What readers think of Burnt Shadows, plus links to write your own review.

Kamila Shamsie covers three generations of two families in 365 pages. The language she uses is beautiful. At times I could imagine I was in the scene she was describing. Although at times the story gets a bit tedious, over all the continuing relationships between the characters is interesting and you really get insight into the many effects of war. We, as Americans are sometimes so unconcerned about what happens in foreign countries. We don't see the changes in ourselves caused by war and certainly don't realize the effects on people of other countries. This was a good read.

This is an incredible book. It is beautifully written and complex. I can’t seem to stop thinking about the characters. My only complaint is that it may be too complex or ambitious for one book. When the scene shifted to New York, I felt like I was reading a different book and got lost at times.To the book's credit, everything did come together in the end. Those willing to finish the book will be well rewarded. (This book is better than good, but I did not give it five stars because in my opinion five star books are "must reads", and this book is for a more selective and dedicated audience.)

It did not take me long to read this book. It was very easy to get lost in the wonderful writing and depth of the story. Reading about this turbulent time in history really got me thinking about how things in history affect people. I would recommend this book to my friends and will suggest it as a book club selection.

Kamila Shamsie's Burnt Shadows was like no book I have ever read. It put the tensions of the world and the people inhabiting it into a totally different light. It made you think about our world as a global world trying to coexist. The only problem I had with this book which kept me from saying it was great was I think the author tried so hard to get her points across and involved so many characters that I don't think they were totally developed at times. I would still recommend it as a great book that book clubs will find wonderful discussions to come from. I will be thinking about this book for several days.

The beginning of this book was confusing -- I would have preferred to get to know the characters better before the horror of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki. However, I kept reading and found the book to be really good. The scope of the book was huge - Japan, India, Pakistan, the US but overall the theme of family unity tied together all of the various pieces and characters of the novel. I would highly recommend this book....and if you get bogged down at the beginning - keep reading -- it is WELL worth it!

Burnt Shadows covers 60 years of tragic events that shaped the lives of the three main characters. The unlikely trio of a Japanese survivor from the atomic bomb in Nagasaki, an Indian legal aide and a German woman married to a British officer stationed in Delhi meet and define the story to make it both personal and engaging. The love that they have for each other comes through the beautifully written prose, the horror of the events that shaped their lives and relationships is eloquently described and reveals the beauty of their attraction and understanding of each other. The author did a great job of tying together 3 people of widely varied backgrounds, and developing each character to maintain their individuality as well as their relationships. I recommend this book to any book group for the perspective of the three tragic events and the interrelationships of the characters involved.

Kamila Shamsie has written a book of immense scope, following the intertwined lives of two families from 1945 to post-9/11; from Nagasaki through Delhi, Pakistan, New York and Afghanistan. I found the earlier days in Nagasaki and Delhi more believable even though the horror is palpable. The story is compelling and definitely worth reading. The characters are complicated as are the relationships between and among the families in their various representations. This is a thought-provoking story of inter-cultural involvement on many levels. At times I had to suspend my disbelief.

Kamila Shamsie did a good job in tying together three tragic events in world history in the latter part of the 20th Century. These events were tied together by their impact on three generations of two multi-ethnic families. I enjoyed the book for the most part but got a little bogged down with the jumping around from different time periods and places and also by the different ethic groups in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.