മുല്ലപ്പൂ നിറമുള്ള പകലുകൾ | Mullappoo Niramulla Pakalukal

by Benyamin

A twin novel surprise from Benyamin! 'Al Arabian Novel Factory' and 'Mullappoo Niramulla Pakalukal' are two novels set in the backdrop of Jasmine revolution that took place in Arabia. Both novels depict the same issue narrated by two different people from the same place but with different perspectives. This twin wonder is interconnected, and at the same time independent, with Beniyamin touch

Genres: Fiction, India, Indian Literature, Contemporary, Novels, Literary Fiction, Politics

294 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2014

About the author

Benyamin (born 1971, Benny Daniel) is an Indian novelist and short story writer in Malayalam language from Nhettur, Kulanada, Pattanamtitta district of the south Indian state of Kerala. He is residing in the Kingdom of Bahrain since 1992, from the age of twenty, and his works appear regularly on Malayalam publications in Kerala.

Reviews

[Dr. Appu Sasidharan (Dasfill) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book describing the lives of a few people against the backdrop of the Tunisian Revolution (also called the Jasmine Revolution and Tunisian Revolution of Dignity).

Benyamin tells the story through the eyes of Sameera. We can see the lives of people entangled in the revolution and the difficult circumstances they had to face. The author also discusses the role social media played in this revolution. This book was originally written in Malayalam under the name Mullappoo Niramulla Pakalukal. The English translation of this book is called Jasmine Days, which won the prestigious JCB Prize for Literature.

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[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best written novels ever👍
This has easily become one of my fav reads of the year.
I will not forget the characters ever; the scenes, the dialogues, the riots and the protests, the killings and the misunderstanding that are still prevalent today regarding the Muslims.
This book has been narrated in such a simple yet powerful way that it was impossible for me to put it down until I reached the last page.
Finally, a book worth the hype and all👍
*Highlights:
👍Relatable scenes and situation
👍Well related facts 👍Historical details well highlighted
👍Arguments/discussions well presented regarding the constraints between the different sects of the concerned community
👍The hardships and sacrifices faced by the common men in the name of such riots & issues
*The writing style is remarkable
*The sequence well maintained
*The plot is gripping and based on well researched, prevailing relevant topics
*A much needed book today to be read by one and all!
☑️Subtle humour well inserted in midst of chaotic scenes
☑️All kinds of emotions well portrayed in between the lines
I can so relate with the main protagonist, Sameera, with all her perfections and imperfections👍

However, I cannot find the title relevant. And the cover a bit underwhelming.

But this book is going to be one of the most unforgettable reads ever!
*Recommended.
I will not talk much in detail about this book as I myself need to do a lot of research regarding many issues mentioned in the book.
It will not be correct to assume things just because this book is a fictional work.
It's just that I loved the idea about this book, the writing style and the characters.

[Ankit Garg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jasmine Days by Benyamin is a translated work of fiction. It was originally written in Malayalam. The story is set in an unnamed city in the Middle East, and covers the riots that take place under the garb of politics, nationalism, religious conflicts, and the Arab Spring revolution, and the physical and mental trauma that ensues.

The narrator is a minority Muslim immigrant woman from Pakistan. The plot covers her initial struggles in a country new to her, both in her personal life (friends and extended family) as well as the professional life as a radio jockey.

This book came under my radar after it won the inaugural JCB Prize for Literature in 2018. However, I didn't really enjoy the book as a whole. I cannot really point to a specific area in the book, but it fell flat somewhere in between. Nevertheless, I read it completely. Also, few of the characters felt underdeveloped to me.

Verdict: One time read.

