THE BLACK-MARKETER’S DAUGHTER

by

Suman Mallick

Category: Contemporary / Literary Fiction / Multicultural

Publisher: Atmosphere Press

Date of Publication: October 13, 2020

Number of Pages: 166 pages

Zuleikha arrives in the US from Lahore, Pakistan, by marriage, having trained as a pianist without ever owning a real piano. Now she finally has one-a wedding present from her husband-but nevertheless finds it difficult to get used to her new role of a suburban middle-class housewife who has an abundance of time to play it.

Haunted by the imaginary worlds of the confiscated contraband books and movies that her father trafficked in to pay for her education and her dowry, and unable to reconcile them with the expectations of the real world of her present, she ends up as the central figure in a scandal that catapults her into the public eye and plays out in equal measures in the local news and in backroom deliberations, all fueled by winds of anti-Muslim hysteria.

The Black-Marketer’s Daughter was a finalist for the Disquiet Open Borders Book Prize, and praised by the jury as a “complicated and compelling story” of our times, with two key cornerstones of the novel being the unsympathetic voice with which Mallick, almost objectively, relays catastrophic and deeply emotional events, and the unsparing eye with which he illuminates the different angles and conflicting interests at work in a complex situation. The cumulative effects, while deliberately unsettling to readers, nevertheless keeps them glued to the pages out of sheer curiosity about what will happen next.

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Praise

“Mallick offers an impressively realistic depiction of a woman caught between tradition, family, and her own sense of empowerment.” ~ Kirkus Reviews

“The Black-Marketer’s Daughter is a key-hole look at a few things: a mismatched marriage, the plight of immigrants in the U.S., the emotional toll of culture shock, and the brutal way Muslim women are treated, especially by men within their own community. Titling it—defining the heroine by her relationship to a man rather than as a woman in her own right—suggests how deeply ingrained that inequality can be.” ~ IndieReader Reviews 

“The Black-Marketer’s Daughter is the portrait of a woman who endures violence, intimidation, xenophobia and grief, and yet refuses to be called a victim. In this slender novel, Suman Mallick deftly navigates the funhouse maze of immigrant life in contemporary America—around each corner the possibility of a delight, a terror, or a distorted reflection of oneself.” ~ Matthew Valentine, Winner, Montana Prize for Fiction; Lecturer, University of Texas at Austin

Never underestimate the power of the written word.

I was intrigued by this book and wondered what sort of impact it would have on a reader. For anyone that opens their mind to the world within these pages, they will learn about culture, faith, love, despair, confidence, and desperation. But do not go into this book lightly, the stories within are complex and interwoven.

This story follows a young married couple from Pakistan that have settled in the DFW area in Texas. They have traditional roles within their family. The husband works and provides for the family, and his wife stays at home. I found it fascinating that the marriage contract between them included a piano and the lengths they went to in obtaining the piano and a piano bench.  Zuleikha has quite an interesting past. She learned how to play on a piano purchased with ill-gotten gains from things her father did to make sure his family got by in life. I would say that she was spoiled and had her father wrapped around her little finger. Iskander is very traditional in his thought of their marriage and his actions toward Zuleikha. He was controlling yet loving.

As time goes by, Zuleikha seems less satisfied with their life. She tries to broaden her circle by teaching piano lessons. This works well until she starts teaching another adult and an emotional relationship ensues. But this relationship is not without consequences as Zuleikha will learn.

There is so much to be learned from this book. I learned a little more about the Muslim faith. We are given a look into Shariah law and how it is interpreted. It is hard to truly understand these laws when it seems extreme in nature and what some of us may be used to when it comes to the freedoms we have in the United States. I found myself disgusted with some of the men from the mosque and their attitude towards Zuleikha, but at the same time, their beliefs are different than my own and we do not all fit into the same mold.

Some of this is hard to read and there could be some triggers for some readers. But the story is well told and in the end, Zuleikha had to make the best decision she could for herself and her family, no matter what others thought should happen. I thought she was very brave all things considered and wonder if I could have done the same in her shoes.

This book gave me a lot to think about and how I view people and situations and perhaps there is more to it than I could ever know and I should withhold judgment until more facts are known.

We give this book 4 paws up and recommend it for anyone that is looking for a book that is complex yet with sympathetic characters.

Suman Mallick received his MFA from Portland State University and is the assistant managing editor of the quarterly literary magazine Under the Gum Tree. He lives in Texas.

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