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Set Me Free
Set Me Free by Hina Belitz is a beautiful, unforgettable novel that will be devoured by fans of Me Before You and The Memory Book . It shines a gentle light into the shadows of life and shows how sometimes reaching out to the world is all it takes to set you free ...Mani and Nu. Sister and brother.Forced to flee their home in fear of their lives, Mani and Nu find themselves in a dark, London flat. When the worst happens, fate abandons them far from the family who might love them. And so Mani accepts an offer of marriage in hope of finding comfort for Nu ... but her dreams of happiness soon evaporate and she is left with no way of revealing the truth about the life she and Nu are leading.Letters are the answer.Little by little, Mani reaches out to the world with love ... it is only a matter of time before the world reaches back for her.
320 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 21, 2017
I always like to start talking about how I ended choosing whichever book to read — This one was a random pick from the bookstore, no book stimulated me that day. I didn't know what it was about when I first bought it.
The story of "Set Me Free" focuses on the continuous misfortune in Mani's life — from escaping Pakistan with her little brother, and mother, too afraid of her father's anger, to emotionally fighting the violence of her husband. As a protagonist, Mani starts as a young girl in the streets of Lahore, contemplating all the societal norms of the neighbors, and that of her family, and especially the love her mother had for her light-skinned brother, Nu. As she grows up throughout the book, Mani carries burden and guilt of not saving her mother, and not protecting Nu from the trauma that brought silence to his life. Once married to Khan, she finds herself submerged in a violent marriage, abused, and beaten. While Mani forgives Khan each time, giving him excuses to justify his actions, she also starts realizing later on that such situation must not last for long. She then starts writing letters to strangers in buses expressing her love to them and sharing her story.
While I wished I didn't spend as much time reading this book, I enjoyed the end ( Because I didn't truly expect it.) I found many passages of the book described in a very "cliché" manner. The writing of the Author has a lot of room for improvement, and I can see it potentially getting better. Moreover, the themes discussed throughout the book were the usual struggles one would find in any other book written by a Muslim Asian, more specifically from Pakistan and Afghanistan.
I truly think the book could have had a better plot, instead of the one the author chose. It was poor, and lacked originality, almost hitting banality.
The story of "Set Me Free" focuses on the continuous misfortune in Mani's life — from escaping Pakistan with her little brother, and mother, too afraid of her father's anger, to emotionally fighting the violence of her husband. As a protagonist, Mani starts as a young girl in the streets of Lahore, contemplating all the societal norms of the neighbors, and that of her family, and especially the love her mother had for her light-skinned brother, Nu. As she grows up throughout the book, Mani carries burden and guilt of not saving her mother, and not protecting Nu from the trauma that brought silence to his life. Once married to Khan, she finds herself submerged in a violent marriage, abused, and beaten. While Mani forgives Khan each time, giving him excuses to justify his actions, she also starts realizing later on that such situation must not last for long. She then starts writing letters to strangers in buses expressing her love to them and sharing her story.
While I wished I didn't spend as much time reading this book, I enjoyed the end ( Because I didn't truly expect it.) I found many passages of the book described in a very "cliché" manner. The writing of the Author has a lot of room for improvement, and I can see it potentially getting better. Moreover, the themes discussed throughout the book were the usual struggles one would find in any other book written by a Muslim Asian, more specifically from Pakistan and Afghanistan.
I truly think the book could have had a better plot, instead of the one the author chose. It was poor, and lacked originality, almost hitting banality.
November 26, 2018
I dunno what to think of this one. It was depressing and sad, but also kind of uplifting and clever.
It starts in Lahore, Pakistan, with Mani and her brother Nu. Nu is born when Mani is 4 and he is white. White with red hair. Not brown, like Mani and her family. Somehow the father is persuaded that the boy is his, but over time he comes to believe that he is not (I don't see how he can be!) and he is violently aggressive to his wife about it. Mani, the narrator, is torn - she loves her Papa but is frightened of him, while her mother treats her with indifference while smothering Nu with love. Nu can do no wrong, but Mani doesn't resent him. She adores her little brother.
