abt d age & d things d way dey were happening.... & it made him marry Zari in secrecy.... & den billy's way of trying to make Zari comfortable was sweet & cute...
but den things strtd going down with Billy finding abt Maujee's letters which his parents hide frm him for sooo many years... His fight with Zari & den d last balloon & fight with Zari over Fahad made Billy choose a path to go & participate in d fight for freedom of Kashmir in where he got caught with wrong people who were trying to use him for der other cause & he was moving ahead for his Dada, maujee & love Zari even after all the gruesome things he had to endure & live with...
but when he stumbled upon the actual truth of his Dada he just could not believe it & when he did he realized its futile his try & he is doing the things wrong way.... & he came bck...

the stry was all simple & amazing but few things were still der which could have made it more awesome it already is...
But I totally loved d way author used kashmiri in between with meaning too.....

And I cannot stop without telling dat I also loved the Kashmir Calling - a memoir where she had wrote about her family & the tradition & life & I jst cudnt stop smiling over it & feeling sad at few points too..... :)
do write few more of such types of book... :)

[Shree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note : This review has been published @ Readers' Muse

I’ve always regretted not visiting Kashmir when I had the opportunity to do so. My dad resided in Jammu for quite some time and used to describe its endless beauty. He obviously left out the ugly injustice being served to this beautiful place. Since then, I’ve had this fascination with Jammu & Kashmir. Of course, I always knew that beneath the beauty lies a state marred by wars and ridden with unspeakable sorrow. Having never read a proper literature account associated with J&K, I was more than eager to read this book.

The story is a about a simple Kashmiri girl Zari who loses her family and undergoes a major trauma. She then relocates to USA under the ruse of pursing her education. Her life changes dramatically after Billy comes to her rescue. But then, Billy has his own share of emotional baggage in the form of a burdening past to handle. I can’t possibly elaborate more about the story for I would be depriving the reader of a life changing experience.

The narration is filled with raw emotions. It’s been long since a book affected me in such a way. Reading a tale of unspeakable and horrendous injustice experienced by a woman left me choking with unspeakable sorrow. Zari’s narration seemed so realistic that I truly wondered if this story wasn’t a figment of imagination.

I really wouldn’t believe that this writer is actually a rookie to Lit Business. The narration, the plot and portrayal of emotions were almost perfect. If at all I had to find a flaw, it would be with Billy’s story line. I could connect with his feeling of lost identity, but his decision to flee USA didn’t pack a punch for me as it normally should. This could be attributed to a slight slack in narration in that part of the story.

The characterization was perfect and all the characters had so many facets that at one point I wondered if they were actually modeled after real people. Again, if I really had to find a negative with characterization, it would be with that of Zari’s. A trauma obviously changes a person’s character. I couldn’t understand much of Zari’s character before that “life altering” incident.

The cover deserves a special mention. It clearly depicts the beauty of Kashmir but in shades of Brown, which obviously signifies the struggle and injustice.

This book changed my perception of Kashmiris and made me understand why they would actually want a separate country.

The book also re-emphasized a lesson that my parents drilled in me. Love and compassion are the ultimate medicine to any trauma.

VERDICT: A must read for all who whine about the injustice of life. Definitely not for the faint hearted.

RATING: 4.9 on 5

[Inderpreet Uppal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The name Isolated Incident is just so simple a name for something that is not so isolated at all. It is not just that the book talks of how insurgency and terrorism has affected lives but how anywhere in the book no one is accused and never points fingers. Just the desolation and depression, mind numbing sadness that follows and these incidents that are not just for Kashmir, but so many more parts of the world are affected.

No, it is not an Isolated Incident but it sure does isolate a lot of people.
Zari is just a girl, a simple fun loving just engaged girl and suddenly her world crashes around her overnight. Facing the cruel odds dealt to her, she manages to survive but to survive is the last thing on her mind.

A poignant tale…..I have read these words so many times yet they are inadequate in describing the devastation & desolation Zari faces. Not losing her family but her whole way of life too. She and her suitcase travel across seas to find solace and begin anew but and the journey may just be her undoing.
The praise the book is garnering from all over is quite justified. I wanted to read the book as the desperate future Kashmir faces troubles me, our very own crown, the Taj of India is being tarnished by selfish, intolerant bigots. The book sheds a whole new light on the suffering of the residents, the people who want to live there, and who had a life there.
The only thing I found a bit surreal was the stint Billy had in Afghanistan and Pakistan as he had it a bit too easy in the land of mercenaries with bombs and shelling and cut throats. He gets in and out of there so smoothly; I am surprised the immigration guys did not grill him for a few weeks on arrival!!
This book is not a reminder of the wrongs going on in Kashmir but talks of how life goes on for those who have suffered. Pain makes us stronger and even though we suffer loss, it takes us towards new directions.

