FICTION

In the Light of What We Know

Farrar. Apr. 2014. 512p. ISBN 9780374175627. $28. F
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OrangeReviewStarA disillusioned investment banker with marital troubles is being scapegoated for his company's misdeeds preceding the economic crisis of 2008 when an old friend from college reappears on his London doorstep. Brilliant, eccentric Zafar disappeared ages ago, and as he reveals the struggles of the intervening years, his friend considers his own choices as well. From rural Bangladesh, the birthplace Zafar recalls, to war-torn Afghanistan and contemporary New York and London financial circles, we are transported around the globe as Rahman explores themes of friendship, betrayal, class inequity, war, and how we perceive and approach the world. The author's fascination with mathematics and the universe of ideas is contagious, and enriches the complex narrative about how we know the reality around us.
VERDICT Despite some obvious plot devices, this ambitious debut novel has considerable depth and scope; it will be a hit with readers who enjoy books jam-packed with insights and observations. [See Prepub Alert, 10/14/13.]
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