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Amina: The Silent One
The Silent One brings vividly to life the grim realities facing women in India today, the grinding, filthy poverty, and debasement with which most Indian women must contend in their daily lives. This book will shock you and rip your eyes open. Through the magic of fiction, it tells an awful truth in human terms that cannot be told in any other way. The degradation of women in India is nearly universal, and ranges from their second-class status in society, often excluding them from educational and professional opportunities, to their frequent physical and psychological brutalization, often involving assault, rape, and sexual slavery. The anglicized educated Indian and the western industrialized world is appalled at the horrific news reports—all too frequent—of women attacked in public places, beaten, degraded, raped, and murdered. The situation and treatment of women in India is simply incomprehensible to most modern educated people. The media carries the hair-raising news reports; we shake our heads in outrage, confused that such cruelty and debasement of women is commonplace in a country that has long had the benefit of western cultural influence, education, and governmental systems. Yet the awful reality women endure in India completely escapes us because we are unacquainted with the actual, tangible details of their lives and the world they inhabit. In her latest work, Indian national and accomplished novelist and poet, Fiza Pathan has gone a long way in removing the obstacles to a true understanding of the hellish reality most Indian women experience. Her characters are fully imagined and alive to the reader, and she does not stint in telling the gruesome, shocking truth. She is candid and unsparing; she does not use euphemisms or false niceties in telling the tragic story of a Mumbai India slum family that, against all odds, produces a female musical prodigy. This novel will get under your skin and stay with you for a long time. Pathan’s characters live and breathe; you are sure to remember them; the sordid details of their lives and their struggles and heartbreaks materialize before our very eyes. The Silent One goes a long way in opening our lives and hearts to the plight of women in India and may actually be an agent of positive change in Indian society.
186 pages, Paperback
First published July 29, 2015
1 person is currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Fiza Pathan
42 books378 followersIMP: If you are an indie-author & wish to contact me for written or live interviews on my blogs & websites then contact me here - pathan.fiza@gmail.com
or you can text me on 9820763499.
I will then get back to you ASAP.
I also review books already published & in ARC form (pdfs are fine) especially of indie-writers. You can message or text about the same to me via the above given details. Messaging on Goodreads is coming to an end, period. I am also on X, LinkedIn, Fable & StoryGraph, feel free to join me there.
Fiza Pathan is a Roman Catholic born on the 19th of March 1989 and is from Mumbai, India.
Fiza has written and published seventeen award-winning books and short stories, which reflect her interest in furthering the cause of education and in championing social issues. In over seventy literary competitions, she has placed either as winner or finalist, chief among them being: 2020 DBW Awards; 2020 Writer's Digest Self-Published E-Book Awards; 2018 DBW Awards; Killer Nashville 2018 Silver Falchion Award; 2018 IAN Book of the Year Awards; 2018 Book Viral Millennium Book Awards; Readers’ Favorite Book Awards; Reader Views Literary Awards; Eric Hoffer Book Award; Foreword Reviews Indie Fab Book Awards; Mom’s Choice Awards; Literary Classics Book Awards; and Dan Poynter’s Global E-Book Awards. She established her own niche publishing company called Fiza Pathan Publishing OPC Private Limited where she publishes Rare Classics for younger readers.
She has been contributing articles, book reviews, parabolic stories, and theological essays to various Catholic Magazines for the past 16 years. She has been associated with ‘The Examiner’ which is a reputed Catholic newsweekly of India for the past 16 years. In recognition of her various literary achievements as a young Catholic writer, she has recently received the first ever Bronze Pen Award from The Examiner at its 175th anniversary celebrations in the year 2024.
She also contributes theological articles and book reviews respectively to the ICM (Indian Catholic Matters) online magazine as well as ‘The Teenager Today’ which is run by the Catholic congregation of St. Pauls. She also contributed articles to ‘The Vision & Venture’ and ‘Word Power’ as a youth, both of which are Catholic monthlies.
Fiza Pathan is currently pursuing her Masters in Theological Studies from Pontifex University Atlanta, Georgia asynchronously. She also pursues additional theological courses at the Institute of Catholic Culture in Virginia through its online platform to improve her knowledge of authentic Catholic theology, philosophy, and literature. She is currently in the process of becoming a Consecrated Virgin for Christ.
