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Islam Quintet #5
Night of the Golden Butterfly
Night of the Golden Butterfly concludes the Islam Quintet—Tariq Ali’s much lauded series of historical novels, translated into more than a dozen languages, that has been twenty years in the writing. Completing an epic panorama that began in fifteenth-century Moorish Spain, the latest novel moves between the cities of the twenty-first century, from Lahore to London, from Paris to Beijing. The narrator is rung one morning and reminded that he owes a debt of honour. The creditor is Mohammed Aflatun—known as Plato—an irascible but gifted painter living in a Pakistan where “human dignity has become a wreckage.” Plato, who once specialized in stepping back from the limelight, now wants his life story written. As the tale unravels we meet Plato’s London friend Alice Stepford, now a leading music critic in New York; Mrs. “Naughty” Latif, the Islamabad housewife whose fondness for generals leads to her flight to the salons of intellectually fashionable Paris, where she is hailed as the Diderot of the Islamic world; and there’s Jindie, the Golden Butterfly of the title, the narrator’s first love. Interwoven with this chronicle of contemporary life is the turbulent history of Jindie’s family. Her great forebear, Dù Wénxiù, led a Muslim rebellion in Yunnan in the nineteenth century and ruled the region from his capital Dali for almost a decade, as Sultan Suleiman. Night of the Golden Butterfly reveals Ali in full flight, at once imaginative and intelligent, satirical and stimulating.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
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885 people want to read
About the author
Tariq Ali
137 books809 followersTariq Ali (Punjabi, Urdu: طارق علی) is a British-Pakistani historian, novelist, filmmaker, political campaigner, and commentator. He is a member of the editorial committee of the New Left Review and Sin Permiso, and regularly contributes to The Guardian, CounterPunch, and the London Review of Books.
He is the author of several books, including Can Pakistan Survive? The Death of a State (1991) , Pirates Of The Caribbean: Axis Of Hope (2006), Conversations with Edward Said (2005), Bush in Babylon (2003), and Clash of Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads and Modernity (2002), A Banker for All Seasons (2007) and the recently published The Duel (2008).
He is the author of several books, including Can Pakistan Survive? The Death of a State (1991) , Pirates Of The Caribbean: Axis Of Hope (2006), Conversations with Edward Said (2005), Bush in Babylon (2003), and Clash of Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads and Modernity (2002), A Banker for All Seasons (2007) and the recently published The Duel (2008).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 29, 2019
A very disappointing ending to the Islam Quintet. Although I only gave the others in the series average ratings, I enjoyed their historical settings and the storylines. I’ve been looking forward to reading this but was met with serial expletives and profanities in the first few pages. I gave it time because I thought perhaps it was necessary to set the scene. It isn’t, it didn’t stop, and so I fairly quickly decided that this book isn’t worth my time.
April 14, 2015
The last of The Islam Quintet is quite a change from the others. It's set in contemporary Pakistan, London, and DC, and the narrator this time around is Tariq Ail himself, or his fictional doppelganger. The history is that of Chinese muslims in Yunnan, and their forced migration to Vietnam, Burma, and Pakistan; but the main story is that of the narrator and his friends from adolescence, now, at the time of the novel, elderly.
The central character is an iconoclast named Plato, about 10 years older than the narrator, an immensely intelligent and capable man who generally shuns the limelight and who is cynical through and through. Though the narrator loses touch with Plato for many years, it seems that Plato is never far from his thoughts, perhaps because he was the glue that bound together the narrator's circle of friends. Plato makes a kind of grand statement at the end of the novel that probably sums up Tariq Ali's views about Pakistan and the US empire.
So overall I found this novel interesting mostly as an expression of Ali's historical and politcal views. The various subplots, mostly related in some way to the narrator's extended family, are interesting enough, but seem to be mostly a sort of scaffolding for the political aspects of the book. That was fine with me. It was interesting to learn that Pakstan was a far more secular place in the 40s and 50s than it has become. I suspect that part of Ali's aim in this 5 novel cycle was to show that the intolerance and anti-intellectualism of contemporary Islamic fundamentalism is a recent aberration; and "recent" means just the past three decades. In that, I think he succeeded.
The central character is an iconoclast named Plato, about 10 years older than the narrator, an immensely intelligent and capable man who generally shuns the limelight and who is cynical through and through. Though the narrator loses touch with Plato for many years, it seems that Plato is never far from his thoughts, perhaps because he was the glue that bound together the narrator's circle of friends. Plato makes a kind of grand statement at the end of the novel that probably sums up Tariq Ali's views about Pakistan and the US empire.
So overall I found this novel interesting mostly as an expression of Ali's historical and politcal views. The various subplots, mostly related in some way to the narrator's extended family, are interesting enough, but seem to be mostly a sort of scaffolding for the political aspects of the book. That was fine with me. It was interesting to learn that Pakstan was a far more secular place in the 40s and 50s than it has become. I suspect that part of Ali's aim in this 5 novel cycle was to show that the intolerance and anti-intellectualism of contemporary Islamic fundamentalism is a recent aberration; and "recent" means just the past three decades. In that, I think he succeeded.
