Between two worlds: a review of Companions of Clay by Safeena Chaudhry

Rafiq is a young man whose consciousness is only loosely tied to his body. While outwardly in a coma in a hospital bed, inwardly he is living a vibrant dream life and able to interact with those he’s left behind in their dreams and, in a series of out-of-body experiences, spy on them in their waking lives too. What happened to put him in hospital? How can his loved ones recover from their shattered lives? The novel explores the consequences of actions, both his and theirs. Contrasted with the grittiness of London are the glimmering dreams, which are worth the price of admission alone. Take, for example, a trip down the Thames like you’ve never taken before. A beautiful dream of a book from which I didn’t want to wake up.