Zuleikha arrives in the US from Lahore, Pakistan, by marriage, having trained as a pianist without ever owning a real piano. Now she finally has one-a wedding present from her husband-but nevertheless finds it difficult to get used to her new role of a suburban middle-class housewife who has an abundance of time to play it.
Haunted by the imaginary worlds of the confiscated contraband books and movies that her father trafficked in to pay for her education and her dowry, and unable to reconcile them with the expectations of the real world of her present, she ends up as the central figure in a scandal that catapults her into the public eye and plays out in equal measures in the local news and in backroom deliberations, all fueled by winds of anti-Muslim hysteria.
The Black-Marketer’s Daughter was a finalist for the Disquiet Open Borders Book Prize, and praised by the jury as a “complicated and compelling story” of our times, with two key cornerstones of the novel being the unsympathetic voice with which Mallick, almost objectively, relays catastrophic and deeply emotional events, and the unsparing eye with which he illuminates the different angles and conflicting interests at work in a complex situation. The cumulative effects, while deliberately unsettling to readers, nevertheless keeps them glued to the pages out of sheer curiosity about what will happen next.
PRAISE FOR THE BLACK-MARKETER’S DAUGHTER
“Mallick offers an impressively realistic depiction of a woman caught between tradition, family, and her own sense of empowerment.” ~ Kirkus Reviews
“The Black-Marketer’s Daughter is a key-hole look at a few things: a mismatched marriage, the plight of immigrants in the U.S., the emotional toll of culture shock, and the brutal way Muslim women are treated, especially by men within their own community. Titling it—defining the heroine by her relationship to a man rather than as a woman in her own right—suggests how deeply ingrained that inequality can be.” ~ IndieReader Reviews
“The Black-Marketer’s Daughter is the portrait of a woman who endures violence, intimidation, xenophobia and grief, and yet refuses to be called a victim. In this slender novel, Suman Mallick deftly navigates the funhouse maze of immigrant life in contemporary America—around each corner the possibility of a delight, a terror, or a distorted reflection of oneself.” ~ Matthew Valentine, Winner, Montana Prize for Fiction; Lecturer, University of Texas at Austin
Becoming An Independent Woman – The Black Marketer’s Daughter – My Book Review
“The world is what you make it,” Thomas said.
The Black Marketer’s Daughter is a short, debut novel by Suman Mallick. While this book is small the story within its pages is complex with various themes of culture, religion, adultery, and marriage. But the story is so much more…
Here’s why. I remember the first money I received from giving my first piano lesson to a young girl. So, the main character, Zuleikha, is very relatable when it comes to her piano. I also fondly recall how my piano gave me comfort when I needed it. Those lessons soon became a security blanket for me, similarly for Zuleikha.
This novel is an exploration of the complex systems of law, religion, love, and marriage. Readers will learn small aspects of the Muslim faith.
The Black Marketer’s Daughter becomes a story about independence. A woman’s independence from the confines of her arranged marriage to the faith she was raised with. Well-written and descriptive this author packed a lot of story into such a short novel.
Lastly, this story resonates that women should not look back but move forward with their lives. My only problem with the story was the description of Amarillo and New Mexico. The New Mexico state line is about 75 miles from Amarillo and Navajo lands are not near Albuquerque.
If you are an adventurous reader who likes supporting small press publications and first-time authors, then The Black Marketer’s Daughter is a praiseworthy afternoon read.
Suman Mallick received his MFA from Portland State University and is the assistant managing editor of the quarterly literary magazine Under the Gum Tree. He lives in Texas.
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1/6/21 |
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1/7/21 |
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1/7/21 |
Guest Post |
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Author Interview |
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1/9/21 |
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1/10/21 |
Excerpt |
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1/11/21 |
Author Interview |
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Playlist |
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Scrapbook Page |
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Author Interview |
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1/15/21 |
Review |
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1/15/21 |
Review |
Forgotten Winds 
Nice review.
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Thank you so much!
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Great review. I love a book that evokes reminders that even among our differences, we all have common experiences that join us together. Sounds like this one did just that for you. Thanks for the post.
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Thank you, thank you, Kristine! You’re welcome!
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