Soniah Kamal has written the pain, anguish and desperation of Zari and Billy with such ease that it feels the characters of the book are themselves talking. The sorrow and helplessness expressed or the understanding and love they find. How the families are affected or how they react, the handling of all aspects of violence is done with a lot of care and I am very impressed with the delicate way Soniah had balanced it and stopped it from being just another story of violence and abuse. Many times I had to put down the book just to absorb all the emotion spilling out, collect myself and read ahead hoping for Zari, wishing for Zari.

A deeply introspective story written with love meant to spread love and hope, faith that every little positive step matters. A good read, indeed!

[Kalyan Panja · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a narrative rich in poetry, the author excite us and with the characters that are printed well in mind that addresses issues that always inhabit the human heart and capture the readers attention, in a setting as fascinating and dramatic as Kashmir.

The story unfolds across generations bouncing from different places, and in this skein appear various characters that intersect with each other and truly unify the fluidity and the rhythmic cadence of the story.

The characters in the novel, in fact, are neither heroes nor brave cowards, and are people who love, who suffer, who make mistakes but at the same time, try to redeem in any way sacrificing for others and showing that man is capable of simple but noble deeds. They want to look inward and want to improve, but the process is long, it needs time, acceptance and introspection.

The author has the gift of being able to put in a book so many strong characters and despite the high number of lives to tell, going to the synthesis manages to exhaust the description of each exhaustively letting the sense of melancholy complete the rest. The book is a model of the same power, touches the tragedies and the floods of hopes.

An intense and exciting novel that values friendship and love, the plot of the book is complex and exciting, and more and more with the passing of the pages, there are twists, violence, hopes that you seek within themselves and a courage that is evident with increasing intensity until the last lines of the book.

[Hira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally done reading this book...I had to absorb this book a number of times taking leaps and intervals to think, feel and listen to the voices of characters.. This novel is about pain..what it feels like to be a victim and to be rescuer, in the book as Bilal ( who actually was trying to save Zaar - female protagonist) but instead in reality was focused on finding his meaning...Bilal's actions reminded of a beautiful sher written in Urdu which goes as:


Khud ki takmeel karaha hoon main
Warna mujhko to tujhse pyaar nahi...


Love comes in many forms ...sometimes it comes to us because of the fears others are facing...and who knows sympathy could be a long term emotion...Sometimes we love to complete ourselves...thats what Bilal did, he wasnt wrong...its just he had his own way/reason of loving Zari... As long as you feel the pain of the other person..you are very much in love...and Bilal felt a lot for Zari...Soniah Kamaal puts it beautifully in the end that: perhaps there are no love stories, only stories in which love is a part....Its okay to accept that love sometimes is a matter of accident, like death, like life, like survival.
Why we react react to love is simply because of our need to be loved....





This novel answered so many questions of what we as a nation should do, that is simply spread hope because spreading hope is the finest, most noble act in the world...wow....Thats all...Love the ending....Though took a lot time to absorb it and understand it...

[Rajeshwari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just to say that I loved this novel would be an understatement.Half way through the novel I felt as if I was reading Khaled Hosseini. I have always appreciated intense writing but believe me when I say this was different. Having touched upon numerous sensitive human issues Soniah has very intelligently weaved the words into a lyrical masterpiece. From the moment I started reading it I was captivated by some magic spell. The reader would not be at peace unless the book is finished in one sitting. It is that engaging. And long after you are done it will be lingering somewhere deep inside you, asking you questions, escalating conflict and forcing you to ponder over the issues cited in this book through a story that is undoubtedly the reality of lakhs of people languishing over parting from their loved ones, permanent loss of family and friends in wars and the dirty games of politics. This book has amazingly explored the issues of global concern as well as the inner torments of both young and old; all characters fighting their own battle. It brings cognizance to the plight of people still perplexed about their origin and history. It has delineated the picture of Kashmir in a way that would surely make the reader wish to know more about it, meet the people of this place, embrace the culture of this land. Laced with tragedies, haunting memories and unending misery this book will show you that even hope as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. Happy reading!

[Hemant Rajput · Rating 3 out of 5]

What makes a good story? Is its characters, plot, twists or writing style? An Isolated Incident is a story that contains all of those ingredients in a perfect combination. The story revolves around how the Kashmir issues have affected the life of anyone, even remotely associated with the disputed state and their desperation to have a normal life beyond all the chaos and agony that this disputed state has bought it to their life.
A wonderful life awaits Zari as she is about to get away from this disputed state, but a dreadful incident changes everything. Everything she ever dreamt of, anything she held close to her heart, all gone. She is now chased by the memories of her loved ones and ends up among some distant relatives – The Nabi family. The family tries to help her, but she can’t leave behind the ghosts of her family.
Billy Nabi tries to help with Zari at the same time he was trying to figure out his roots that his parents are holding off. As events turn out he not only find empathy for Zari but also fell in love with her.
Soniah Kamal has described every character with lucid nuance. The plot has enough element to keep the reader's mind bound with the right amount of story pace. All I can say about Soniah Kamal is that she wrote a very good piece of the story. It’s a good book to have it in your shelf with some serious writing.

