8th May, 2025 in Recommended Reads

A Splintering by Dur e Aziz Amna

“Even in moments of friction and guilt, I reminded myself that the things I cherished – living in a comfortable house, spending time with my children, making sure they were fed and clothed well – were made possible through that splintering.” The novel, A Splintering, by Dur e Aziz Amna leads us through the life of its protagonist, Tara, as she seeks to escape the confines of so much of her surroundings in rural Pakistan: family life that constantly propounds upon the violence and expectations of her gender, the class she was born into despite her hunger and aptitude for higher learning, and the ties that forever haunt her burden of knowing that she deserves more. A Splintering explores the resolve of an endearing character through vivid language that compels us to yearn for her ultimate triumph, as she is driven to pursue what is touted to be unattainable.