Dur e Aziz Amna is a gifted storyteller and I have been eagerly awaiting her second novel. A Splintering is virtuosic in setting a gripping tale of ruthless ambition and class mobility against the backdrop of Pakistani society in the throes of political and socio-economic change. I came of age in precisely the time period in which this novel is set in the same cities so the novel was particularly captivating to read. The protagonist Tara, has an electrifying presence on each page and I love how Amna has created a character with a dodgy moral compass, acidic language, unending needs but she is persistent in subverting the patriarchy and making it work for her. I found myself strangely rooting for her despite not finding her particularly likeable. I read A Splintering with avidity and I suggest you do, too.