[Shirin Shamsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Isolated Incident, by Soniah Kamal is a novel that keeps you hooked, all the way through to the end. It doesn't leave you even after completion. From the tragic beginning where a horrific crime is committed, one is transported and enthralled by this powerful, engaging story. A terrible crime happens, labeled as 'an isolated incident' ironically. Lives are lost. One life is shattered, but the rippling effects of this isolated incident stretch far and wide, changing lives and destinies.
The protagonist, Zari Zoon, has to reclaim the shattered pieces of her life. Her story is compelling, moving, disturbing, haunting. Memories of one's history, if not addressed or acknowledged, can be emotionally debilitating, for we are part of our past, and history's tragedies affect us. It's almost as if they are carried on through our genetic make up. Zari's story delves deep into the issues and complications of the eternal conflict of Kashmir, India, Pakistan- and nations scarred by conflict. The scars of war run deep. So deep, they continue to haunt generations. If you feel deeply, you hurt deeply. Billy and Zari's story, is also a love story. It offers hope, that despite the unspeakable horrors in this world, there is a way to rebuild a life that's broken. A beautiful first novel. Heart-wrenching, soul-stirring and poignant. I look forward to a second novel.

[Sahar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kashmir has always been a sore point in my memory as a child but it has never been more than a patch of land that my elders were always passionate about for reasons I later understood when I went to school. Reading through An Isolated Incident, especially now when the streets of my own beloved Lahore are obstructed with military check posts and armed military officers, was an eye-opener for what life is like in an occupied country, the helplessness, the sheer tragedy of life and the precious moments too few and far between that are hoarded against the daily struggle of breathing were brought home by a writer not only skilled in painting a vivid picture but the ability to invoke emotion for characters that you fall in love with from the word go.

My favourite character was by far Billy. He is in every one of us. The voice of the angry youth that believes in their own invincibility to look at the bleak bigger picture, to give up without a fight. I loved the full circle and the coming together of two individuals that represent the struggle of average people living in these troubled times: to salvage what you can and protect what you have and move forward.

I thoroughly enjoyed An Isolated Incident and would recommend it highly. It is un-put-downable!

[Jayanne Rahal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! An Isolated Incident is an absolutely underrated diamond and the first e-book I have read which I now feel the need to buy a hard copy for. Kamal presents by no means an 'easy' book to consume and I often found myself processing bite-sized portions of the story rather than deep-diving into chunks at once. The prose is beautiful and I've seen the general style and atmosphere compared to Khaled Hosseini (though I haven't read his work yet).

The story of Zari (and by extension the Nabi family) is by no means light and fluffy, with heavy trigger warnings for self harm, rape, child abuse, graphic violence, etc. but aptly depicts the power struggle for Kashmir and really helped enlighten me to many cultural and regional aspects I was unaware of. I was fully invested in the characters and their arcs and am surprised this book hasn't gained more traction for the tale it tells.

[Mariam Rauf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been a deeply engaging read for me - Despite the fact that I grew up close enough to this most coveted region, I realized that I learned so much more about the history and struggle of beautiful Kashmir and it's people through The author's eyes - more than I would have ever retained from reading a history or political science book. Through her eyes I have found a greater appreciation for the plight of Kashmiris - whether they cope with the state of their home through despair, anger or complacency, Kashmiris, those living there as well as those that have had to leave, desperately miss what was once their beautiful, peaceful, stable home. They deserve to have their beautiful, peaceful, stable home restored.

[Mehvish · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book really picks up towards the end.....its a book about hope,dreams,love,loss,forgiveness,family,home......humans are always in need of an identity.
The question it leaves me with.....where is my home? Where are my roots?Born & raised in Abudhabi ,I kept moving from city to city,lived in USA and now in Lahore.So where do I find my roots? Do I grow them or are they where my heart belongs? But where does my heart belong?
Soniah Kamal's debut novel has once again left me reeling.....finding answers....but do we ever find them?
" Listen closely,there is no message,no saving grace,no balm that will outweigh a final blow: a smile is no different from a scream in the galaxy of indifference that is time."

[Sayantani Dasgupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with rich descriptions and characters, An Isolated Incident is a fast-paced novel. I liked the author's succinct summary of Kashmir's problematic history, and her ability to portray the roles of all three political players--India, Pakistan and Independent Kashmir-- as equally complex. There are lots of beautiful sentences to love and I can only imagine the hard work that went into constructing the sweeping narrative arc of the novel. The only thing that for me took away from the perfect enjoyment of this novel was that in the hands of a more competent editor, this book would have had fewer punctuation errors.