Review of Secrets of the Kashmir Valley

[Manoj Laxman Garata]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Secrets of the Kashmir Valley" by Farhana Qazi.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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If Kashmir is described as the world's most beautiful prison, then this book gives us a glimpse into the life of the prisoners. Secrets of the Kashmir Valley by Farhana Qazi is a collection of interviews of Kashmiri women and their lives. It voices the opinions, hardships, problems, and the wills of Kashmiri women. Each chapter tells us a different story and perspective of what Kashmiris go through. These stories paint a drastically different and contrasting picture of the idea of Kashmir many people have constructed from watching the media and the internet. The author gifts the book's readers with such intriguing facts and stories about Kashmiris, which may have otherwise been covered up or unsung.

What I absolutely liked and valued in this book was the inside perspective offered to help the readers understand a place so often taken for granted. The author's writing style is very descriptive. She accurately captures the emotions of the people she interviewed exceptionally into words. The language, albeit descriptive, was simple enough to understand and was tremendously engaging.

There is absolutely nothing I dislike about this book. In the end, I wanted to read even more about the Kashmiris. The author did a wonderful job and was able to deliver what she wanted to.

I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. The book is a result of the tremendous effort of the author, as she took a personal risk to write about the women of Kashmir. The book helped me get a small perspective into what the inhabitants of Kashmir view as their rights and let me empathize a little with them. The book was exceptionally well-edited, and I found no shortcomings whatsoever.

It has become a personal favourite of mine, and I highly recommend anyone interested in knowing more about Kashmir to read it. Every Indian should read this book to empathize with the feelings of Kashmiris. This book is an urgently needed message about the Kashmiri conflict and what we can do to help them.

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Secrets of the Kashmir Valley
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