When Shamsur dies suddenly, his will causes trauma for his family, especially his two daughters, Nasrin and Sabrina. Despite the many cultural and language references that I didn't always understand, this was a good read.

I was sent a copy of The Halfways by Nilopar Uddin to read and review by NetGalley. I really loved this book, it was so full of emotion and life! The characters were really well drawn and there was a great sense of place. The author dealt brilliantly with the inevitable division between family members that were born in a new country, Wales, with a very different culture and way of life to that of their parents who were from Bangladesh. It was so interesting to see the conflicting beliefs and morals between both the parents and children - and that which occurred within the personal psyche of the new generation themselves. I also loved the way that the text was interspersed with a lot of Bangladeshi words, quotes and phrases. This made the writing all the more authentic for me. A wonderful book, well worth 5 stars.

In this raw story of family dramas and revelations, a lot happens! It follows a family who emigrated from Bangladesh to the Brecon Beacons in Wales. It focuses chiefly on Nasrin and Sabrina, two sisters, though many other family members and relatives are included. The writing and immersive culture captivate and keep you motivated to read on. A terrific family saga with a multilayered, enthralling tale spanning four decades, the multitude of Bangladeshi terms used meant I needed to look up words in the glossary. A delightful, sterling début that is as glorious on the inside as its striking cover, The Halfways is well worth your time. I received a complimentary copy of this novel from HQ via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

“Can a brown person be English? Why is it that they allow us the Brit bit but not the English? BritishBangladeshi. Never English-Bangladeshi, never Welsh-Bengali. .. ‘I feel like the language works to exclude us” My thanks to HQ for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Halfways’ by Nilopar Uddin. The first thing that stands out about this debut novel is the exquisite design of its cover. It is an epic family drama spanning decades and moves between London, Wales, New York and Bangladesh. The title refers to how the younger members of the family think of themselves as existing halfway between two cultures. Nasrin and Sabrina are sisters who are living what appears to be happy and successful lives in London and New York. When their father, Shamsur, dies suddenly they rush to Wales to be there for their mother. For many years the family has run The Peacock, an Indian restaurant in the Breton Beacons. Their cousin, Afroz, who lives in Bangladesh, travels to Wales to represent the extended family at the funeral. When Shamsur’s will is read a shocking family secret is revealed that upsets everyone. No further details to avoid spoilers. I found this a beautifully written novel that combines a variety of themes focused on relationships between various members of the family. It has moments of lightness and hope as well as sadness and loss. While the family in the novel are fictional, Nilopar Uddin’s parents did run an Indian restaurant in Wales and regularly visited their extended family in Bangladesh. She acknowledges that she drew on her childhood memories in writing ‘The Halfways’. Following the main story Nilopar Uddin includes a glossary of a selection of Sylheti terms that she used in the novel. I feel that ‘The Halfways’ is the kind of novel that will appeal to reading groups given its themes that are both universal as well as specific to the experiences of those dealing with the sense of being ‘Halfways’. Overall, I found Nilopar Uddin’s writing lyrical and evocative. Her descriptions was superb and it allowed a sense of immersion in the lives of her characters. A stunning literary debut. I could easily see ‘The Halfways’ as a nominee for the 2023 Women’s Prize for Fiction.

This is an a amazing debut novel set across four decades and told by quite a few narrators. The death of the father of sisters brings more turmoil and upset than anyone envisaged. To be honest, I wasn't sure about the book for the first 30 or 40%; I wasn't very keen on the main characters and having worked in wealth management for forty years it wasn't something that I wanted to read it about now that I am retired. But the storyreally picked up around the halfway mark (!!) and I thought the ending was very good. Having the glossary open on my iPad and reading on my kindle made it easier to check the things I wanted to check but I just read through a lot of the foreign language as the context was mostly clear and a direct translation not really needed. It certainly added to the feeling of diaspora and not quite fitting in. With thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read and review this title.