She is also pursuing her Post Graduate Certificate In International Teacher Education (PGCITE) at Podar International School, Santacruz. She is being trained to teach grades 1 to 12 in the IGCSE & IB curricula. Her specializations will be in English Language, English Literature, Global Perspectives (GP), History, TOK & CAS.
She taught English Literature and History for a year at an ICSE school called Lilavati Bai Podar High School, Mumbai (2011-2012).
Fiza Pathan has a bachelor’s degree in arts from the University of Mumbai, where she majored in History and Sociology with a first class. She also has a bachelor’s degree in education, again with a first class, her special subjects being English and History.
She lives with her maternal family & her cat Lopez, and writes essays, book reviews, sketches, novels, and short stories in most genres. You may follow her on Twitter @FizaPathan and visit her blog insaneowl.com or her website fizapathansportfolioforpgcite.com
or you can text me on 9820763499.
I will then get back to you ASAP.
I also review books already published & in ARC form (pdfs are fine) especially of indie-writers. You can message or text about the same to me via the above given details. Messaging on Goodreads is coming to an end, period. I am also on X, LinkedIn, Fable & StoryGraph, feel free to join me there.
Fiza Pathan is a Roman Catholic born on the 19th of March 1989 and is from Mumbai, India.
Fiza has written and published seventeen award-winning books and short stories, which reflect her interest in furthering the cause of education and in championing social issues. In over seventy literary competitions, she has placed either as winner or finalist, chief among them being: 2020 DBW Awards; 2020 Writer's Digest Self-Published E-Book Awards; 2018 DBW Awards; Killer Nashville 2018 Silver Falchion Award; 2018 IAN Book of the Year Awards; 2018 Book Viral Millennium Book Awards; Readers’ Favorite Book Awards; Reader Views Literary Awards; Eric Hoffer Book Award; Foreword Reviews Indie Fab Book Awards; Mom’s Choice Awards; Literary Classics Book Awards; and Dan Poynter’s Global E-Book Awards. She established her own niche publishing company called Fiza Pathan Publishing OPC Private Limited where she publishes Rare Classics for younger readers.
She has been contributing articles, book reviews, parabolic stories, and theological essays to various Catholic Magazines for the past 16 years. She has been associated with ‘The Examiner’ which is a reputed Catholic newsweekly of India for the past 16 years. In recognition of her various literary achievements as a young Catholic writer, she has recently received the first ever Bronze Pen Award from The Examiner at its 175th anniversary celebrations in the year 2024.
She also contributes theological articles and book reviews respectively to the ICM (Indian Catholic Matters) online magazine as well as ‘The Teenager Today’ which is run by the Catholic congregation of St. Pauls. She also contributed articles to ‘The Vision & Venture’ and ‘Word Power’ as a youth, both of which are Catholic monthlies.
Fiza Pathan is currently pursuing her Masters in Theological Studies from Pontifex University Atlanta, Georgia asynchronously. She also pursues additional theological courses at the Institute of Catholic Culture in Virginia through its online platform to improve her knowledge of authentic Catholic theology, philosophy, and literature. She is currently in the process of becoming a Consecrated Virgin for Christ.
She is also pursuing her Post Graduate Certificate In International Teacher Education (PGCITE) at Podar International School, Santacruz. She is being trained to teach grades 1 to 12 in the IGCSE & IB curricula. Her specializations will be in English Language, English Literature, Global Perspectives (GP), History, TOK & CAS.
She taught English Literature and History for a year at an ICSE school called Lilavati Bai Podar High School, Mumbai (2011-2012).
Fiza Pathan has a bachelor’s degree in arts from the University of Mumbai, where she majored in History and Sociology with a first class. She also has a bachelor’s degree in education, again with a first class, her special subjects being English and History.
She lives with her maternal family & her cat Lopez, and writes essays, book reviews, sketches, novels, and short stories in most genres. You may follow her on Twitter @FizaPathan and visit her blog insaneowl.com or her website fizapathansportfolioforpgcite.com
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 18, 2016
The blurb copy says "Amina: The Silent One brings vividly to life the grim realities facing women in India today, the grinding, filthy poverty, and debasement with which most Indian women must contend in their daily lives" I couldn't sum it up any better without selling Fiza Pathan's brilliant novel short. All I can add is that this is an exquisitely written novel by an incredibly insightful author and one I felt quite honoured to read.
