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The Divining Thread
Zarene is about to marry the prince of Shandrabad. A young woman of high standing and impeccable upbringing, she can only be faulted for one thing: her fixation on dressmaking.
Her world is turned upside down when she encounters a ghagra that divines the future. Haunted by the secrets it shares with her in her waking hours and her dreams, she makes it her sole purpose in life to find its maker and become their apprentice. Knowledge of the dressmaker’s whereabouts is not easy to come by. The ghagra offers up clues pointing to a woman, a creature descended from paradise known to mortal men as the howr. An old wives’ tale. A myth.
Zarene pieces together the puzzle, befriending a young drifter with a terrible secret along the way, travelling to distant lands and braving the unknown. The price for her heart’s desire is steep, the fate awaiting her more than she ever bargained for.
Her world is turned upside down when she encounters a ghagra that divines the future. Haunted by the secrets it shares with her in her waking hours and her dreams, she makes it her sole purpose in life to find its maker and become their apprentice. Knowledge of the dressmaker’s whereabouts is not easy to come by. The ghagra offers up clues pointing to a woman, a creature descended from paradise known to mortal men as the howr. An old wives’ tale. A myth.
Zarene pieces together the puzzle, befriending a young drifter with a terrible secret along the way, travelling to distant lands and braving the unknown. The price for her heart’s desire is steep, the fate awaiting her more than she ever bargained for.
162 pages, Paperback
Published October 20, 2022
About the author
Anjum Noor Choudhury
10 books8 followersAnjum N. Choudhury is a Bangladeshi author of fantasy fiction. She became a policy researcher after earning a B.A. in Economics and Mathematics from Mount Holyoke College. Currently based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, she is getting her M.Sc. in Global Public Policy with a special focus on Climate Policy from SOAS University of London.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 24, 2023
Rating: 3.25/5
What a dazzling book! I knew I'd love it when I first saw there was a map in the book and boy oh boy~ it didn't disappoint me. The story follows Zarene, a respected Sahiba soon to be the princess of Shandrabad. Just so you know, Zarene has only one weakness- her obsession with dressmaking and fabrics. On her way to the wedding venue, she encounters a ghagra that divines the future. It turns her world upside down. Now, she dedicates her life to finding its creator and becoming their disciple but it's not that easy to find out the creator whereas the ghagra keeps leaving clues for Zarene to reach her goal.
If I solely have to praise one thing about the book, it'd be how magnificently things were described. It felt like I was truly doing my adventures with Zarene. She can come off as childish from time to time, but I love itd the rebel in her, it suits her so well. And trust me when I say, the descriptions are so on point. I love all the desi references and the magic elements. The words can be considered a bit more advanced level but I enjoyed this novella so much. Looking forward to more of Zarene :') I hope, the author makes a series outta it. I would love to know what happens next!
What a dazzling book! I knew I'd love it when I first saw there was a map in the book and boy oh boy~ it didn't disappoint me. The story follows Zarene, a respected Sahiba soon to be the princess of Shandrabad. Just so you know, Zarene has only one weakness- her obsession with dressmaking and fabrics. On her way to the wedding venue, she encounters a ghagra that divines the future. It turns her world upside down. Now, she dedicates her life to finding its creator and becoming their disciple but it's not that easy to find out the creator whereas the ghagra keeps leaving clues for Zarene to reach her goal.
If I solely have to praise one thing about the book, it'd be how magnificently things were described. It felt like I was truly doing my adventures with Zarene. She can come off as childish from time to time, but I love itd the rebel in her, it suits her so well. And trust me when I say, the descriptions are so on point. I love all the desi references and the magic elements. The words can be considered a bit more advanced level but I enjoyed this novella so much. Looking forward to more of Zarene :') I hope, the author makes a series outta it. I would love to know what happens next!
January 19, 2023
This is the story about Zarene who is about to wed the prince of Shandrabad. But on the way to her wedding, she meets a woman wearing a ghagra. She is completely taken over by this ghagra that she disrupts her journey only to study the ghagra.
But unfortunately, her wedding is ruined because of that. She is then haunted by the dress and is fixated to find the dress maker and find out what her dreams means. She embarks on an journey to find the dress maker and become their apprentice.
Even though I thought the concept was unique but I personally did not enjoy myself reading the book. It is a good book on all accounts, but since I do not have a penchant for dresses or jewellery, therefore I did not vibe with the book that much as there is lot of descriptions about dresses and jewelleries. I am sure the people who likes them will enjoy this book even more.
Other than that, I liked the setting of the story and the descriptions of the places. I also liked the main character, Zarene, who was self-reliant and did not care about what others spoke about her.
In conclusion, even though this book was not for me, I would still recommend it because I don’t think it is a bad in any way. Definitely give this book a try. It’s a short one too, less than 200 pages!
But unfortunately, her wedding is ruined because of that. She is then haunted by the dress and is fixated to find the dress maker and find out what her dreams means. She embarks on an journey to find the dress maker and become their apprentice.
Even though I thought the concept was unique but I personally did not enjoy myself reading the book. It is a good book on all accounts, but since I do not have a penchant for dresses or jewellery, therefore I did not vibe with the book that much as there is lot of descriptions about dresses and jewelleries. I am sure the people who likes them will enjoy this book even more.
Other than that, I liked the setting of the story and the descriptions of the places. I also liked the main character, Zarene, who was self-reliant and did not care about what others spoke about her.