When Mani is, as best as I can work out, 13, they run away to England to get away from Papa. They live with Abdul and Dalal in London and settle into life in England.
Three years later, Pa turns up and attacks Ma and Nu. Mani, frightened out of her life, hides in a cupboard and lets him do it. Ma is killed. Nu is left in a coma.
Eventually Nu recovers, but he doesn't speak. He will communicate by writing when he feels the need but he is silent. Mani struggles to cope with it, but she learns to write her feelings to him and they have a very sweet relationship.
Abdul arranged for Mani to get married to a local boy, Khan, who is a couple of years older. I think Mani is about 16/17 at this point. She is very taken with Khan who is good looking and exciting and sexy. She is quite happy to marry him. But they have only been married a matter of hours when Khan shows his true self and smacks her round the head. The following year of marriage can be traced across her body in scars and bruises. He doesn't care where he hits her, he's not fussed if she has bruises on her face for others to see.
Threaded throughout the story are letters written by someone called Mexx to her lover on various buses. This I didn't really get at all, but it was worth persevering to the end.
For their year anniversary, Khan takes Mani and Nu to Pakistan to stay in his family's villa in the mountains. Something is wrong from the moment they arrive, and lots of men turn up. Eventually Khan explains that they are going to kill Mani and Nu. In fact, they are going to rape them both and kill them. But Mani goes mad. No one touches her brother. She gets a knife and slashes one of the men in the neck then she and Nu run away. The taxi driver that took them from the airport is still there and they hide in the boot of his car. He takes them to the British Consul and they manage to get home.
Once home, they see a feature on the local news about letters being given to random men on buses. Letters from Mexx, telling them that she loves them. That they are worth loving. That no matter what happens to her, she will always love them. Turns out Mani is Mexx (I'd worked this out - it's Me xx) and she was falling out of love with Khan and poured that love into the love of strangers, men on buses who looked in need of loving.
The whole story is about love, despite it appearing to be about violence and murder. Love is dangerous. Love is powerful. Love makes you do things you didn't think you could do. Love makes you weak and it makes you immensely strong.
I didn't enjoy this book. Domestic violence is very real, and 2 women in the UK a week die at the hands of their abuser. But the love of Mani for her brother, and for anyone who needs it, shines through. Her love for others got her through the lack of love for and from her husband.
3 stars because it made me think.
It starts in Lahore, Pakistan, with Mani and her brother Nu. Nu is born when Mani is 4 and he is white. White with red hair. Not brown, like Mani and her family. Somehow the father is persuaded that the boy is his, but over time he comes to believe that he is not (I don't see how he can be!) and he is violently aggressive to his wife about it. Mani, the narrator, is torn - she loves her Papa but is frightened of him, while her mother treats her with indifference while smothering Nu with love. Nu can do no wrong, but Mani doesn't resent him. She adores her little brother.
When Mani is, as best as I can work out, 13, they run away to England to get away from Papa. They live with Abdul and Dalal in London and settle into life in England.
Three years later, Pa turns up and attacks Ma and Nu. Mani, frightened out of her life, hides in a cupboard and lets him do it. Ma is killed. Nu is left in a coma.
Eventually Nu recovers, but he doesn't speak. He will communicate by writing when he feels the need but he is silent. Mani struggles to cope with it, but she learns to write her feelings to him and they have a very sweet relationship.
Abdul arranged for Mani to get married to a local boy, Khan, who is a couple of years older. I think Mani is about 16/17 at this point. She is very taken with Khan who is good looking and exciting and sexy. She is quite happy to marry him. But they have only been married a matter of hours when Khan shows his true self and smacks her round the head. The following year of marriage can be traced across her body in scars and bruises. He doesn't care where he hits her, he's not fussed if she has bruises on her face for others to see.
Threaded throughout the story are letters written by someone called Mexx to her lover on various buses. This I didn't really get at all, but it was worth persevering to the end.