[Padmaja · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Jasmine days is a beautiful hard hitting book which hits you at the right places. It's a very relevant book in today's times. Read on to know my thoughts about it.
🌼
Jasmine days is set in the background of the Arab Spring revolution and the story is told through Sameera, a Pakistani immigrant who works as a RJ in Orange Radio. Her daily life revolves around squabbles with the 'Malayalam mafia' and her extended family in Taya ghar. She narrates her story to a character named Javed, whose identity is not revealed. Her best friend is Ali Fardan, who introduces her to his music group, String Walkers. Ali and Sameera's friendship grows stronger with music and they chat on various topics including freedom, identity issues and the feeling of being an outsider in the City. When the revolution grips the city, Ali and Sameera find themselves entangled in it. Ali bears the brunt of being a 'second class citizen' in the country because he belongs to the Shia community. Sameera tries to make sense of this revolution and her own conflicts to a point where she has to choose between friends and family.
🌼
Set in an unnamed Middle Eastern city, which you can easily identify as Manama in Bahrain, this is a very bold book. This book gets intense with each page and the end makes you sit back and think. Sameera is a headstrong girl who has an independent voice, but I wasn't very happy with her character development towards the end. Ali Fardan and his fanaticism is written unabashedly. How some circumstances force people to change is written with glory.
🌼
There is so much we don't know about the Middle East! I learnt a lot from this book. I love the book was unbiased in its tone. However, I would've liked a better ending, it didn't give the feeling of closure, it felt rather abrupt.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the ripples of the Tunisian Arab Spring reached the shores of Bahrain in 2011, the island kingdom experienced a level of civil unrest not seen there for decades. The occupied protests of a suppressed religious majority ultimately led to a quick, brutal response from forces loyal to the ruling Al Khalifa monarchy, and everyone in the capital city of Manama was caught up in the conflict: Sunni versus Shia, Indian versus Pakistani, native versus immigrant, young versus old. This novel (the inaugural winner of the JCB Prize for Literature) captures the dramatic tension and complexity of that turmoil well.

While the protagonist, Sameera, initially comes across as very YA - something I did not find appealing - I gradually came to realize that this was intentional. It gives her character an arch necessary to propel the novel's action and hold the reader's attention. She moves from a girl who has been culturally isolated, socially inexperienced, and politically naïve to a young woman who learns and grows through traumas of various stripes. Along the way, she gains a much deeper understanding of herself and the world around her. The reader is forced to consider such transformational decisions as well.

Perhaps not surprisingly, there are a few pull-quotes that speak to today's very different but equally disturbing international crises:

No one knew what was going on any more. People talked and talked, one had no idea what part of it was true, what was exaggeration, what was fiction. We believed what we wanted to believe and dismissed as falsehoods what we didn’t like to hear.

When doctors and nurses at the medical college of a country start talking about your people and our people, there is nothing more to say.

All in all a surprisingly good read and something I am glad to have finally made time for. It elevates the JCB Prize and will send me in search of other titles from that competition.

[Meera Nair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jasmine Days tells the story of Sameera as she gets accustomed to living in a Middle Eastern city with her father and relatives. This shift away from home and her new job as an RJ brings her closer to assimilating with people of different backgrounds. Her friendships take on new definition when the city gets torn apart by religious conflicts. In this contemporary fiction, the author draws up a raw and gritty picture of the effects of communal tension and violence.

This novel surpassed my expectations and grew on me rather quickly with its unusual style of narrative and the subject matter it dealt with. Politics and religion are not themes that make for an easy read, but Jasmine Days has the power to keep you hooked to its pages. The apprehensions of being an outsider, the inevitable culture shock and the patriarchal notions concerning gender roles are all aspects of the plot seen through Sameera's perspective. The style of writing in this translated work is crisp and not flowery. Many disjointed events and instances are strung together to form the overall story. There are no chapters, only subheadings within broad sections.

Themes of corruption, religious intolerance, women's rights and protest culture are explored in this novel. It also addresses the topic of media transparency during conflicts; how people in power become gatekeepers of news. There are a lot of characters in this novel, only a couple of which take precedence over the others. Sameera has firm opinions about what's right or wrong, she enjoys music and has never really considered what her religious identity might mean on a larger scale. Jasmine Days brings out the jarring truth about revolts; how innocent people have to bear the brunt of the actions of a few. I CANNOT STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS BOOK ENOUGH. Highly recommend reading it!!

What do you get out of it? A moving story about individuals caught in an uprising, not knowing if they are safe within their own homes.

Ratings - 4.25 out of 5 stars

Thank you Juggernaut for sending me a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

[Vanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Revolution. How does a revolution come about? Who decides its time to upend the status quo? Does one ever feel ready for a revolution, for a change that would transform lives permanently? Is it easier to write about a revolution when you are situated at a comfortable distance from its epicentre or to read about it years later tucked away in the cocoon of vantage point?

The inaugural winner of the JCB literary prize, Jasmine Days, written by Benyamin and translated by Shahnaz Habib tackles some of these questions as it sets out to explore the life of a radio jockey caught in the midst of the Arab Spring. Sameera Parveen, the RJ in question, is a Pakistani immigrant living in an unnamed country in the Middle East. She lives with her baba (father) in ‘Taya House,’ the temple of rehabilitation for all the people related to her father’s eldest brother. Sameera’s baba comes to live with his brother and when he saves enough money, he calls his daughter too to support his earnings.