December 25, 2019
This is a compelling story about a young girl, Amina who lives in the slums of Mumbai with her family. Amina is the third daughter which to her family is a tragedy that she is not a son. Amina finds her joy by playing her flute which was given to her by a physician who saw promise in her. The young girl goes through horrible, tragic, and life-changing events.
Fiza Pathan writes this powerful story beautifully.
Fiza Pathan writes this powerful story beautifully.
November 30, 2020
Can one love something so painful? Yes, although it was hard to read, I loved it. Difficult to put down, exotic, yet also close. Amina's problems are not the problems of a European or American woman, but the deeper theme of abuse, unfairness, family pressure is common for all of us. We are of the same blood.
October 13, 2015
Everyone throughout the world lives in an existence where discrimination not only exists but will unfortunately remain forever. Now of course things can get better for the certain groups of people who have been commonly discriminated against but of course the reverse cycle can always happen and unfortunately, new types of discrimination are always being born. I personally believe that it will never go away because everyone is different and people who are too sensitive to differences of others will expresses their beliefs out of fear or hate. Being an American, I’ve seen discrimination occur many times and although I was aware of it existing in other parts of the world, I was never fully aware of how horrible it is for women in India. Fiza Pathan gives us an original story but surrounds it with real facts about how women in India are horribly mistreated.
An unnamed child is born into a family who were hoping to have a son. Her parents want to abandon her since it’s normally done to unwanted baby girls in India. Before they do, they see the father, Jaffar’s mentor; Dr. Rahim for advice. Rather than helping them get rid of the baby, he forces them not only to keep her but to love and educate her the best way they can. They reluctantly agree after he shames them more and more. It is here that the unnamed child finally gets her name; Amina. Fiza Pathan then gives us a tour of her childhood and young adult years. This is also where we learn more about how India is morally cruel to women. When things start to finally look up for Amina by her marrying a much older and wiser man, Igbal, he forces her to become a prostitute. But Amina always had something to keep her going in a society that didn’t fully treat her as a human being; music. Now with this being said; is she going to use her love for music as a way to stand out in India? Will she master the art of singing and become a star singer? Will she become an inspiration for other women in India to rise up from the horrible society in India for women?
As I said before, I was always aware that discrimination didn’t only exist in America. In “Amina: The Silent One”, I was able to catch a glimpse of how certain countries deal with discrimination. I say glimpse because I assume that Fiza Pathan’s book is only a glimpse. I assume that there’s much more than what she could put down on paper. I think one of the greatest examples of the discrimination in the book is actually the opening scene where we learn that Jaffar hasn’t named his newborn daughter yet. To me, that’s literally saying that this human being doesn’t deserve a name or doesn’t even need one. Excuse me, it’s a human being. It was almost as if he was dehumanizing his own daughter. Now of course there are many scenes that depict dehumanizing but because that was his daughter probably made it more heart breaking. Despite the heavy scenes of discrimination, Fiza Pathan did a wonderful job at creating an original story that was surrounded by historical fact.
An unnamed child is born into a family who were hoping to have a son. Her parents want to abandon her since it’s normally done to unwanted baby girls in India. Before they do, they see the father, Jaffar’s mentor; Dr. Rahim for advice. Rather than helping them get rid of the baby, he forces them not only to keep her but to love and educate her the best way they can. They reluctantly agree after he shames them more and more. It is here that the unnamed child finally gets her name; Amina. Fiza Pathan then gives us a tour of her childhood and young adult years. This is also where we learn more about how India is morally cruel to women. When things start to finally look up for Amina by her marrying a much older and wiser man, Igbal, he forces her to become a prostitute. But Amina always had something to keep her going in a society that didn’t fully treat her as a human being; music. Now with this being said; is she going to use her love for music as a way to stand out in India? Will she master the art of singing and become a star singer? Will she become an inspiration for other women in India to rise up from the horrible society in India for women?