January 27, 2024
Najbolja knjiga islamskog kvinteta, mada drugu nisam procitala, ali od cetiri koje jesam ova mi je najdraza. Prica o modernom dobu(pocinje u Pakistanu),o izbjeglistvu, korupciji, prijateljstvu, vjeri, talentima, historiji i o islamskim Kinezima. Radnja se odvija u Lahoru, Londonu i Parizu uglavnom i djelom u Kini. Puno prica o uspjehu i neuspjehu koji se preplicu.
April 2, 2023
I think I enjoyed this one the most out of the Islam Quintet. Perhaps because this was closest to me in time period and geography. It spans the longest time period from the 70s to the early 2000s, weaving back and forth through time, and even taking dives into some character's ancestry. A large part of the story takes place in Pakistan and the characters, their attitudes, their story lines, felt ... familiar. Familiar in the way of Bengali stories I've read from Bengali authors.
Perhaps there is an autobiographical element since the author is originally from Pakistan. In fact, it is hinted that the narrator is a writer who has written about the settings features in the previous novels, so perhaps it is? At any rate, the characters felt very real to me, so that makes this book more relatable to me than all the others in the series.
But, despite not taking to Tariq Ali's writing style, I completed the series because I liked how he shines a light on forgotten eras of Islamic history. It's also refreshing to read about Muslims presented in a different light, i.e. the more cosmopolitan, the more cultural, the less strict observances of Islam.
In this novel, the obscure Islamic history highlighted is that of Chinese Muslims who fled the Yunnan province to settle in Punjab. One of the characters, Jindié (the titular Golden Butterfly) spends a portion of the novel exploring her family history in China. She's not the main character though. The plot involves a lot of characters and actually kind of is unfocused and all over the place. So that gets in the way of enjoying the story.
Side note, there is a minor Bengali character called Tipu from Chittagong. Just thought I'd throw it out there. Oh and also in true Pakistani fashion the 1971 war is referred to as a civil war (instead of as a liberation war). And also also there was a weird case of the word "Pakistan" being censored as "Fatherland" in the whole book. At first I thought it was an affectionate nickname, but then it became clear it was a censoring. I didn't really understand why that was.
And finally, regarding the whole series, these books were very, very sexual. All 5 of the books did a deep dive on attraction, desire, and sexuality, and the attitudes towards these things in the respective time periods (much more liberal than we are brought up to believe). To the author's credit, he tried to explore a diverse array of sexualities, but from my perspective, there was a strong sense of compulsory sexuality in all the works (i.e. there seems to be an operating assumption that everyone craves and seeks erotic passion). This is rather unusual in books of this nature that I have encountered. It's works like this that make me wonder, are people really that obsessed and motivated by sex and have all the other books been glossing over it? Is it Tariq Ali who has a skewed view of the world or is it me? (It's probably me.)
Perhaps there is an autobiographical element since the author is originally from Pakistan. In fact, it is hinted that the narrator is a writer who has written about the settings features in the previous novels, so perhaps it is? At any rate, the characters felt very real to me, so that makes this book more relatable to me than all the others in the series.
But, despite not taking to Tariq Ali's writing style, I completed the series because I liked how he shines a light on forgotten eras of Islamic history. It's also refreshing to read about Muslims presented in a different light, i.e. the more cosmopolitan, the more cultural, the less strict observances of Islam.
In this novel, the obscure Islamic history highlighted is that of Chinese Muslims who fled the Yunnan province to settle in Punjab. One of the characters, Jindié (the titular Golden Butterfly) spends a portion of the novel exploring her family history in China. She's not the main character though. The plot involves a lot of characters and actually kind of is unfocused and all over the place. So that gets in the way of enjoying the story.
Side note, there is a minor Bengali character called Tipu from Chittagong. Just thought I'd throw it out there. Oh and also in true Pakistani fashion the 1971 war is referred to as a civil war (instead of as a liberation war). And also also there was a weird case of the word "Pakistan" being censored as "Fatherland" in the whole book. At first I thought it was an affectionate nickname, but then it became clear it was a censoring. I didn't really understand why that was.
And finally, regarding the whole series, these books were very, very sexual. All 5 of the books did a deep dive on attraction, desire, and sexuality, and the attitudes towards these things in the respective time periods (much more liberal than we are brought up to believe). To the author's credit, he tried to explore a diverse array of sexualities, but from my perspective, there was a strong sense of compulsory sexuality in all the works (i.e. there seems to be an operating assumption that everyone craves and seeks erotic passion). This is rather unusual in books of this nature that I have encountered. It's works like this that make me wonder, are people really that obsessed and motivated by sex and have all the other books been glossing over it? Is it Tariq Ali who has a skewed view of the world or is it me? (It's probably me.)
December 7, 2020
The fifth and last novel of the Islam Quintet is set in the present, probably not too long before the book was written. The premise is that Plato, a painter from Pakistan, commissions the narrator, Dara, an old friend from Lahore living in exile in London, to write a novel about his life. The book then describes the narrator's relationship with Plato and various other friends from the Partition of India and Pakistan through the present in flashbacks. (Dara is the same age and has much in common with Tariq Ali himself.) The foreground is occuppied by the personal relations of the characters, but the background describes the political and social realities of the country. The climax of the book is the unveiling of a symbolic painting by Plato, which defines the four "cancers" of the country: America, the military, the mullahs, and corruption. A character called Naughty Lateef satirizes the Westerm media's use of women "victims" from the Islamic countries to justify hatred for Moslems and by extension the foreign policy of the Western powers. Plato's girlfriend Zaynab, a real victim ("married to the Koran" to deprive her of an inheritance), emphasizes that the problem is not Islam but the backward economic structures, which use Islam as an excuse -- not much different than the "Christian" Right here. "So they're all doing religion, I thought to myself. And France, like Italy, despite pretensions to the contrary, is a Catholic country. The veneer of the Enlightenment is wearing off very fast."
I was a bit surprised and a little disappointed that, as with the earlier books, there wasn't actually much about those economic issues, especially given Ali's background, but the central organizing theme of all five books is the relations between the Islamic world and the West. (Maybe I shouldn't say "West", since one of the most interesting parts of this volume is the story of Jindié's ancestors in the nineteenth-century Moslem revolt in Yunnan against the Manchu dynasty, a historical event I hadn't ever heard of before.)
Other major characters are Plato and Dara's old friends Zahid (husband of Jindié), who became a famous doctor in the United States, joined the Republican Party, and then was caught up in the reaction after 9/11 and moved to London, and "Confucius" (Hanif), Jindié's brother, a once dogmatic Maoist who suffers from total amnesia (obviously symbolic.)
I was a bit surprised and a little disappointed that, as with the earlier books, there wasn't actually much about those economic issues, especially given Ali's background, but the central organizing theme of all five books is the relations between the Islamic world and the West. (Maybe I shouldn't say "West", since one of the most interesting parts of this volume is the story of Jindié's ancestors in the nineteenth-century Moslem revolt in Yunnan against the Manchu dynasty, a historical event I hadn't ever heard of before.)
Other major characters are Plato and Dara's old friends Zahid (husband of Jindié), who became a famous doctor in the United States, joined the Republican Party, and then was caught up in the reaction after 9/11 and moved to London, and "Confucius" (Hanif), Jindié's brother, a once dogmatic Maoist who suffers from total amnesia (obviously symbolic.)
May 15, 2018
The last of the series but the most ordinary of the lot. Set in author’s city of Lahore the book failed to grab my imagination, story was weak and repetitive which lacked interest. Disappointing end to the great series.
December 13, 2011
I really enjoyed this series. Tariq Ali is not a brilliant writer, but he is a brilliant story teller. I found this book a bit messy structurally. The narrative was disjointed and the ending a bit heavy handed, but all the characters stories are so interesting, and about areas of the world I knew nothing about, I couldn't put it down.
May 2, 2016
Gwiazdka mniej za literówki, których szczerze nie lubię. Druga gwiazdka mniej za gubienie się tłumacza w tekście. Poza tym język jest najwulgarniejszy z wszystkich tomów serii i męczący na dłużą metę. Fabuła też niestety nie jest mocną stroną tej książki.
February 23, 2011
Buku ini adalah buku terakhir dari Pentalogi fiksi sejarah Tariq Ali yang berlatar peradaban Islam. Keempat buku sebelumnya adalah: Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree, The Book of Saladin, The Stone Woman, A Sultan in Palermo. Night of the Golden Butterfly berlatar di banyak tempat di masa kini, mulai dari Lahore, Punjabi, Fatherland (Pakistan), dan London, serta sisipan cerita yang berlatar China akhir abad sembilan belas, semasa terjadinya pemberontakan Panthay di masa kesultanan islam Dali di China.
Dara, narator buku ini suatu ketika ditelepon oleh sahabat masa remajanya di Lahore, yang bernama Mohammed Aflatun, atau lebih sering dipanggil dengan Plato. Plato mengingatkan dirinya bahwa Dara memiliki hutang budi masa kecil. Demi melunasi hutang budi tersebut, Plato menginginkan Dara untuk menuliskan biografi tentang dirinya dan ulasan tentang karya-karya Plato. Plato adalah seorang pelukis berbakat.
Dara menyanggupi tawaran Plato, namun dia tidak ingin membuat biografi yang hanya mengambil dari satu sudut pandang saja. Dia ingin menuliskan biografi Plato yang dari kacamata teman-teman masa kecilnya di Lahore dan dari kacamata orang-orang yang pernah bersinggungan dengan pelukis berbakat itu. Maka mulailah Dara menelusuri satu persatu teman-teman masa lalu mereka. Penelusuran ini mau tidak mau membuat Dara juga menelusuri kisah-kisah masa lalu dirinya sendiri, persahabatannya dengan Plato, Zahid, Hanif dan Jindie serta Zaynab.
