The House of the Mosque by Kader Abdolah

The House of the Mosque

Kader Abdolah

Tradition has held sway in the House of the Mosque for 800 years and ruled the lives of the family who lived there. A tide of unrest surges against the ancient walls bringing change, pain and tragedy for Aqa Jaan, current head of the house, and his relatives. But, through all the upheaval, revolution and drama, the house continues the traditions that have kept it alive for centuries. Will appeal to readers who like fiction as personal history.

Extract
The grandmothers weren't actually grandmothers, but servants who'd lived in the house for more than fifty years. Aqa Jaan's father had brought them to the house when they were young, and they had never left. Everyone had long forgotten where they came from. The grandmothers never talked about their past ....

The grandmothers belonged to the house, much like the crow, the cedar tree and the cellars. One of the grandmothers had raised Alsaberi and the other had raised Aqa Jaan. Aqa Jaan confided in them, and they saw to it that the traditions of the house were maintained.
Parallels
  • Swallows of Kabul by Yasmina Khadra
  • Trespassing by Uzma Aslam Khan
  • In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin
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