As I said before, I was always aware that discrimination didn’t only exist in America. In “Amina: The Silent One”, I was able to catch a glimpse of how certain countries deal with discrimination. I say glimpse because I assume that Fiza Pathan’s book is only a glimpse. I assume that there’s much more than what she could put down on paper. I think one of the greatest examples of the discrimination in the book is actually the opening scene where we learn that Jaffar hasn’t named his newborn daughter yet. To me, that’s literally saying that this human being doesn’t deserve a name or doesn’t even need one. Excuse me, it’s a human being. It was almost as if he was dehumanizing his own daughter. Now of course there are many scenes that depict dehumanizing but because that was his daughter probably made it more heart breaking. Despite the heavy scenes of discrimination, Fiza Pathan did a wonderful job at creating an original story that was surrounded by historical fact.
March 30, 2016
The tale of Amina: The Silent One reads more like a biography than a fiction. It is a powerful story of survival, an exposé on the disregard of women in India, and an account of how one young woman finds her voice even without speaking. It is a story of hope that one day India will stop silencing women and see them as valuable contributors to society.
Born as the third female in a poor Indian family, Amina's parents visit Dr. Rahim for advice on giving up the child for adoption. Instead, the mentor tells them that female babies are a blessing and not a burden, and then names the child after his great-grandmother, a poet. From an early age, Amina displayed musical talent, especially with the flute. As a child learning women's work, she overheard her older sisters talking about being educated and becoming independent. When her sisters and mother are killed in a bombing, Amina's grandmother and father start to see Amina as a burden and marry her off quickly. In their haste to be rid of her, they do not fully vet the husband to be. Very quickly, Amina finds out that he is a sexual human trafficker. After months of enduring this slavery, Amina uses her musical talent to escape.
Beautifully told, I recommend this book for all who care about social injustice, the effects of ignorance on the plight of women, or who want to learn a bit about women in Indian culture.
Born as the third female in a poor Indian family, Amina's parents visit Dr. Rahim for advice on giving up the child for adoption. Instead, the mentor tells them that female babies are a blessing and not a burden, and then names the child after his great-grandmother, a poet. From an early age, Amina displayed musical talent, especially with the flute. As a child learning women's work, she overheard her older sisters talking about being educated and becoming independent. When her sisters and mother are killed in a bombing, Amina's grandmother and father start to see Amina as a burden and marry her off quickly. In their haste to be rid of her, they do not fully vet the husband to be. Very quickly, Amina finds out that he is a sexual human trafficker. After months of enduring this slavery, Amina uses her musical talent to escape.
Beautifully told, I recommend this book for all who care about social injustice, the effects of ignorance on the plight of women, or who want to learn a bit about women in Indian culture.
February 11, 2024
After reading Pathan’s Nirmala: The Mud Blossom and being introduced to Nirmala’s good friend Amina, I felt compelled to read the story of Amina, the musical prodigy, the little Muslim girl living in the slums of Mumbai. Amina was the third daughter born to Jaffar and his wife, and her lot in life wasn’t looking so good as females didn’t count for much in the culture. The only thing that made Amina happy was playing her flute – just one of the three instruments she had a gift for playing.
As the story begins we’ll learn that the coldest heart in that family was grandmother Khadijah who did her best to break any dreams of a future of the desires of Amina and her two older sisters. All that mattered to her was Jaffar’s wife needed to produce a male heir so they could collect a dowry, and the concern that the girls could never marry because the family couldn’t afford a dowry for them. Women were treated like doormats, punching bags, and a selection of other abuse. In fact, Amina’s mother is never mentioned by her name, only as ‘Jaffar’s wife’. The degradation was palpable as my heart went out to young Amina, in particular.
One evening, Amina’s mother was taking her five daughters to the movie house to watch a movie about Mozart, a real treat for Amina. Only, Amina didn’t make it home in time and was left back. At first I felt it was a cruel trick until the story heated up and that particular night there was wild violence and bombings in the city, and all the movie houses were attacked, leaving many casualties. As Jaffar worried where his wife and kids were as the hours passed, he got the news on the street what had happened.
My heart went out to Jaffar as he recovered the five dead bodies of his wife and four daughters and screamed to Allah for what has happened to his family, and he cried out the name of his sweet wife, Rahat. The first time we learn her name.
As the years pass Amina’s grandmother’s mission was to marry her off, as is the norm. Her father had zero intentions of allowing Amina to study music at the university, despite a family friend, Dr. Sheikh, offering to get her into a musical program for free. And Khadijah was on a mission to get Amina married. So poor Amina was given to marry Iqbal right after finishing grade 10, at the tender age of sixteen. With a swift marriage and moving in with Iqbal and his mother, Amina’s horrible life got worse. Khadiljah was so happy to get some rupees as a dowry that nobody even bothered checking out his background or even meeting the groom. Young Amina’s husband was a sex-trafficker with his mother as the bandleader of operations.
