Bright Lines by Tanwi Nandini Islam

The Saleem family lives in Brooklyn.  Anwar is a pharmacist and his wife, Hashi, runs a wedding consultation business along with a beauty salon.  Hashi was Anwar's best friend's little sister when they met and married in Pakistan.  As the situation over the separation with India worsened, they emigrated to America.  When the brother and his wife were killed in the conflict, the Saleem's didn't think twice but brought over their niece, Ella, who was two at the time.  They raised Ella as their own daughter along with their other child, Charu.

Now years later, everything has changed.  The girls are pretty much grown.  Ella has just finished her first year at college while Charu is in her last year of high school, eagerly awaiting her turn at college.  Both girls face some of the issues women do as they give up their childhood years.  Ella isn't sure of her sexuality but is pretty sure she is only attracted to women, first her cousin, Charu, then Charu's best friend, Maya.  Charu is ready to give up her virginity but not sure if that should be with another Muslim or one of the other boys she finds so attractive.

Anwar and Hashi also have issues.  Anwar's brutish older brother has moved in on them when his wife kicked him out.  He is a constant negative presence, always carping and complaining at how the Saleem's household is run.  Both want him out but they aren't sure how to accomplish that.  The couple worry about the girls and how to raise them as good Muslim women.  Their marriage also has become humdrum and neither is sure how to fix that.  As the problems mount, the family decides to go back to visit family in Pakistan and work on the issues there.

This is a debut novel.  Islam has written a book that has hope as the family works through issues and they are resolved.  The book suffers a bit from first novel issues.  There are a multitude of things that happen, fires, sexual orientations and awakenings, deaths, dark family secrets, infidelity and family relationships.  Any one of these issues could have served as the basis for an interesting novel but instead too much happens and the impact of each revelation is muted by the next one coming right behind it.  It will be interesting to read later novels by this author as she finds her pacing a bit more.  This book is recommended for readers of family relationships and those interested in learning about other cultures.