Jindie –kupu-kupu emas dalam buku ini –adalah perempuan muslim China keturunan dari Du Wenxiu, pemimpin pemberontakan etnis islam Hui di Yunan pada masa dinasti Qing, abad ke-19. Dari surat-surat Jindie kepada Dara, sejarah kesultanan Dali dituturkan dalam buku ini, terutama menjelang akhir kesultanan Dali dan nasib para keturunannya yang terpencar ke beberapa negara. Juga tentang peristiwa pembantaian orang-orang Islam di Kunming dan sentimen Hui-phobia yang sampai sekarang masih melanda China. Jindie juga menyelipkan tentang kesusasteraan klasik china : Dream of the Red Chamber dan Jin Ping Mei yang terkenal erotik itu. Jindie bahkan mengidentikkan dirinya dengan salah satu tokohnya. Hanif adalah kakak Jindie, oleh Zahid, Plato dan Dara, lebih sering dipanggil dengan nama Konfusius.
Jindie adalah cinta pertama Dara yang tak terbalas. Penelusuran data-data tentang Plato mengharuskan Dara untuk berhubungan kembali dengannya, juga dengan Zahid –dokter bedah yang tinggal di Washington DS (District of Satan, demikian ditulis dalam buku ini) –yang akhirnya menjadi suami Jindie. Sementara itu, Plato, yang tengah menjalin hubungan dengan Alice Stepford, kritikus musik di London, sedang jatuh cinta di puber keduanya dengan Zaynab, seorang wanita yang dipaksa oleh keluarganya untuk menikahi Al-Quran. Seiring berkembangnya cerita, Dara juga bertemu dengan Naughty Lateef, perempuan Pakistan yang menulis memoar tentang skandalnya dengan beberapa jenderal dan petinggi Pakistan.
Sekilas, novel ini seperti sebuah cerita nostalgia, beberapa orang lelaki dan perempuan yang telah berada di masa tua mereka berkumpul dan mengenang kembali masa-masa muda mereka di tanah kelahiran. Namun, apa yang dituliskan oleh Ali adalah kritik dan sindiran terhadap situasi politik terkini di Fatherland, nama yang dipakai Ali untuk menyebut Pakistan. Bagaimana orang-orang yang telah meninggalkan tanah kelahiran, tetap membaca dan mengikuti perkembangan terkini dan bereaksi dengan caranya sendiri-sendiri. Salah satu mahakarya lukisan Plato diberi judul “Four Cancer of Fatherland” menjelaskan, bahwa empat kanker yang tengah menggerogoti Fatherland adalah : Amerika, Militer, Mullah dan Politik yang korup.
Night of the Golden Butterfly, tidak seseru dan semenarik Book of Saladin. Namun, tetap ada hal-hal menarik yang kita dapatkan. Persahabatan antara Dara, Plato, Zahid dan Hanif, serta perempuan-perempuan yang berada di sekeliling mereka, adalah salah satu hal yang menarik untuk diikuti. Seperti misalnya, perempuan-perempuan yang dekat dekat Plato, selalu berakhir di tempat tidur bersama Dara, karena Plato ternyata impotent. Bahasa yang digunakan dalam dialog antar-sahabat tersebut, meski terkesan kasar, saling memaki dan mencela, namun terasa dekat. Barangkali, seperti percakapan antar-teman dalam bahasa Jawa Timur-an yang penuh dengan kalimat "cok" atau "jancok".
Nuansa internasionalisme sangat terasa dalam novel ini. Tokoh-tokohnya dengan mudah berpindah dari satu negara ke negara lain. Wajar, karena tokoh-tokoh dalam novel ini adalah mereka yang telah berada dalam kematangan usia dan kesuksesan. Meski demikian, tarikan-tarikan terhadap Fatherland sebagai tanah kelahiran yang dibenci sekaligus dirindukan, selalu menghampiri setiap tokoh-tokohnya.
Saya berharap, setelah novel ini, Tariq Ali akan menulis kembali novel berlatar sejarah Islam, namun kali ini dengan mengambil latar sejarah peradaban Islam di Indonesia, yang juga tidak kalah kayanya dengan sejarah peradaban di Timur Tengah, Eropa dan China.[]
Dara, narator buku ini suatu ketika ditelepon oleh sahabat masa remajanya di Lahore, yang bernama Mohammed Aflatun, atau lebih sering dipanggil dengan Plato. Plato mengingatkan dirinya bahwa Dara memiliki hutang budi masa kecil. Demi melunasi hutang budi tersebut, Plato menginginkan Dara untuk menuliskan biografi tentang dirinya dan ulasan tentang karya-karya Plato. Plato adalah seorang pelukis berbakat.
Dara menyanggupi tawaran Plato, namun dia tidak ingin membuat biografi yang hanya mengambil dari satu sudut pandang saja. Dia ingin menuliskan biografi Plato yang dari kacamata teman-teman masa kecilnya di Lahore dan dari kacamata orang-orang yang pernah bersinggungan dengan pelukis berbakat itu. Maka mulailah Dara menelusuri satu persatu teman-teman masa lalu mereka. Penelusuran ini mau tidak mau membuat Dara juga menelusuri kisah-kisah masa lalu dirinya sendiri, persahabatannya dengan Plato, Zahid, Hanif dan Jindie serta Zaynab.
Jindie –kupu-kupu emas dalam buku ini –adalah perempuan muslim China keturunan dari Du Wenxiu, pemimpin pemberontakan etnis islam Hui di Yunan pada masa dinasti Qing, abad ke-19. Dari surat-surat Jindie kepada Dara, sejarah kesultanan Dali dituturkan dalam buku ini, terutama menjelang akhir kesultanan Dali dan nasib para keturunannya yang terpencar ke beberapa negara. Juga tentang peristiwa pembantaian orang-orang Islam di Kunming dan sentimen Hui-phobia yang sampai sekarang masih melanda China. Jindie juga menyelipkan tentang kesusasteraan klasik china : Dream of the Red Chamber dan Jin Ping Mei yang terkenal erotik itu. Jindie bahkan mengidentikkan dirinya dengan salah satu tokohnya. Hanif adalah kakak Jindie, oleh Zahid, Plato dan Dara, lebih sering dipanggil dengan nama Konfusius.
Jindie adalah cinta pertama Dara yang tak terbalas. Penelusuran data-data tentang Plato mengharuskan Dara untuk berhubungan kembali dengannya, juga dengan Zahid –dokter bedah yang tinggal di Washington DS (District of Satan, demikian ditulis dalam buku ini) –yang akhirnya menjadi suami Jindie. Sementara itu, Plato, yang tengah menjalin hubungan dengan Alice Stepford, kritikus musik di London, sedang jatuh cinta di puber keduanya dengan Zaynab, seorang wanita yang dipaksa oleh keluarganya untuk menikahi Al-Quran. Seiring berkembangnya cerita, Dara juga bertemu dengan Naughty Lateef, perempuan Pakistan yang menulis memoar tentang skandalnya dengan beberapa jenderal dan petinggi Pakistan.
Sekilas, novel ini seperti sebuah cerita nostalgia, beberapa orang lelaki dan perempuan yang telah berada di masa tua mereka berkumpul dan mengenang kembali masa-masa muda mereka di tanah kelahiran. Namun, apa yang dituliskan oleh Ali adalah kritik dan sindiran terhadap situasi politik terkini di Fatherland, nama yang dipakai Ali untuk menyebut Pakistan. Bagaimana orang-orang yang telah meninggalkan tanah kelahiran, tetap membaca dan mengikuti perkembangan terkini dan bereaksi dengan caranya sendiri-sendiri. Salah satu mahakarya lukisan Plato diberi judul “Four Cancer of Fatherland” menjelaskan, bahwa empat kanker yang tengah menggerogoti Fatherland adalah : Amerika, Militer, Mullah dan Politik yang korup.
Night of the Golden Butterfly, tidak seseru dan semenarik Book of Saladin. Namun, tetap ada hal-hal menarik yang kita dapatkan. Persahabatan antara Dara, Plato, Zahid dan Hanif, serta perempuan-perempuan yang berada di sekeliling mereka, adalah salah satu hal yang menarik untuk diikuti. Seperti misalnya, perempuan-perempuan yang dekat dekat Plato, selalu berakhir di tempat tidur bersama Dara, karena Plato ternyata impotent. Bahasa yang digunakan dalam dialog antar-sahabat tersebut, meski terkesan kasar, saling memaki dan mencela, namun terasa dekat. Barangkali, seperti percakapan antar-teman dalam bahasa Jawa Timur-an yang penuh dengan kalimat "cok" atau "jancok".
Nuansa internasionalisme sangat terasa dalam novel ini. Tokoh-tokohnya dengan mudah berpindah dari satu negara ke negara lain. Wajar, karena tokoh-tokoh dalam novel ini adalah mereka yang telah berada dalam kematangan usia dan kesuksesan. Meski demikian, tarikan-tarikan terhadap Fatherland sebagai tanah kelahiran yang dibenci sekaligus dirindukan, selalu menghampiri setiap tokoh-tokohnya.
Saya berharap, setelah novel ini, Tariq Ali akan menulis kembali novel berlatar sejarah Islam, namun kali ini dengan mengambil latar sejarah peradaban Islam di Indonesia, yang juga tidak kalah kayanya dengan sejarah peradaban di Timur Tengah, Eropa dan China.[]
June 9, 2020
Buen libro, pero en lo personal me falta saber algo más de historia para comprender más el libro.
July 26, 2021
The book had a really interesting start and initially gave the idea that the book was gonna be about the narrator's friend but this wasn't the case. The story got extremely boring in the end and I felt like the writer was just trying fit in his own feelings about national culture and politics into the conversation. I think the story lost its purpose when Plato died out of nowhere.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2017
I was never sure what this book's point or purpose is but I found the different storylines interesting nevertheless. I enjoyed Ali's style. My best guess is a desire to illustrate the different ways that people are Muslim without being fanatics or even very religious.