For their year anniversary, Khan takes Mani and Nu to Pakistan to stay in his family's villa in the mountains. Something is wrong from the moment they arrive, and lots of men turn up. Eventually Khan explains that they are going to kill Mani and Nu. In fact, they are going to rape them both and kill them. But Mani goes mad. No one touches her brother. She gets a knife and slashes one of the men in the neck then she and Nu run away. The taxi driver that took them from the airport is still there and they hide in the boot of his car. He takes them to the British Consul and they manage to get home.
Once home, they see a feature on the local news about letters being given to random men on buses. Letters from Mexx, telling them that she loves them. That they are worth loving. That no matter what happens to her, she will always love them. Turns out Mani is Mexx (I'd worked this out - it's Me xx) and she was falling out of love with Khan and poured that love into the love of strangers, men on buses who looked in need of loving.
The whole story is about love, despite it appearing to be about violence and murder. Love is dangerous. Love is powerful. Love makes you do things you didn't think you could do. Love makes you weak and it makes you immensely strong.
I didn't enjoy this book. Domestic violence is very real, and 2 women in the UK a week die at the hands of their abuser. But the love of Mani for her brother, and for anyone who needs it, shines through. Her love for others got her through the lack of love for and from her husband.
3 stars because it made me think.
September 2, 2017
The content of this book doesn't really match the blurb on the back of it, and if a friend of mine hadn't recommended the writer and her debut novel, I probably wouldn't have picked it up just based on the relatively bland blurb. What I discovered instead, however, was a wonderfully written and poetic book that deals with some very difficult topics including honour killings and domestic violence.
This is one of those books that consumes you while you read it. I wish the ending were more satisfying, but aside from that, I found it to be a very captivating read.
This is one of those books that consumes you while you read it. I wish the ending were more satisfying, but aside from that, I found it to be a very captivating read.
September 24, 2019
Thought provoking
September 13, 2020
An uneven book mostly well written and dealing with difficult subjects, but I found the ending unconvincing.
May 30, 2023
This was not my kind of book. It was good, I can see how good it is based on how well it affected me, but I had a really hard time reading.
October 9, 2024
The ending could be better.
October 1, 2016
I have just finished this book (read in three sittings) and congratulate the author on a moving and engrossing novel which I couldn't second guess. It made me cry in both a sad and happy way and sad too that there is no more to read.
March 1, 2017
This book got my emotions on a roller coaster from the beginning till the end but it was definitely worth the read. From my point of view, for a very first, I believe that it is really well written despite the hard topics and struggles evoked in the book. The lasts chapters left me wanting more but I'm still rating it a +5.
December 20, 2016
"There are bruises on my skin and deeper hurts within"
This is a difficult book to review because it covers some delicate topics reasonably well, but I didn't find it particularly well written. Considering this is the author's first book, however, I think I would try her again as the subjects were certainly worthy of a novel.
Mani and her younger brother Nu begin their life in Lahore, Pakistan. Unfortunately Nu's startlingly pale skin gave gossiping neighbours cause for malicious comments, and his father was swayed by their opinions. I found these early scenes quite disorientating and the balance between keeping the reader guessing veered too far in the direction of confusion. I would probably have given up at this stage, but I was reviewing the book for NetGalley and felt somewhat obliged to continue.
As a result of events in the early part of the book, Mani and her brother go to live in England with their uncle and aunt, where they must adjust to a totally new way of life, always feeling like outsiders. An arranged marriage appears to be a solution to everyone's problems.
The strength of this book is the way the author deals with the issues of domestic violence; you could totally see why an abused wife would keep forgiving her husband when profuse apologies would be followed by a couple of weeks at a time of being loving and romantic, but then he'd flip at a moment's annoyance into an unrecognisable demon, only to repeat the cycle.
I didn't really go with the letters that Mani writes throughout the book, they seemed to be asking for trouble and the explanation for them that we finally get near the end of the book didn't convince me. Maybe these would be more persuasive for lovers of self-help books.
