A Sister to Honor

January 26, 2015
Afia Satar is just another college student, studying hard on a New England campus and dreaming big dreams about becoming a doctor to help the poor village women in her native Pakistan. When she falls in love, she forgets that she is not just any other college co-ed, but a Pashtun girl from a village where the familyâs reputation is tightly linked to the daughterâs purity. An innocent picture of her clasping hands with a boy on her collegeâs website catalyzes her jihadi step-brother to insist Shahid, her older brother whoâs also in New England, remove the stain on the familyâs honor. Honor is the heartbeat of this novel as the Satar family grapples with their responsibilities and expectations. The Americansâespecially Shahidâs squash coach Lissy Hayesâhave different ideas of honor. Tribal ties clash with individualism, as Afia and Shahid struggle to find the right path. Both are aware this may not end well. Afia and Shahidâs painful struggle is intricately crafted, and the cultural nuances are evocatively depicted in this thought-proving novel.

January 1, 2015

Ferriss's (The Lost Daughter; Nerves of the Heart) latest novel addresses conservative Pakistani values and the immigrant experience and explores the many meanings of honor. Afia Satar is the daughter of a landholding family in northern Pakistan. Brilliant and ambitious, she is sent to college in America along with her brother Shahid, a rising sports star. While Shahid has no qualms about living amid American culture, Afia is held to a much different standard. After photos of her holding a boy's hand appear on the Internet, her jihadist stepbrother Khalid begins to stir outrage. When Khalid shows up in America to restore the family honor, Afia is suddenly no longer safe, and Shahid is caught in the crossfire. VERDICT This stirring novel explores the psychology of honor killings and Pakistani family life. The swift-moving narrative traverses very different worlds, creating an exquisite tension that lasts well after the novel is over. Recommended for fans of Claire Messud, Jenny White, and readers who like a political slant to their fiction.--Mara Dabrishus, Ursuline Coll. Lib., Pepper Pike, OH

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2014
Ferriss' (The Lost Daughter, 2012) new novel is destined to spark discussion and controversy with its depiction of the traditional Pakistani way of life and how jealousy and hatred can create a jihadi, in contrast with the seemingly idyllic lives of students in elite American colleges. Shahid, an athlete and an excellent student, has come to America to acquire a skill set that he can take back to Pakistan to assist his family. Through his influence, his sister Afia is permitted to attend an American women's college to study to be a doctor. Remaining at home are their parents, younger siblings, and an angry cousin, Khalid, who is looking to cause trouble. During an online search, he finds a picture of Afia holding hands with an American boy. This sets in motion dangerous events that feel inevitable. Ferriss fills one family's story with the elements of a political thriller. The well-drawn characters and believable settings lead readers to some understanding of how these young people are torn between tradition and modern life, but there are no easy answers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)