My heart sank for the beautiful Amina and the horrors she was subjected to. But after a few years of being held as a sex slave, Amina finally escapes, bringing us to a much happier ending, despite her horrendous life prior to her great escape.
As the story begins we’ll learn that the coldest heart in that family was grandmother Khadijah who did her best to break any dreams of a future of the desires of Amina and her two older sisters. All that mattered to her was Jaffar’s wife needed to produce a male heir so they could collect a dowry, and the concern that the girls could never marry because the family couldn’t afford a dowry for them. Women were treated like doormats, punching bags, and a selection of other abuse. In fact, Amina’s mother is never mentioned by her name, only as ‘Jaffar’s wife’. The degradation was palpable as my heart went out to young Amina, in particular.
One evening, Amina’s mother was taking her five daughters to the movie house to watch a movie about Mozart, a real treat for Amina. Only, Amina didn’t make it home in time and was left back. At first I felt it was a cruel trick until the story heated up and that particular night there was wild violence and bombings in the city, and all the movie houses were attacked, leaving many casualties. As Jaffar worried where his wife and kids were as the hours passed, he got the news on the street what had happened.
My heart went out to Jaffar as he recovered the five dead bodies of his wife and four daughters and screamed to Allah for what has happened to his family, and he cried out the name of his sweet wife, Rahat. The first time we learn her name.
As the years pass Amina’s grandmother’s mission was to marry her off, as is the norm. Her father had zero intentions of allowing Amina to study music at the university, despite a family friend, Dr. Sheikh, offering to get her into a musical program for free. And Khadijah was on a mission to get Amina married. So poor Amina was given to marry Iqbal right after finishing grade 10, at the tender age of sixteen. With a swift marriage and moving in with Iqbal and his mother, Amina’s horrible life got worse. Khadiljah was so happy to get some rupees as a dowry that nobody even bothered checking out his background or even meeting the groom. Young Amina’s husband was a sex-trafficker with his mother as the bandleader of operations.
My heart sank for the beautiful Amina and the horrors she was subjected to. But after a few years of being held as a sex slave, Amina finally escapes, bringing us to a much happier ending, despite her horrendous life prior to her great escape.
February 24, 2025
E.S.SIVAKUMAR
5.0 out of 5 stars AMINA THE SILENT ONE.
Reviewed in India on 21 February 2025
Yet another powerful story from Fiza Pathan. Only she can graphically describe the miserable lives in the Bombay slum. I have lived in Bombay for more than 40 yeras, and I have travelled tom my work in my car, from New Bombay to Goregaon, everyday passing through the slum areas of Dharavi, Sion, Kurla, Bandra(E), but without stopping to observe the lives of the slum dwellers. The author has very minutely explained the pitiable conditions of the lakhs oh people of all religions. Amina is a soft character, having a gift for her rendering flute music. After various ups and downs, Amina becomes a famous musician. Very well written by Fiza Pathan
5.0 out of 5 stars AMINA THE SILENT ONE.
Reviewed in India on 21 February 2025
Yet another powerful story from Fiza Pathan. Only she can graphically describe the miserable lives in the Bombay slum. I have lived in Bombay for more than 40 yeras, and I have travelled tom my work in my car, from New Bombay to Goregaon, everyday passing through the slum areas of Dharavi, Sion, Kurla, Bandra(E), but without stopping to observe the lives of the slum dwellers. The author has very minutely explained the pitiable conditions of the lakhs oh people of all religions. Amina is a soft character, having a gift for her rendering flute music. After various ups and downs, Amina becomes a famous musician. Very well written by Fiza Pathan
December 29, 2019
This is a compelling story about a young girl, Amina who lives in the slums of Mumbai with her family. Amina is the third daughter which to her family is a tragedy that she is not a son. Amina finds her joy by playing her flute which was given to her by a physician who saw promise in her. The young girl goes through horrible, tragic, and life-changing events.
Fiza Pathan writes this powerful story beautifully.
Fiza Pathan writes this powerful story beautifully.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews