I picked this book up because it was a Backlist Book Club pick for the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club.

This novel is told from multiple perspectives of the members of two families. Isma goes to America to further her education, leaving the twins she raised after their mother passed in London. Aneeka is studying to be a lawyer while her twin, Parvaiz, feels drawn to follow in the footsteps of the jihadist father neither of them ever knew. First Isma, and then Aneeka, meet Eamonn, the son of a powerful politician, and their families become irrevocably entwined. What sacrifices will each make? What side of history will each be on?

This novel is a modern-day retelling of Antigone and it is an intense read. I learned a lot about the tensions between Britain and Central and South Asia, and it left me with a lot to think about. I can see why this book makes a great book club read because there is so much discussion to be had about the many choices that each of the characters makes and their motivations. The book was a bit slow to start for me but it did pick up and I found it both interesting and frustrating that the author never returned to the perspective of a character once the perspective had shifted to another one. Overall, this is a compelling, thought-provoking read, but you’ll definitely want to pick up something lighter afterwards!