In conclusion, even though this book was not for me, I would still recommend it because I don’t think it is a bad in any way. Definitely give this book a try. It’s a short one too, less than 200 pages!
March 18, 2023
Got this ARC ahead of our joint panel on microfiction at the Dhaka Lit Fest. One of the gifts that DLF keeps giving me is connecting me to amazing writers I would probably not have picked up on my own. The Divining Thread is a tiny novella that unfolds like one of those enchanting papercraft dioramas. Zarene is the daughter of a wealthy merchant, betrothed to a prince. On her way to her wedding, she spots a village girl wearing the most exquisite ghagra. Zarene, who has something of an obsession with handloom fabrics is so enchanted by the outfit that it costs her her marriage, and sets her out on a journey filled with adventures, discoveries and self-realisation. Anjum Chowdhury has lived in Dhaka, Delhi and Katmandu, and she weaves cultural and folkloric elements of each place into the fabric of the story to create a truly original fantasy setting. The twists, turns and reveals were all new and refreshing and I can’t wait to see more of her work.
November 21, 2022
I literally have no idea what was happening because this book was soooo enchanting. (Yes I'm using big words now)
It's like the only book I've read with so many Desi lifestyle references in it. Anjum Chaudhary does know how to write some epic stuff. I absolutely loved the ups and downs this book has, and it has many of them.
Half the time I was left wondering what was happening. Zarene was such a baddie. She's the reason that kept me going.
Now there is a lot of magic and fabric (idk it just fits) in this super-cute book. I mean, sure there are instances where Zarene was being immature but, kids these days. The entire realism was something else. I can't even put it into words.
I. Loved. It. So. Much
It's like the only book I've read with so many Desi lifestyle references in it. Anjum Chaudhary does know how to write some epic stuff. I absolutely loved the ups and downs this book has, and it has many of them.
Half the time I was left wondering what was happening. Zarene was such a baddie. She's the reason that kept me going.
Now there is a lot of magic and fabric (idk it just fits) in this super-cute book. I mean, sure there are instances where Zarene was being immature but, kids these days. The entire realism was something else. I can't even put it into words.
I. Loved. It. So. Much
January 30, 2023
The moment when, normally fairytale finished (the Prince saved the princess and they married),this tale begin. A princess sorry a Nobel woman who's so engaged in her own craft, so focused on perfecting herself had no time for focusing on the Prince or whatsoever. what happened when she met her destiny at the wake of her wedding?! Sometimes the Prince charming is not what he seems, sometimes all that the princess needs is herself and her knightess in shining armor. A beautiful tale of self discovery, adventure,female friendship and sacrifice. As a new mother, this is the fairytale I'm looking forward to tell my daughter; a modern fairytale with the elements of our own.
March 18, 2023
Enchanting. Magnetic. Vivacious.
Anjum N. Chowdhury tells a tale of a girl of noble upbringing, Zarene who leaves her Prince, her groom-to-be, for a ghagra that left her bedazzled. Her love for fabrics and dress-making was so overpowering that she chose to find the creator of the ghagra than be wed to the Prince.
Zarene’s rebellious nature lured her into a magical quest that unapologetically reminded me of the “Arabian Nights”. I had a lot of fun reading it and I hope there’s another part, rather more!
Anjum N. Chowdhury tells a tale of a girl of noble upbringing, Zarene who leaves her Prince, her groom-to-be, for a ghagra that left her bedazzled. Her love for fabrics and dress-making was so overpowering that she chose to find the creator of the ghagra than be wed to the Prince.
Zarene’s rebellious nature lured her into a magical quest that unapologetically reminded me of the “Arabian Nights”. I had a lot of fun reading it and I hope there’s another part, rather more!
December 2, 2023
Review-
I was excited to read it after reading the synopsis, it sounded something like I would enjoy. I was expecting it to be adventurous, following a character on a quest , totally my thing. But it was totally opposite, the author spent more time explaining weaving and delicacies, as someone who doesn't have much interest in weaving, it was off putting and made it difficult to get through it . I was expecting some intense action packed scenes, but there was barely any of it.
I could see the author was somewhat inspired by 'The Alchemist ' by the way the story is plotted, it reminded me of it. Even though it's barely 170 pages long, it was slow paced , making it harder to get into the story.
The author also uses a lot of fancy words, making it unnecessarily harder to read.
There were some enjoyable parts. Overall, it was an okayish read and if you are a fan of books like The Alchemist, I think you will enjoy it.
⭐⭐
I was excited to read it after reading the synopsis, it sounded something like I would enjoy. I was expecting it to be adventurous, following a character on a quest , totally my thing. But it was totally opposite, the author spent more time explaining weaving and delicacies, as someone who doesn't have much interest in weaving, it was off putting and made it difficult to get through it . I was expecting some intense action packed scenes, but there was barely any of it.
I could see the author was somewhat inspired by 'The Alchemist ' by the way the story is plotted, it reminded me of it. Even though it's barely 170 pages long, it was slow paced , making it harder to get into the story.
The author also uses a lot of fancy words, making it unnecessarily harder to read.
There were some enjoyable parts. Overall, it was an okayish read and if you are a fan of books like The Alchemist, I think you will enjoy it.
⭐⭐
February 22, 2023
(review coming soon)
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews