Whispers from the East by Amie Ali is the heartbreaking and captivating story of three women caught up in cultural and religious differences. Ammi and her husband, Abbu, flee to Pakistan from India during the partition of 1947. After a harrowing journey, they settle into life with Ammi’s sister, who is married to Abbu’s brother; the four are first cousins, as was traditional for marriages of their caste at the time. Ammi raises three sons, Safwat, Nazar, and Lut. Safwat sticks to family tradition, marrying his cousin, Iqra. His two younger brothers choose to emigrate to the United States, where Nazar and Lut marry American women of vastly differing demeanors. Embroiled in this are the desires of all the men for their wives to remain loyal to the Islamic faith. However, one finds it difficult to maintain her vows to convert to Islam. How will the family cope with this break from strict tradition?

Miss Ali has been amazingly thorough in her research surrounding the traditions of marriage according to Islam. I really felt a great deal for Carolyn and her desire to fit in with Nazar’s family, but still keep her own identity. I was shocked by the swiftness of marriage in the Islamic culture, but I wasn’t sure if this was just the way of the upper classes of Pakistani society. I appreciated the vivid descriptions of wedding services and could picture them very well. I felt though that there was something lacking in the novel. I wanted more than what was presented, even though I’m aware Miss Ali probably wanted the reader to reflect on the circumstances. The narrative only gave me a taste of the lives of the people when I wanted to delve deep into their emotions. Despite this, Whispers from the East by Amie Ali was a fascinating read, and offered me a great deal of insight into Islamic culture and marriage.

Whispers From the East, a family saga by Amie Ali, starts off with Ammi, who as a young wife and mother escapes India during the days of the partition of India. As the years progress, she and her husband raise three sons who are devoted to their faith and determined to do well for their family. As young men, two of them immigrate to America to further their education where they meet dazzling soon to be wives. Set in the late '70s and early '80s, Whispers From the East focuses solely on the women of the story, from beloved Ammi, to Carolyn in all of her controversy, all the way to sweet and curious Ivy. Weaving Western values and Eastern beliefs, Ali crafts a tale that attempts to give us a peek into a diverse and fascinating world.

Whispers From the East focuses on the challenges of an inter-cultural and inter-racial relationship, and the author Amie Ali pens her story with confidence and appears well versed on the subject matter. She is careful to let the reader draw their own conclusion, and tries to give her characters enough nuances that there is no obvious good or bad guy. Whispers from the East often has a slice of life feel as there is no dominant story arc and the most surprising twist is revealed in the beginning. Still, Ali manages to draw you into her story and into her characters' world. Great for anyone interested in Pakistan during the days of partition, Lahori society, and the Muslim faith.