The Holy Woman
(Qaisra Shahraz)
The Holy WomanAuthor: Qaisra ShahrazThis powerful book set mainly in contemporary Pakistan as well as England and Egypt, revolves around a 28-year-old beautiful woman called Zarrie Bano. She falls in love with an exceptionally handsome man called Sikandar. Sikandar is a successful business tycoon. Her father -an extremely wealthy and powerful man called Habib, despises him and blatantly refuses to agree to any such alliance for his daughter with Sikandar. Zarrie dreams of marrying Sikandar and of the intimacy and life they will share. But the death of Zarrie's brother following a riding accident, compels her father to announce her to become the heiress of his wealth and property due to him not having any more sons. According to tradition, a heiress must be free of marriage etc therefore to support his decision, Habib brings about an outdated, ancient tradition. As part of this tradition, Zarrie is then forced into marriage with the Holy Qur'an. She is now the family's and clan's Holy Woman otherwise a ?nun'.She is clearly portrayed as a rebel in the novel however her powerful father Habib eventually manages to achieve this title for his one and only daughter. The novel conveys in a very surreal and pungent way the overwhelming feelings and emotions Zarrie is overcome with. The author explicitly describes the ?should be' emotions of a young virgin marrying the man of her dreams and then goes onto portraying the current, real happenings following the ?marriage' of Zarrie to the Holy Qu'ran.The book is described as "a dramatic story of family intrigue, religious passions and rip-roaring romance" (Michele Roberts- novelist and poet). I would personally have to agree with this description by Michele as being a precise summary of the story. The Author is well known for producing somewhat controversial Middle Eastern based novels. Misbah Shabir
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