MONICA Ali is one of twenty writers on the highly prestigious Granta Best of young British List that was announced in January even before her first novel, Brick Lane was published. The judges later reflected that Ali had "sailed through the judging process" and after reading her highly acclaimed novel I can see why. Brick Lane has everything in it - from an enticing storyline with stimulating characters to having the ability, which all writers crave, to change the reader's mood to reflect those of the characters in the novel.

Set in London's East End, the story untangles itself and carries the main character, Nazneen from a poor village in Bangladesh where she is free to roam as a child to a high rise flat in a cramped area of the East End. It is here that Nazneen is to spend the rest of her days married to Chanu Babu - a pompous yet discreetly sensitive man twenty years her senior. Not only does Nazneen marry him but also his dreams which she takes on to thinking as her own, including the notion of one day returning to Bangladesh.

Nazneen doesn't speak English and so relies on Chanu to be her only network of communication between her and the intriguing world behind the bland walls of her home.

Nazneen's life is struck by regrets and setbacks from a very early time and she corresponds her disappointments to Hasina, her sister, by letter. The letters help the novel to progress in a colourful way showing a clear segregation in their very different lives being conducted on opposite sides of the world. As Chanu does not approve of Nazneen going out to work like other 'unruly' women, she takes to sewing at home, and it is through this task that Nazneen meets Karim who encourages her to open her eyes to the world that is so rapidly moving on behind her closed doors.

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Despite Nazneen having two daughters of her own she embarks on a love affair with the radical Karim that finally encourages Nazneen to take control of her own life and fate.

Overall this was probably one of the best novels that I have ever read. The novel developed as Nazneen matured from being a teenager to an adult and the author carried this transition through very gracefully. Racial tensions in the novel were an aspect that we can all probably relate to and this enhanced the flavour of the novel. This was Ali's first novel - I cannot wait for her second.

Review mark: 9/10