Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Corner Shop-Roopa Farooki

Corner Shop
Roopa Farooki
St. Martin’s Griffin, Apr 1 2010, $14.99
ISBN: 9780312577872

In London teen Luhith "Lucky" Khalil is a terrific football player who dreams of playing for the English national team and being the hero bringing home the World Cup trophy. However, the fourteen year old is distracted from his goal by his attraction to his grandfather's employee Portia. His father Jinan is a hard working lawyer who is a second generation Pakistani immigrant while his mother Delphine dreams of romantic love though Jinan is to busy working to waste time romancing his spouse. Lucky’s grand father Zaki the shopkeeper is the first generation immigrant.

Zaki loves to gamble and admires the young English women like his daughter-in-law whom he met before his son did. Although he knows why Delphine chose Jinan because he is a professional while Zaki is a storekeeper, he outrageously flirts with her, calling her beautiful. They begin a tryst as each gets what they desire, but at what cost.

This is a terrific family drama starring a strong ensemble cast. The story line shifts viewpoint between the primary players, which enables a convoluted fascinating focus on the conflicting aspirations of three generations of a Pakistani-British family. In this story individuals' goals clash and the Khalil brood learn that sometimes you have to pay an exorbitant price when you get what you asked for.

Harriet Klausner

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