Listen to a sample
Hidden Fires
- Author
- Sairish Hussain
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 18 January 2024
- Run Time
- 10 hours 38 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
- Genre
- Family saga / generational saga fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Family life fiction / Stories about family, Narrative theme: coming of age, Narrative theme: death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: displacement, exile, migration, Narrative theme: identity / belonging, Asian history, Colonialism and imperialism
What to expect
‘A sweeping tale of resilience’ i News
'An ineffably touching novel by a talented young author' Saga Magazine
'Harrowing yet uplifting…A visceral exploration of family, identity and loss' Sunday Post
***
Ramadan, 2017. Yusuf wakes in the middle of the night to pray. His routine is always the same, but something tells him that tonight is different. Yellow flames blur Yusuf’s vision, and the laughter of a small child echoes in his ears. But this time, the red, smoke-filled skies aren’t just in his memory.
Miles away, Rubi is also awake. On the television, she watches reports of a devastating fire in London. She is already anxious when her parents send her to stay with her Grandpa Yusuf, whose conservative house rules are almost as unbearable as the loneliness she feels at home. Yusuf’s lifestyle does not gel with Rubi’s. But when she finds him scared and confused one night, it becomes clear that there’s more to her grandfather than Rubi ever considered.
As Yusuf grapples with the past, Rubi is determined to save him. But the memories that are recovered and spoken of for the first time in years are more painful than she could have imagined.
From the Costa Prize-shortlisted author of The Family Tree and Women's Prize x Good Housekeeping Futures Finalist, Hidden Fires is a powerful story of grief and loss, the power of family and the long arm of history.
Readers love Hidden Fires:‘A heartbreaking, emotional rollercoaster of a read’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
‘A must read book’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
‘An exquisite book exploring the secrets, vulnerabilities and tremendous bonds between three generations of family’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'What a stunning read' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'It's profound and humane and loving' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'The style of writing is beautiful, eloquent, as if you are reading Urdu prose' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Such a powerful novel. I could not put it down' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Moved me to tears' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Praise for Hidden Fires:'A tale of how we can live together yet be so far apart, and of how bridges can be built' Woman's Weekly
‘Hussain captures a thousand untold stories in one’ The New Arab
‘There are not only hidden fires in this novel, but myriad hidden lives … It treats difficult, serious subjects of buried trauma with real care, combined with a lightness of touch that carries the novel with humour, surprise and love’ Ross Raisin, author of A Hunger
Critics Review
-
Praise for Hidden Fires:
'A tale of how we can live together yet be so far apart, and of how bridges can be built' Woman's Weekly
‘Hussain captures a thousand untold stories in one’ The New Arab
‘There are not only hidden fires in this novel, but myriad hidden lives … It treats difficult, serious subjects of buried trauma with real care, combined with a lightness of touch that carries the novel with humour, surprise and love’ Ross Raisin, author of A Hunger
Praise for Sairish Hussain:
‘I sped through The Family Tree, because I was so invested in the characters and eager to know their fate. The book was much darker and more tragic than I had been expecting – and all the better for it. An engrossing and moving story.' Clare Chambers
‘A brilliant read. This book is everything it promises to be and more. I was totally engrossed and invested in Amjad, Saahil and Zahra’s lives. A masterclass in representation and brilliant writing.’ Zeba Talkhani
‘Hussain weaves a tale of fragility and resilience, of the extraordinary in ordinary lives and of love and complexity in family. A wonderful debut.’ Catherine Mayer
‘A multi-generational story crafted with warmth and an insider’s understanding of its environment. Hussain evokes the trials and tribulations of life in an Asian family growing up in a changing and sometimes hostile Britain with a surefooted ease and a keen sense of dramatic tension. An engaging debut.’ Vaseem Khan
‘Such an emotional, heart-warming and unforgettable experience… I cared desperately about the characters and was often in tears as I read – the story is so moving and Sairish Hussain is a VERY talented writer’ Aliya Ali-Afzal
‘Pulsating with dramatic tension, Hussain poignantly paints the extraordinary in ordinary lives. A moving story of love, laughs and loyalty makes for a brilliant first book from Hussain.’ Sunday Post
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Sairish Hussain
- Narrator
- Amerjit Deu, Krupa Pattani, Raj Ghatak
- Duration
- 10 hours 38 minutes
- Release Date
- 18 January 2024
- ISBN
- 9780008313043
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Family saga / generational saga fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Family life fiction / Stories about family, Narrative theme: coming of age, Narrative theme: death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: displacement, exile, migration, Narrative theme: identity / belonging, Asian history, Colonialism and imperialism
Synopsis
How can you live in the present when you’re trying to bury the past? ‘A sweeping tale of resilience’ i News 'An ineffably touching novel by a talented young author' Saga Magazine 'Harrowing yet uplifting…A visceral exploration of family, identity and loss' Sunday Post *** Ramadan, 2017. Yusuf wakes in the middle of the night to pray. His routine is always the same, but something tells him that tonight is different. Yellow flames blur Yusuf’s vision, and the laughter of a small child echoes in his ears. But this time, the red, smoke-filled skies aren’t just in his memory. Miles away, Rubi is also awake. On the television, she watches reports of a devastating fire in London. She is already anxious when her parents send her to stay with her Grandpa Yusuf, whose conservative house rules are almost as unbearable as the loneliness she feels at home. Yusuf’s lifestyle does not gel with Rubi’s. But when she finds him scared and confused one night, it becomes clear that there’s more to her grandfather than Rubi ever considered. As Yusuf grapples with the past, Rubi is determined to save him. But the memories that are recovered and spoken of for the first time in years are more painful than she could have imagined. From the Costa Prize-shortlisted author of The Family Tree and Women's Prize x Good Housekeeping Futures Finalist, Hidden Fires is a powerful story of grief and loss, the power of family and the long arm of history. Readers love Hidden Fires: ‘A heartbreaking, emotional rollercoaster of a read’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ‘A must read book’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ‘An exquisite book exploring the secrets, vulnerabilities and tremendous bonds between three generations of family’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'What a stunning read' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'It's profound and humane and loving' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'The style of writing is beautiful, eloquent, as if you are reading Urdu prose' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Such a powerful novel. I could not put it down' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Moved me to tears' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Praise for Hidden Fires: 'A tale of how we can live together yet be so far apart, and of how bridges can be built' Woman's Weekly ‘Hussain captures a thousand untold stories in one’ The New Arab ‘There are not only hidden fires in this novel, but myriad hidden lives … It treats difficult, serious subjects of buried trauma with real care, combined with a lightness of touch that carries the novel with humour, surprise and love’ Ross Raisin, author of A Hunger
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