Daily Times

Content with the modest credentials that a 17-year-old girl can possess, Armeen Amjad has written a novel Scarred Hearts and that too in English. Born in Bahawalpur, she is currently studying at Sadiq Public School as a boarder. At first glance, it seems an amazing feat.

In order to judge her capabilities to become a great writer one day, we shall first have to read her novel. I will give a brief outline. Prologue just explains the happiness of holding the hand of a beautiful lady.

The novel has many chapters, each chapter telling the story by a particular character in first person, instead of choosing only one character for the whole novel. The first chapter reveals one of the important characters of the novel as Marya Nawaz Malik who introduces herself as daughter of one of the leading entrepreneurs of the country who owns two luxury clothing brands, a chain of hotels, five shopping malls and what not. She has a brother Mayer Malik who is a handsome guy and according to Mayra is given a special treatment as she was sent to Pakistan to get familiar with her roots and traditions but he was not. The next chapter goes into the details of Mayer getting ready for his and Myra’s birthday. He loves her and desires to make the event a special occasion for her but her aloofness irks him. In the next chapter Mayra is taunted by her mother for not wearing the new dress and getting ready for the party. On the other hand, Myra is sceptical of coming across Alan Xavier, one of Mayer’s rich friends. Earlier he had made passes at her when he was drunk; he had dared her to come with him to his house. On refusal he had threatened her for a surprise at her birthday. When Myra came downstairs facing journalists and photographer wearing a different dress than the one suggested by her mother, she was brushed aside by her mother rebuking her.

In the next section, Mayer broods over the fact that despite him trying to make this part special for Myra, he couldn’t succeed in his honest intentions (Page 17). Myra did not seem excited on receiving gifts. Alan’s surprise came on the birthday when Myra’s Dad announced Alan to offer a ring to her for engagement. Myra refused point blank stating the she was a Muslim girl and he was a drug addict. Angry,her father slapped her and she ran upstairs denouncing her link with her Dad who wanted this marriage for business deals between the two families (seems a Hindi movie’s plot to this reviewer) – Page 22. The next chapter tells Mayer’s side of the story. First he sends Alan away who was trying to go upstairs for Myra.

The first chapter reveals one of the important characters of the novel, Marya Nawaz Malik, who introduces herself as the daughter of one of the leading entrepreneurs of the country who owns two luxury clothing brands, a chain of hotels, five shopping malls and what not. She has a brother, Mayer Malik, who is a handsome guy

Mayer banged door of Myra room’s. She did not open. He then went to his parents begging for Mater Key. He was refused by his father saying that Myra had saved her pocket money and invested her savings of fourteen years in two companies whereas he (Mayer) was still dependent on him (typical Western culture). The next two sections narrate Myra feeling hopeless and banging and breaking everything in her room and Mayer begging Myra to come to senses but all he receives is scorn from her. Myra is disturbed due to love in her brother’s eyes for her. She collects herself and rings her travel agent Bilal to book her on a regular flight for Pakistan and not on her father’s private jet. Mayer on the other hand feels disturbed that Myra was kept in a hostel for so many years by her parents. Myra meets Bilal in Starbucks where she receives her ticket and passport. In University where is threatened by Alan to sit in his car and Mayer saves her just in time. Brother and sister have lunch and Mayer drops her home where she packs her luggage and checks from her airlines; Turkish Airlines for her registration. Mayer catches her leaving the house and manages to express his brotherly love for her. It is too late as she boards the plane – Page 48.

This part of the novel establishes how children are neglected by rich parents who are too busy in their business and social life. Hatred for her brother is but natural in Myra because she finds all the attention given to him and not her without realizing that her brother Mayer did care for her. Though up till now the backdrop is in the West but such is the situation in the elite in Pakistan as well.

The story takes a twist, Myra stays in Turkey for two weeks where she takes part in horse riding Bahadur (the horse) falls, gets hurt and is looked after by Armaan Wasti, a new character of Pakistani origin entering the story. He follows her to Pakistan (Page 82).She accepts offer of EFP to stay in Haveli. Back home Mayer is disappointed his Dad is not at all worried that his daughter was absent for a month now (Page 112). Mayer picks up argument with his parents for wanting his sister back home. In the heated conversation his father said that what his father gave to him would be taken back; money, credit cards, penthouse etc. Mayer leaves home in a pair of jeans and a pair of cuff links gifted to him by Mayra (Page 139). Mayer stoops low for a job of a sweeper at his friend’s hotel (Page 152). Meanwhile Myra finds friends with outstanding library at Haveli (Page 155). The story continues in first person of the events, quarrels, friendship, visit to Chitral and Balakot etc. In the concluding chapter Myra experiences winters of Pakistan. Myra said ‘The place brought me torrents of memories”. Myra started to look for an empty place on the tree to scribble something. Armaan guessed she was going to write both their names there. Myra thought ‘Still in his grips, she turned her face towards sunset, watching it again and happy that she got to see it every day, with him and wondering that what she had done to deserve this life.

Knitting lives in UK and Pakistan, their impact on Pakistanis born and brought up in the West is the brainchild of a young writer. The detailing is done expertly by her in this 350 page novel. Hasnain Sahar, Poet and Writer expressed this art in the words “Owing to the distinctiveness, justifying this technique should ideally deploy a lot of experience but not for this young girl who has pulled it off magnificently, thanks to her more-than-apparent natural talent.”

The writer is the recipient of the prestigious Pride of Performance award. He can be reached at doc_amjad@hotmail.com