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The Lost Love of Akbar Manzil

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ABOUT
THE BOOK

Sana and Meena will never meet, but they are bound by Akbar Manzil, a once-grand mansion on South Africa’s east coast. When Meena fell in love with the house’s owner, it was the pride of Durban. Decades later, when Sana and her father move in as tenants, it’s a crumbling relic. Drawn to the deserted east wing and its locked door, Sana begins uncovering the mansion’s tangled history and long-buried secrets. The Lost Love of Akbar Manzil is a haunting tale of love, mystery, and a young girl’s search for belonging, woven into the fabric of a place where people come to forget—or be forgotten.

(Also published under the title The Dijinn Waits a Hundred Years)

ABOUT
THE AUTHOR Shubnum
Khan

Shubnum Khan is a South African author and artist. Her first novel, Onion Tears, was shortlisted for the Penguin Prize for African Writing and the University of Johannesburg Debut Prize for Writing in English. She holds a Master’s degree in English and has been selected for a number of literary fellowships, including the Octavia Butler Fellow at Jack Jones Literary Arts and as a Mellon Fellow at Stellenbosch University. When not travelling, Shubnum lives in Durban writing and drawing for a living.

Shubnum Khan is a South African author and artist. Her first novel, Onion Tears, was shortlisted for the Penguin Prize for African Writing and the University of Johannesburg Debut Prize for Writing in English. She holds a Master’s degree in English and has been selected for a number of literary fellowships, including the Octavia Butler Fellow at Jack Jones Literary Arts and as a Mellon Fellow at Stellenbosch University. When not travelling, Shubnum lives in Durban writing and drawing for a living.

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NOMINATING LIBRARY COMMENTS

The novel is set in Durban and is a haunting love story, with elements of the paranormal. I loved the parallel stories of Meena and Sana. The love story of Meena and Akbar is set in the time of Indian indentured labour, something my ancestors experienced. it is a beautifully written story, incorporating magic realism with the story of the djinn living in the house for decades, and the ghost of Sana’s Siamese twin dogging her wherever she goes. The djinn is surprisingly benevolent whereas the ghost is malevolent. I think readers will enjoy the book, the cast of characters and the history, both of India and colonial Durban. The plot is engaging and compelling and the characters are relatable. The book deals with some dark themes, including racism, colonialism and sexism, as well as faith, belonging and identity. The ending is bittersweet and sad. I loved the story, the language and the characters and it will stay with me for a long time. (Durban Central Library), This mystery novel, which is also a love story tells a tale of belonging. At the Centre of it all is the mansion known as Akbar Manzil, keeper of secrets and host to the people who live and lived there, as well as the djinn that is central to bringing the two strands in the novel together. It is a beautifully written book that spans not just the decades of a love story but also the history of a country and the effects of colonialism. It is a book that made me stop reading for a while as I absorbed the story long after the last page was read. (City of Cape Town Library & Information Services)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Date published
01/01/2024
Country
South Africa
Original Language
English
Author
Publisher
Pan Macmillan
Borrow this book from Libraries Ireland

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