Sameera’s work brings her in contact with many other immigrants who are merely foreigners at the mercy of His Majesty, the ruler of the unnamed country. As is the case with dictatorships elsewhere, here too, the ruler commands obedience through the creation of fear. People have no choice but to submit to his will to ensure a safe livelihood for themselves.

All is seemingly fine until one sect of Islam decides to rise in rebellion to avenge the oppression that deems them second class citizens in a land that is also rightfully theirs. Ali, Sameera’s colleague from her workplace, is an active participant in this fight against injustice. Sameera thinks she understands his plight, his anger, until she finds herself embroiled in the conflict in unimaginable ways.

Benyamin dissects the politics of freedom and revolution and how even the best of intentions quickly rot away to give rise to personal greed and a generic hatred towards the slightest of differences. He doesn’t mince his words as he rips into the rhetoric that justifies protests which have misdirected opponents, and battles that choose individuals as their targets instead of the corrupt systems at the heart of oppression.

[anautumnaldream · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Gathering my thoughts for now but a brilliant read for sure.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Malayali who has always claimed of detesting her malluness, I found myself cringing and even getting stung by the Frank depiction of Mallu apoliticalness, and the eagerness of mallus to otherise people and isolating them by speaking in Malayalam in the presence of a non-malayali. I gave the novel three stars for that sharp observation.

Sameera Parwin baffled me by her immense strength, and had me swear and cry towards the end of the book. You would think I gave my fourth star because of this. But honestly, I gave my two stars to Baba. And for the loving man he was. And for being strong enough to cry.

Man oh man. This was one beautiful read.

[Mridula Gupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why should you read this:
-Fluid, conversational style narrative that doesn't make itself complicated at any point
-Diverse characters, multiple views
-A chance to form your own opinion after considering all sides
-A plot that gets intense with every chapter, makes you anticipate the worse and delivers exactly that.

Detailed review soon.

[Sana Abdulla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit less than four stars.
After my chance stumble on Benjamin's book Goat Days I was dying to read another book by him. Reading jasmine days seemed like it was written by someone else, possibly because it was a different translator.
There are good bits and bollywood bits, I was thankful for a very convincing and probably true scenes of an Arab spring revolution that turned into a secaterian feud. The maintenance of the regime and the revenge of the monarch were eye opening.
The main character was not convincing in action and character, while living in an extended Pakistani family home she seemed to get away with murder and her actions and reactions throughout the novel made her at best immature if not totally unlikely. Still a good book though.

[Ankita Chauhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is so much to learn from this book, loved the prose style, metaphore, the way to express emotions, the unsaid words between the protagonist and her father. though i am not interested into politics but author did justice by writing those heart wrenching scenes with such brilliance, makes Jasmine Days a must read book.

[Sanuj Najoom · Rating 5 out of 5]

സമീറ എന്ന പെൺകുട്ടി ജീവിതത്തിൽ നേരിടുന്ന സന്തോഷം നിറഞ്ഞ ദിനങ്ങളും പിന്നിട്ടു വരുന്ന സങ്കടങ്ങളും അനുഭവങ്ങളാൽ തീർത്ത അവസ്ഥകളും ആണ് നോവലിന്റെ ഇതിവൃത്തം. അറബ് രാജ്യങ്ങളിൽ ഉണ്ടായ മുല്ലപ്പൂ വിപ്ലവത്തിന്റെ അനുഭവ കഥയാണ് സമീറ വിവരിക്കുന്നത്. സമാധാനത്തിലും അതിലേറെ ആനന്ദത്തിലും പോയിരുന്ന ജോലിസ്ഥലവും അവിടുത്തെ സുഹൃത്തുക്കളും, കുടുംബവും ബന്ധുക്കളും എല്ലാവരുടെയും ആ നല്ല അവസ്ഥ ഹനിക്കപ്പെടുന്ന രീതിയിൽ നാട്ടിൽ ഉടലെടുത്ത വിപ്ലവം മാറുകയാണ്.

സമീറയുടെ വിവരണം നമ്മളെ പിടിച്ചിരുത്തി വായിക്കാൻ പ്രേരിപ്പിക്കും. ചില സാഹചര്യത്തിൽ സമീറയെ ഒന്ന് ചേർത്തണച്ചു ആശ്വസിപ്പിക്കാൻ വരെ തോന്നിപ്പോയി.