So, lots of area that didn't really work for me, but others have loved it so I guess it's a bit of a Marmite book. I shall keep my eyes open for more from this author as I think, in spite of its faults, that this book could be the start of something good.
This is a difficult book to review because it covers some delicate topics reasonably well, but I didn't find it particularly well written. Considering this is the author's first book, however, I think I would try her again as the subjects were certainly worthy of a novel.
Mani and her younger brother Nu begin their life in Lahore, Pakistan. Unfortunately Nu's startlingly pale skin gave gossiping neighbours cause for malicious comments, and his father was swayed by their opinions. I found these early scenes quite disorientating and the balance between keeping the reader guessing veered too far in the direction of confusion. I would probably have given up at this stage, but I was reviewing the book for NetGalley and felt somewhat obliged to continue.
As a result of events in the early part of the book, Mani and her brother go to live in England with their uncle and aunt, where they must adjust to a totally new way of life, always feeling like outsiders. An arranged marriage appears to be a solution to everyone's problems.
The strength of this book is the way the author deals with the issues of domestic violence; you could totally see why an abused wife would keep forgiving her husband when profuse apologies would be followed by a couple of weeks at a time of being loving and romantic, but then he'd flip at a moment's annoyance into an unrecognisable demon, only to repeat the cycle.
I didn't really go with the letters that Mani writes throughout the book, they seemed to be asking for trouble and the explanation for them that we finally get near the end of the book didn't convince me. Maybe these would be more persuasive for lovers of self-help books.
So, lots of area that didn't really work for me, but others have loved it so I guess it's a bit of a Marmite book. I shall keep my eyes open for more from this author as I think, in spite of its faults, that this book could be the start of something good.
October 3, 2016
I would like to start this review by thanking Goodreads and the publishers of 'Set Me Free' for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I should also like to point out that however much I rave about this book (and I will because it is an incredible piece of writing) this review is completely honest and I haven't been in the slightest bit swayed by the fact I received it in a give-away.
If you are looking for an easy read, to enjoy when sat around the pool on holiday this book may not be the one you are searching for, buy it anyway and read it when you get home. Set Me Free tackles some incredibly difficult topics, domestic violence and arranged marriage to name just two. Hina Belitz tackled these difficult subjects with compassion that allowed me to follow Mani's story and although it was difficult to read in places it was also surprisingly uplifting. Although I sobbed through parts I actually found this a story of love and hope. The ending was absolutely superb and one I will remember for a long time. So yes, I would happily recommend this book to other readers, brace yourself for an emotional rollercoaster but it is really well worth the read.
My only disappointment was to discover that this is the only book written by Hina Belitz, I do hope she has another in the pipeline.
If you are looking for an easy read, to enjoy when sat around the pool on holiday this book may not be the one you are searching for, buy it anyway and read it when you get home. Set Me Free tackles some incredibly difficult topics, domestic violence and arranged marriage to name just two. Hina Belitz tackled these difficult subjects with compassion that allowed me to follow Mani's story and although it was difficult to read in places it was also surprisingly uplifting. Although I sobbed through parts I actually found this a story of love and hope. The ending was absolutely superb and one I will remember for a long time. So yes, I would happily recommend this book to other readers, brace yourself for an emotional rollercoaster but it is really well worth the read.
My only disappointment was to discover that this is the only book written by Hina Belitz, I do hope she has another in the pipeline.
May 30, 2016
Nu and Mani, brother and sister start their life in Lahore. However, as Nu grows up, the family start to be subjected to a lot of gossip and harassment from the community they live in as Nu looks slightly different to the rest of the family. This escalates to such an extent that they are forced to leave the country and they travel to London to live.
Once there, they begin to move on with their lives, until one night something terrible happens. As a means of moving on Mani puts her energies into her new marriage with hope of providing comfort to her and Nu. However, despite a promising start, her marriage is a daily struggle for her and she encounters many challenging occasions that test her to the limit. But, with plenty of courage and love, Mani finds a way to cope through it all.