September 10, 2014
this was a hard read for me, i really wanted to finish with these 5 books and ali who really didn't impress me very much. i think that my expectations were too great.
read at your own risk.
read at your own risk.
September 29, 2018
Night of a Golden Butterfly was one of the recommendations by a friend since resuming my reading journey into more South Asian fiction.
Tariq Ali no doubt is a prolific writer and his book, Night of the Golden Butterfly, the final book of his series of historical novels is a proof of his immaculate art work. However, your reading interests matter a lot when making decisions about picking up historical novels. I picked up the book knowing it’s historical fiction however, what I didn’t know was, it covers Chinese (Yunnan more specifically) history. For person not inclined towards Chinese history, Jindie’s letters narrating the history of Yunnan and her forefathers became quite a cumbersome task for me and held little interest.
As much as I appreciated the depth of main characters, it was a disappointment that I couldn’t develop my interest in Plato—the character around whom the book revolved—who looked more like a self-absorbed individual who seemed to have achieved all the heights of self-actualization and thus was critical of every art and artist around him.
The book does wander around from Lahore to London, Paris to Beijing, but keeps on discussing so many people and their stories—Plato, Dara, Jindie, Zahid, Ally, Zaynab, Anis, Naught Lateef, Neelam, Confucius and at least a dozen others—that it becomes difficult to keep track of their developments a lot of times. Also, for a person who appreciates following one story at a time with depth, Night of the Golden Butterfly often seemed to cover too many topics and too many people for my liking, so that it lacked curiosity of what was to come. Probably the only thing that I looked forward to, in an ocean of stories was that of Naughty Lateef and what would become of her.
Although I really did enjoy the beginning of the book and how Dara’s friendship with Plato and the rest of the friends from the Table evolved over their youth, the later part of the book became more of a struggle of intimate lives of older people filled with sexual innuendos.
Tariq Ali no doubt is a prolific writer and his book, Night of the Golden Butterfly, the final book of his series of historical novels is a proof of his immaculate art work. However, your reading interests matter a lot when making decisions about picking up historical novels. I picked up the book knowing it’s historical fiction however, what I didn’t know was, it covers Chinese (Yunnan more specifically) history. For person not inclined towards Chinese history, Jindie’s letters narrating the history of Yunnan and her forefathers became quite a cumbersome task for me and held little interest.
As much as I appreciated the depth of main characters, it was a disappointment that I couldn’t develop my interest in Plato—the character around whom the book revolved—who looked more like a self-absorbed individual who seemed to have achieved all the heights of self-actualization and thus was critical of every art and artist around him.
The book does wander around from Lahore to London, Paris to Beijing, but keeps on discussing so many people and their stories—Plato, Dara, Jindie, Zahid, Ally, Zaynab, Anis, Naught Lateef, Neelam, Confucius and at least a dozen others—that it becomes difficult to keep track of their developments a lot of times. Also, for a person who appreciates following one story at a time with depth, Night of the Golden Butterfly often seemed to cover too many topics and too many people for my liking, so that it lacked curiosity of what was to come. Probably the only thing that I looked forward to, in an ocean of stories was that of Naughty Lateef and what would become of her.
Although I really did enjoy the beginning of the book and how Dara’s friendship with Plato and the rest of the friends from the Table evolved over their youth, the later part of the book became more of a struggle of intimate lives of older people filled with sexual innuendos.
August 6, 2024
Book: Night of the Golden Butterfly
Author: Tariq Ali
Published: 2010
About the Author:
Tariq Ali is a British-Pakistani writer, journalist, and filmmaker known for his sharp political commentary and historical insights. Born in Lahore in 1943, Ali has authored numerous books, both fiction and non-fiction, that explore themes of political upheaval, history, and social change. His notable works include "The Clash of Fundamentalisms" and the acclaimed "Islam Quintet" series, of which "Night of the Golden Butterfly" is the final instalment. 📚
Review:
Just finished "Night of the Golden Butterfly" by Tariq Ali, and it’s an intellectually stimulating read! This novel intricately blends personal narrative with political commentary, delving into the lives of a group of friends navigating the cultural and political landscapes of contemporary Pakistan and Europe. Ali's writing is rich with historical context and philosophical reflections, making it a thought-provoking journey through love, art, and ideology. A must-read for those who appreciate literature that challenges and enlightens. 🌟
Summary:
"Night of the Golden Butterfly" centres around Dara, a writer who is summoned by an old friend to write his memoir. As Dara reconnects with his past, the novel unravels the stories of his friends, exploring their diverse experiences and perspectives. The narrative traverses from the vibrant streets of Lahore to the intellectual circles of Europe, examining themes of identity, revolution, and the complexities of friendship. Ali’s keen insights into politics and culture provide a powerful backdrop to this captivating and multifaceted story.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
Goodreads: @readinglately
#readinglately #latelyreading #NightOfTheGoldenButterfly #TariqAli #BookReview #LiteraryFiction #BookRecommendations #Bookstagram #syedfarqaleet
Author: Tariq Ali
Published: 2010
About the Author:
Tariq Ali is a British-Pakistani writer, journalist, and filmmaker known for his sharp political commentary and historical insights. Born in Lahore in 1943, Ali has authored numerous books, both fiction and non-fiction, that explore themes of political upheaval, history, and social change. His notable works include "The Clash of Fundamentalisms" and the acclaimed "Islam Quintet" series, of which "Night of the Golden Butterfly" is the final instalment. 📚
Review:
Just finished "Night of the Golden Butterfly" by Tariq Ali, and it’s an intellectually stimulating read! This novel intricately blends personal narrative with political commentary, delving into the lives of a group of friends navigating the cultural and political landscapes of contemporary Pakistan and Europe. Ali's writing is rich with historical context and philosophical reflections, making it a thought-provoking journey through love, art, and ideology. A must-read for those who appreciate literature that challenges and enlightens. 🌟
Summary:
"Night of the Golden Butterfly" centres around Dara, a writer who is summoned by an old friend to write his memoir. As Dara reconnects with his past, the novel unravels the stories of his friends, exploring their diverse experiences and perspectives. The narrative traverses from the vibrant streets of Lahore to the intellectual circles of Europe, examining themes of identity, revolution, and the complexities of friendship. Ali’s keen insights into politics and culture provide a powerful backdrop to this captivating and multifaceted story.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
Goodreads: @readinglately
#readinglately #latelyreading #NightOfTheGoldenButterfly #TariqAli #BookReview #LiteraryFiction #BookRecommendations #Bookstagram #syedfarqaleet
August 16, 2018
In this fifth and final book of the Islam Quintet series, the characters were somewhat more fleshed out than in the third or fourth. As in each of the previous four novels, the strength and interest lies primarily in the many varied anecdotes, by turns intriguing, horrific, hilarious and poignant. This is where the author’s writing skill shines, although some of the dialogue writing is also engaging. However, the plot - and characters - meander excessively and seemingly pointlessly, trying to cover too much ground and pursue too many narrative threads.
The device of the mysterious final painting, which is unveiled at the very end, is a clever way to bring together all of the characters from their disparate wanderings and draw a kind of closure for the series, since it makes reference to characters from previous books in the series. However, it is a little too much too late and has the feel of deliberate artifice, which obscured what may have been intended as a more subtle farewell to what was in many ways a very provocative and interesting collection of tales.
The device of the mysterious final painting, which is unveiled at the very end, is a clever way to bring together all of the characters from their disparate wanderings and draw a kind of closure for the series, since it makes reference to characters from previous books in the series. However, it is a little too much too late and has the feel of deliberate artifice, which obscured what may have been intended as a more subtle farewell to what was in many ways a very provocative and interesting collection of tales.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2021
Dara, a Pakistani expatriate, now an author in the U.S., receives a phone call one night from a very old friend. Though they haven't seen each other in decades, Plato has phoned with a request that Dara write his life story. Contacting mutual friends and acquaintances from their youth inevitably stirs up secrets and various memories of joy, loss, missed opportunities and regret for Dara.
I'm rather crestfallen to have to say that, after the promise of the first few titles in Ali's Islamic Quintet, this book, along with #4, A Sultan in Palermo was a disappointment. (Books #1, Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree and #3, The Stone Woman, are the standouts and very highly recommended by this reader!) I did find it eye-opening to learn more about the time known as The Partition, when in 1947 British India was politically divided into two separate countries, India and Pakistan, which played a small role in the book but was an enormous source of violence and trauma for the region. However, overall, the story was just...dull.
I'm rather crestfallen to have to say that, after the promise of the first few titles in Ali's Islamic Quintet, this book, along with #4, A Sultan in Palermo was a disappointment. (Books #1, Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree and #3, The Stone Woman, are the standouts and very highly recommended by this reader!) I did find it eye-opening to learn more about the time known as The Partition, when in 1947 British India was politically divided into two separate countries, India and Pakistan, which played a small role in the book but was an enormous source of violence and trauma for the region. However, overall, the story was just...dull.
July 8, 2022
I did not read the previous 4books .This was a secondhand book shop find that the tittle intrigued me. Once I stared reading it ,I kept asking myself what am I reading ? Obviously there is a lot of historical events and a story of a few friends and their language (full of profanity at times).At the very end throwing in Sultan Suleyman ,Ataturk ,poet names and what not (in the form of a painting of a deceased friend) got me to sigh and say good that it ended here. At this stage went and read about the author, found out has very radical political views .The story felt as was made up to convey the political views of the author . If there was a half star for his story telling will have added. This will be a rare case of a book ending up in the recycle bin as can not think of anyone else to give it to read .
February 23, 2025
This is the final novel in the Islam Quintet, and takes place in the 2010s. The narrator, Dara, is a Pakistani author now living in London. He chronicles both his past as a radical student in 1960s Lahore and his present in which he has various encounters and reconnections with his fellow students and Jindie, the woman he loved but was unable to marry.
This was an engaging if somewhat meandering novel. The narrator, his friends, and lovers are all very interesting, and his relationships with them are varied. The stories and anecdotes the narrator relates are good, by turns horrifying and entertaining. I just wish it all added up to a bit more than it does.