ബെന്യാമിന്റെ ഓരോ നോവൽ വായിക്കുമ്പോളും ഒന്നിൽ നിന്ന് അടുത്തത് മികച്ചവയായി വന്നുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നു...

[Sudeepta Pradhan (booksteaandmore) · Rating 5 out of 5]

review coming soon. this is but a must read

[a. · Rating 2 out of 5]

loved the way the author caught the emotions and paranoia of migrants caught amidst the turbulence of their adopted country

[Swetha - a chronically perturbed mind · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read most of the shortlisted books for last year’s JCB prize, but I now know why they werent the winners. This book shook me. I was also listening to the malayalam audiobook as I read this translated book.
Told in first person narrative by Sameera, and occationally her addressing in second person to her childhood friend, Javed, the book explores her life after reaching a Gulf country(unnamed), from Pakistan and finding a job and staying with her father. Then the book delves into the topic the book is famous for.
The conflicts between the different sects in the Muslim community, which led to civil war, was the topic in question. The book explores how a person can chqnge over time and can do acts of crime in a passion driven frenzy. Of how people who are revered and considered as just, do things acts that etch itself into your retina, and doesn’t let go. How war makes everyone blind. How religion is split within itself that you question every belief and question God himself for not giving instructions further from some saints and prophets.
It ended without a perfectly wrapped ribbon, which in this stoey felt justified.

[Gail (The Knight Reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love books that teach me something I don't know. Jasmine Days taught me a lot.

Jasmine Days is the winner of the JCB Prize for Literature, 2018. It was my second read from their shortlist and I can see why it won the award.

Jasmine Days tells the story of Sameera, a young RJ who has moved to an unknown Middle Eastern country from Pakistan, to be with her father and extended family. Here, Sameera narrates her experiences during the Arab Spring of 2011 with much clarity and feeling. War, tension, prejudice, and violence feel all too real during her narration. But on the flip side themes of hope, love, family and bravery are ever present.

I was on the edge of my seat during the second half of the book when tensions rose quite a bit for the main character and her friends/family. Benyamin successfully told a story that transported his reader to the Arab Spring and it was so enlightening and real. I felt nourished and curious enought post read that I actually started to research more about that incident and similar events. It was a lot of information to process but it solidified how good a writer Beyamin really is.

The book is easy to read and divided into small mini chapters that are very palatable. Surprisingly, given the intense subject material being narrated, the book does not revert to much graphic imagery to create a more realistic view of the situation. I stray away from making comparisons, but add it to your TBR if you like books about immigrants, Islam and the tensions that exist, war and the civilian experience.

I look forward to the companion novel which is set to be released in 2019. I encourage everyone to pick it up, support lesser known authors and learn something/gain insight in so doing.

[Bhumika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Benyamin's Jasmine days talks of revolution in terms of it's impact on nation as well the personal life of it's people. It deals with dilemma people face and conflicts with people around as well within themselves too.

The protagonist Sameera Parveen is our girl next door, with her aspirations, struggles, and forbidden dreams. Sameera moves to an unnamed gulf country, lives there with her extended family and father,and works as a radio jockey. Her relationship with her family is nothing out of world everything is as usual as we experience in our lives. Everything is fine until the jasmine revolution starts and now she is introduced to a new world within the country she's living, it's hideous face is slowly unraveling and yet she has difficulty in accepting it, for she has been taught to love and being loved by this country.

The revolution is main elements of the novel and is well researched, ethnicity of different groups are described well, and the incorporation of social media is praiseworthy.

What makes this book special for me is the writing style Benyamin takes characters from the ordinary world we live in and makes it special with his beautiful storytelling skills.
The relation of Sameera with her father is beautifully written. Her relationship with her family her friends at string walkers, her internal conflict during revolution and the emotional turmoil she faces after that, everything is well potreyed.

[Apurva Nagpal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first winner of the JCB Prize for Literature Jasmine Days by Benyamin tells the story of a young RJ, Sameera who moves to an unnamed Middle Eastern city from Pakistan, staying with her father and extended family.
Set against the backdrop of The Arab Spring Revolution, the novel is much more in depth than it seems on the surface.

What looks like a heartfelt story of through a Muslim immigrant’s eyes, it paints a beautiful picture of her initial struggles, her friendships and little fights with the new co-workers, a cultural insight through her relatives and also a brilliant political picture of the time.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I’d like the book from the first few chapters but as the chapters went on and the story fell deeper into the themes of communism, religious conflicts and internal divides, loss, death and the inevitable turmoil of what’s right and wrong, it gets so intense and touching!

The translation felt effortless and I give this one a super 4/5 and highly recommend it! The ending was sort of rushed but nevertheless, it’s an important book and leaves you with thinking so much.

[Chittajit Mitra · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story revolves around a Pakistani girl Sameera Parvin who comes to an unnamed Middle Eastern city to work & live with her father who has been working there for many years. She lived at her eldest uncle’s house with other relative who helped her father as well as other relatives get jobs & settle down. The uncle was a high ranking police official & got her father a job at the police only. He also got her a job as a radio jockey. Things were going smoothly in her life & she got quite good at her job but things started to crumble as the city got engulfed in revolution. She finds herself at a crossroad as she is forced to support the monarch as an immigrant worker but in her heart she supports the protesters. As she experiences loss & violence, she is shook to the core. Get this book to follow Sameera’s heartfelt journey to realization of the sorrows of the other side

Read the full review on Just Another Bookaholic

[Smitha Murthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had read ‘Goat Days’ earlier and really liked it. ‘Jasmine Days’ won the inaugural JCB Prize for Literature and I was curious to read more of Benyamin.

‘Jasmine Days’ is set in an unnamed country. From the description, you might guess it is the UAE, but Benyamin never reveals it. We are taken through some tumultuous happenings in this country through the voice of Sameera, a radio jockey from Pakistan.

The story is almost a prop - the real story is how Benyamin uses Sameera to express the voice of disenchantment and his critique on society. What happens when you raise your voice?? You are silenced. Kind of familiar to what happened here too. I didn’t enjoy this as much as ‘Goat Days’ because there wasn’t much of a connection to a particular character - pure social commentary tends to do that to me. But a powerful read still.

[Ajay · Rating 1 out of 5]

While the dilemma presented in the end is a suitably thorny one, the build up to it is a big let-down on all counts, from the uneven writing and trite expository passages to the underdeveloped characters who leave no lasting impression.

[Anagha Gopal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book that becomes more heavy with each page. While it flows fast and is written in a conversational style and can be finished in a few hours, it is far from an easy read. From the first few pages itself, I began to admire Sameera's voice. She is at the same bold and curious, and doubtful and shaken by the events around her. Her voice is open and inviting, it is like listening to a friend. The novel - which relates many points of view and political positions - works because Sameera both, unabashedly expresses her opinions, and openly listens to the opinions of those around her. At times she can even come across as uninformed but that is always contextualized by the novel, and it sustains the narrative.

I really liked the care with which Benyamin has built this book. After the title page and the dedication, there is another title page claiming that the story is written by Sameera Parvin and translated by Benyamin. And then "Sameera's" dedication follows. Interestingly, even the contents page is placed after this second title page! Similarly the book includes two Afterwords, one by "Sameera" and one by Benyamin. I enjoy first person narrative voices, especially one like this which is given so much space even physically in the book. A part of me kept wondering if Sameera indeed exists!

About the ending, I must admit that it was not very surprising and perhaps it is not meant to be. I felt like the novel was leading there all along and a part of me wanted something else, another way to sustain complexity. There was also a character trope in the final section that I did not really like. The way Sameera interacted with this character felt unlikely, especially in a novel which has spent so much time on building her voice.

[Surabhi Chatrapathy]

Art is political as much as it is not. It is inherently more profound.
Jasmine Days brings to your lap the reality of a revolution. How a revolution gives you an identity and destroys the same over night. The language of this book is simple, but the story is over whelming. The language is only a tool, the essence of it is the characters. Ah so well craved out!
Sameera's innocence tugs at your heart.
Situated in an unnamed middle Eastern country, the book beautifully paints the history of the Arab world in the background, while unravelling its present turmoil.
The characters are universal and yet so unique. Benyamin has addressed layers of politics and it's troubles and at the same the layers of human emotions and struggles.
What sets this book apart for me, is the dept of empathy the characters encompass.
The old man, Ali's mother, Sameera and Ali himself are characters that will make you think and introspect. What would you have done if you were them?
Hats off to the translator, Shahnaz Habib who has done a remarkable job of making the story the star and not at any point letting the language be a barrier is understanding the narrative.

[Joyline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had this book for a long time in my tbr, mainly because of the cover. If you look at the blurb it sounds like a plain story. This is one of the very few books where the main plot is way more intriguing than the blurb itself. I got hooked the moment I started reading it.

It is the story of Sameera Parvin, a Pakistani girl who moves to an unnamed Middle East city. She moves in to stay with her baba and other relatives at Taya Ghar where the head of the family, Taya, is a very influential person. She soon gets her dream job as a radio jockey. Life is good with her new friendship with one of her colleagues Ali, who shares her passion for music. But she soon discovers that Ali is a Shia Muslim and is a revolutionary who has experienced certain setbacks in life.
The story takes a dramatic turn when the city faces the Arab Spring Revolution. Sameera, being a Sunni Muslim, realizes that her world will fall apart because of the riots between Sunni Muslims and Shia Muslims. She is torn between her family and her best friend, Ali.

The story begins with a bang drawing your attention immediately and the flow is smooth and fast-paced. As the plot progresses it gets darker. The narrative is from the first person POV of Sameera who narrates her story to Javed (the relationship is not specified, supposedly a friend).

The characterization is superb. You can identify with every character, be it the revolutionaries, the police, or the innocent public. I loved the protagonist Sameera's character. She stands for herself and her loved ones. She calls herself a harami as she speaks her mind and never shies away. Other characters like Ali and Farhana (Sameera's cousin ) are also strong personalities and are sketched well.

I specifically liked what the author tries to point out here. He hasn't highlighted the good or the bad side during the riots. Every person has his/her opinion about the revolution. Nobody is right or wrong. This is supported by an explanation in the story.

Moreover, the narrative is very detailed about the main aspects of the story. I got to learn a lot about Islamic culture. Before reading this, I did not know anything about the Shias and the Sunnis.
The job profile of an RJ is also well described, giving us a picture of how a radio station works.

The writing is simple and fluid. However, since this is a translated version that I read, my judgment would be based on the translator's writing skills. And she has done a good job. I wish I could read the original book.

This book is a winner of the JCB Prize for literature. I think it deserves it. This one is a good page-turner. But the climax was abrupt and so I deducted one star from it. The climax isn't quite promising as the story and it looks like it ended in a hurry.

I would like to recommend this to mostly everybody but certain torture scenes are described in detail. However, one should not refrain from reading this book for this reason. But it is good to be warned. Overall, I loved this book.

[Bookishbong Moumita · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story starts with Sameera,her root is in Pakistan but she's working in Orange radio in a city of Middle East. The city is unnamed, author addressed it as "The City ".

TBH, I liked the character Sammera from the beginning. The way she thinks and her process of depiction of events, which we normally try to see through the veil of sociality,touches me.

In the beginning, the story revolves around Sameera's life, her family and her office only. Did I mention that, it's written in form of daily Diary input or a letter (okay I'm little unsure here) ?

This city was providing Sameera an identity. She was enjoying playing guitar , meeting new people and may be indirect fight with Malayalam Mafias. But her happiness soon started to crumble when a wave of revolution,to bring down the unnamed ruler, hit the city.

But I felt from this point, the book takes a different turn. From this point story starts to spread and gulp every character in this story and shift their lives towards an infinite dilemma.

This book mirrors the world. How the seed of revolution is planted and how it feels when it's start to bloom can be felt through the story !

I have to mention that, I'd have preferred a different ending and I felt, out of sudden, Sameera vanishes in the crowd of lots of characters.

[Hiran Venugopalan · Rating 4 out of 5]

ബെന്യാമിന്റെ പുതിയ 'ഇരട്ട നോവലുകൾ' : രണ്ടു പുസ്തകങ്ങളും തമ്മിൽ ബന്ധമുണ്ടെങ്കിലും തുടർ നോവലല്ല. ഏത് വായിച്ചും തുടങ്ങാം. പേരിനോടുള്ള കൗതുകം കൊണ്ടാവാം ആദ്യം വായിച്ചത് 'അൽ അറേബ്യൻ നോവൽ ഫാക്റ്ററി'യാണ്. അറബ് ജീവിതം, �ജനാധിപത്യത്തിനും അവകാശത്തിനും വേണ്ടി നടക്കുന്ന മുല്ലപൂ വിപ്ലവവുമാണ് രണ്ടു പുസ്തകത്തിന്റേയും ഇതിവൃത്തം. നോവൽ ഫാക്റ്ററി കാര്യവിവരമുള്ള അതിഥിയായി നിന്ന് പ്രശ്നങ്ങളെ പഠിക്കുകയും അനുഭവങ്ങൾ കേൾക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുമ്പോൾ, 'മുല്ലപ്പൂ നിറമുള്ള പകലുകൾ' മതത്തിന്റെ ഉള്ളിൽ ഇരുന്ന് കൊണ്ട് കലാപത്തെയും കലാപകാരണങ്ങളേയും കേൾക്കുകയും ഭയക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു. കലാപ-ജനാധിപത്യ-ഭരണ-സാമ്പത്തിക വശങ്ങളിലൂടെ രണ്ടു പുസ്തകങ്ങളും ഇന്നതെ അറബ് വിപ്ലവങ്ങളേയും മുസ്ലിം ജാതി തർക്കങ്ങളിലൂടെയും കടന്ന് പൊവുന്നു. ഒരു കഥയായി, കഥ മാത്രമായി വായിക്കുന്ന സാധാരണക്കാരന് വേണ്ട ട്വിസ്റ്റും സിനിമ മോഡ് ത്രില്ലറുകളും ഇല്ലെങ്കിലും മനസ്സിൽ തട്ടുന്ന പല അനുഭവവിവരണങ്ങൾ വായിച്ചാൽ ഈ ലോകത്തെയും മതങ്ങളെയും ജാതിയേയും ഭയക്കും എന്നു തീർച്ച.

[N T C · Rating 4 out of 5]

ഇരട്ട നോവലുകളിൽ രണ്ടാമതായി വായിച്ചു. സമീറ പർവീണ്‍ എന്ന റേഡിയോ ജോകിയുടെ കണ്ണിലൂടെ "അറബ് വിപ്ലവം" വിവരിക്കുന്നു.നമ്മുടെ മനസാക്ഷിയെ തന്നെ പിടിച്ചുലയ്ക്കുന്ന വിവരണങ്ങൾ ഇതിലുണ്ട്. ബാബയും തായയും അലിയും സ്ട്രിംഗ് വാകെർസും നമ്മുടെ മനസ്സിൽ തങ്ങി നില്ക്കുന്നു. . "എണ്ണ" അധികാരികളെ സമ്പന്നരാക്കി.അവരുടെ അളവറ്റ സമ്പത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ചില എല്ലിൻ കഷണങ്ങൾ ജനങ്ങൾക്ക്‌ എറിഞ്ഞു കൊടുക്കാനും മറന്നില്ല. അത്തരം ആനുകൂല്യങ്ങൾ ജനതയെ അടിമതതിലെക്ക് നയിച്ചു. ആ ജനത തിരിച്ചറിവിലേക്ക് ഉണരുന്നു. വിപ്ലവം നയിക്കുന്നു. . പിന്നീട് അധികാരികൾ വിപ്ലവം അടിച്ചമർത്ത്ന്നതും സ്വന്തം ജനതയെ വേട്ടയാടുന്നതും തുറന്നു എഴുതുന്നു.കാണാതാകുന്ന യുവത്വങ്ങൾ ,അനാഥമാ��്കപ്പെടുന്ന ബാല്യങ്ങൾ ...... . ഇതിനു പുറമേ ഷിയാ- സുന്നി വിഭാഗീയതയും .ഏകാധിപത്യം അല്ലെങ്കിൽ മതാധിപത്യം - അറബ് പശ്ചിമേഷ്യൻ രാജ്യങ്ങളിൽ ജനാധിപത്യം ഇന്നും ഒരു വിദൂര സ്വപ്നം മാത്രം.

[Jyotsna · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's so bad about the Sharia? Nothing at all That's Allah's law and I respect it. But the fanatics who are in charge of executing the law do not know what they are doing. lf they come to power, dont think that you can sit together like this and have a chat. You cannot even sing a song. They will control your lives.

Written in the backdrop of the Arab Spring, in an unnamed city in the Middle East, the book is written from the perspective of a Pakistani immigrant named Sameera Parvin.

The City starts off as a place with a multi-cultural background, with a lot of immigrants but then transitions into a hell hole of violence and discrimination.

It's a very intuitive and a reflective read that captures the Arab Spring and Islam in the Middle East in a different light.

Recommend this one for sure.

[Anoop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Benyamin has developed from a fiction writer to an 'write for thought' category..
reminded me of Anand's writing...