Review: An Abundance of Wild Roses by Feryal Ali-Gauhar

I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Publisher: Canongate Books
Published: March 2024
Pages: 320

Synopsis

In the Black Mountains of Pakistan, the discovery of an unconscious, unknown man is the first stone in an avalanche of chaos.

The head of the village is beset with problems – including the injured stranger – and failing to find his way out. His daughter receives a love letter and incurs her father’s wrath. A lame boy foretells disaster, but nobody is listening. Trapped in terrible danger, a wolf-dog is battling ice and death to save a soldier’s life. Beaten by her addict husband for bearing him only daughters, a woman is pregnant again – but can this child save her?

In a land woven with myth, chained with tradition and afflicted by war and the march of progress, the spirits of the mountains keep a baleful eye on the struggles of the villagers who scrape a living from the bodies of their wildlife. As the elements turn on the village, can humanity find a way to co-exist with nature that doesn’t destroy either of them?

My Thoughts…

An Abundance of Wild Roses is one of those books I picked up not knowing what to expect beyond the fact that it was set in Pakistan, a country that hasn’t really featured that much on my reading list and that I was very curious about. This book sadly fell in my review burnout phase, so even though I read it last year I never got around to reviewing it – this is the moment I’m very thankful for the notes I wrote myself after finishing it!

The book follows multiple characters living in and around a remote village in the Black Mountains of Pakistan, but also incorporates reflections on humankind and its destructive behaviour expressed by supernatural entities deeply embedded in the natural world. The narrative is rich and luscious, never shying away from the more brutal aspects of a society in which the men seek absolute control over the women, the rich exploit the poor, and all destroy nature.

Although the story develops over only a few days, it is very rich, presenting multiple characters and covering a wide range of themes, some of which might be disturbing for certain readers. The writing is beautiful, even though at times for me it came across as slightly overwritten, making it hard to follow the narrative and forcing me to re-read certain parts to ensure I understood them correctly. It might be the case that I read this when my concentration wasn’t optimal, but I definitely struggled with a few sections. The pacing also didn’t always work for me, as I found some parts to be very repetitive, which made it feel as though it dragged a fair bit.

I’d still recommend this to readers who enjoy very lyrical, descriptive writing and are looking for a book exploring feminist and environmentalist themes.

Rating: 3/5