This was an engaging if somewhat meandering novel. The narrator, his friends, and lovers are all very interesting, and his relationships with them are varied. The stories and anecdotes the narrator relates are good, by turns horrifying and entertaining. I just wish it all added up to a bit more than it does.
November 5, 2025
3.5 not 4
some very delicious writing here, inaccessible though it was. i appreciate that it's part of a broader quintet but the yunan-focused passages did seem sort of disconnected from the pragmatic focus of the book on pakistani history. of course i walked away with the knowledge that the author is familiar with the dream of the red chamber, which was of course the intended effect
some very delicious writing here, inaccessible though it was. i appreciate that it's part of a broader quintet but the yunan-focused passages did seem sort of disconnected from the pragmatic focus of the book on pakistani history. of course i walked away with the knowledge that the author is familiar with the dream of the red chamber, which was of course the intended effect
February 17, 2021
Several narratives all squeezed into one book. I feel the author had agreed to write a quintet and found himself wanting to write his fifth book about the history of Pakistan and about islam in China. He did both by intertwining two story lines but had to rush through several historic episodes to provide the necessary context. Some pages seem like historic essays written in the form of letters. It seems rushed or perhaps lazy.
Overall I was disappointed by this book. It fails to centre around a story line and does not take the time to fully develop its many characters.
A disappointing end to an otherwise poetic series of tales.
Writing 3
Story line 2
Characters 3
Impact 3
Overall I was disappointed by this book. It fails to centre around a story line and does not take the time to fully develop its many characters.
A disappointing end to an otherwise poetic series of tales.
Writing 3
Story line 2
Characters 3
Impact 3
January 21, 2025
Тарик Али супер си ја тераше приказната едно 3/4 од книгата и страшно ме навлече.
Во последната четвртина одлучи малку да ја заметка, не знам дали немал инспирација или немал идеја како да ја заврши, неважно, сума сумарум - помалку разочарувачки завршни 30-40 страни.
Во последната четвртина одлучи малку да ја заметка, не знам дали немал инспирација или немал идеја како да ја заврши, неважно, сума сумарум - помалку разочарувачки завршни 30-40 страни.
January 17, 2026
I learned much about Islamic history through this quintet, each set in a different country. Prior to reading this, I had not thought much about the connections with China. My ignorance is appalling...
February 13, 2018
Brilliant read, all time favorite, my pick of the quintet forsure
October 8, 2022
One of the best series I have ever read - now ready to go back to the beginning and start again.
Great characters and portrayal of the Islamic world & its history.
Great characters and portrayal of the Islamic world & its history.
June 22, 2024
Βιβλίο με πολύ ενδιαφέρουσες εικόνες από το σύγχρονο Πακιστάν, για το οποίο δε γνωρίζουμε πραγματικά πολλά πράγματα.
May 23, 2010
"Where Badshaai Mosque and Diamond Market-cold during the day, a furnace at night-in the old red-light district where some of the gaudiest courtesians' houses had been built by a great-uncle of mine. The old Royal district: mosque, palace and brothel all within the easy reach of each other and close to the river that no longer flows."
Poetry masquerading as fiction, illuminating the intersection of time controlling what can be seen and what is hidden. Love under the control of parents’ gaze, cultures meeting in literate circles with youth involved too. Reminds me of the corner of Bitter and Sweet, (the first novel I’ve read after the coma) with the same theme set in Seattle, but better.
Poetry masquerading as fiction, illuminating the intersection of time controlling what can be seen and what is hidden. Love under the control of parents’ gaze, cultures meeting in literate circles with youth involved too. Reminds me of the corner of Bitter and Sweet, (the first novel I’ve read after the coma) with the same theme set in Seattle, but better.
March 16, 2011
An interesting final addition to the quintet. I didn't realise that the author would move so quickly to modern times! And may I say there is some lightly veiled biographical refrences? Tariq Ali is as always an amazing writer. I can honestly say I could hardly put the book down. I ever read it while having a headache and curiously the headache seemed to vanish while I read! I can't wait to be able to put many of his books on my library and read them at my happy lesiure.
October 26, 2012
I was a bit skeptical about this book, because unlike the first four books of the Islamic Quintet it is not a historical novel. But I was amazed by this book. There is historical background, perhaps even stronger then in The Stone Woman, or maybe even Sultan in Palermo.
Tariq Ali has a unique capability of combining politics, history, friendship and love and put it all in such masterpiece of fiction.
Tariq Ali has a unique capability of combining politics, history, friendship and love and put it all in such masterpiece of fiction.
August 16, 2014
This conclusion to Ali's “Islam Quintet” is a reflection of the descent of “Fatherland" (Pakistan) into its own special kind of hell. The book is a subtle and wide-ranging examination of home, absence, and how, at times, exile and expatriation become interchangeable. And underlying Ali’s narrative is a sadness at the loss of the pre-Partition cosmopolitan culture of Lahore, destroyed first by the generals and then by the Islamists.
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