This book contains some disturbing scenes, which really make you feel for Mani as a character. She has so many dreams and all she wants is to be happy. I enjoyed this book, it wasn’t a page-turner but I really grew to like Mani as a character and I was keen to find out what happens to her and her brother Nu.
Thank you to Lovereading for sending this book to me in exchange for an honest review.
Once there, they begin to move on with their lives, until one night something terrible happens. As a means of moving on Mani puts her energies into her new marriage with hope of providing comfort to her and Nu. However, despite a promising start, her marriage is a daily struggle for her and she encounters many challenging occasions that test her to the limit. But, with plenty of courage and love, Mani finds a way to cope through it all.
This book contains some disturbing scenes, which really make you feel for Mani as a character. She has so many dreams and all she wants is to be happy. I enjoyed this book, it wasn’t a page-turner but I really grew to like Mani as a character and I was keen to find out what happens to her and her brother Nu.
Thank you to Lovereading for sending this book to me in exchange for an honest review.
August 12, 2016
I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
This book will not start of nicely with, it’s start of with what it is about. Domestic Violence.
The book its told from Mani’s eyes, a young girl that see’s and experiences the change in the family. From a loving family to a place that you flee to protect yourself and others. Mani and Nu are siblings from a Muslim back ground. The book will show you different cultures and the occasional used word to express certain behaviours/ believes in this story are explained in a footnote.
At the beginning I was not sure about the book and if I should continue reading. I found it very slow going and close to putting it to the side. I read further on, a few chapters in I got more into the story. The story is very good and Hina Belitz writes about a topic that is not often enough discussed.
As I got more into the story while reading on, I missed the depth and my connection to the characters in this book.
This book will not start of nicely with, it’s start of with what it is about. Domestic Violence.
The book its told from Mani’s eyes, a young girl that see’s and experiences the change in the family. From a loving family to a place that you flee to protect yourself and others. Mani and Nu are siblings from a Muslim back ground. The book will show you different cultures and the occasional used word to express certain behaviours/ believes in this story are explained in a footnote.
At the beginning I was not sure about the book and if I should continue reading. I found it very slow going and close to putting it to the side. I read further on, a few chapters in I got more into the story. The story is very good and Hina Belitz writes about a topic that is not often enough discussed.
As I got more into the story while reading on, I missed the depth and my connection to the characters in this book.
June 10, 2016
A surprisingly uplifting story about seeking love against a desperate backdrop involving domestic violence and honour killing. Although the characters of Mani and her traumatised brother Nu are lovingly crafted, I found some of the other characters to be one-dimensional and generic, which meant that I struggled to get under the skin of the storyline. I had particular issues with the motivations behind Kahn's actions, whose bitterness and cruelty towards Mani was difficult to comprehend. I also struggled to get my head around the cultural values that appeared to normalise the mysogeny and control effected by many of the male characters over the women and their distrust and paranoia over their sexuality but I consider that to be educative rather than a problem with the novel per se. Not sure that the book's cover is reflective of the traumatic storyline within.
I got the book as a proof copy for preview by lovereading.com
I got the book as a proof copy for preview by lovereading.com
September 27, 2016
A very descriptive and lyrically written book, which narrates the story of a young woman who is at the mercy of a vindictive and misogynistic culture; one that can crush a woman at the slightest suggestion. I found myself having to pause and reflect, simply because the storyline was so vivid and present, and often traumatic. However, because of an early and immediate attachment to the characters I was eager to learn more about their journey. This compelling story is about resilience, the power of love, finding one's inner strength and much much more.
Want to Read
November 15, 2016A very descriptive and lyrically written book, which narrates the story of a young woman who is at the mercy of a vindictive and misogynistic culture; one that can crush a woman at the slightest suggestion. I found myself having to pause and reflect, simply because the storyline was so vivid and present, and often traumatic. However, because of an early and immediate attachment to the characters I was eager to learn more about their journey. This compelling story is about resilience, the power of love, finding one's inner strength
May 15, 2017
Mani and Nu really got to me. Almost to the point of tears.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews