Brick Lane

Brick Lane (2003) by Monica Ali. Ali was born in Bengladesh and raised in England, and her novel reflects that background. It's about Nazneen, a Bengali girl who is married off to an older, unattractive Bengali man living in England. The book reveals much about a world normally hidden to us, a world of immigrants to England and the travails they endure. It's beautifully, at times poetically written, and the story is deeply affecting. I recommend it highly. Grade: A-