I’m a huge fan of the author and this book did not disappoint

Amazing characters, strong storyline and powerful writing

Having loved the Sofia Khan duology, I've been really excited to read Ayisha Malik's next book ever since I first heard of it. This Green and Pleasant Land is in some ways quite the departure from Malik's previous books, but it's bloody incredible.

On the surface, This Green and Pleasant Land is about Bilal wanting to build a mosque in his village, Babbel's End, to honour his mother's dying wish, which his community are completely against it. But dig a little deeper, and this is a story about people. People, and their own stories. While This Green and Pleasant Land tackles important topics, it's still written with Malik's trademark wit, with humour throughout. But even so, at times this is a very difficult book to read, as we see the racism and Islamophobia Bilal and his family have to face from those who passionately object to the idea that they have somewhere to worship. White it had me laughing out loud at times, it also had me raging.

This Green and Pleasant Land is narrated by five characters. Bilal, who isn't sure whether he's just trying to build a mosque just to do as his mum asked, or if he actually wants a mosque, as he's not exactly a practicing Muslim. The lines get blurred the more the people of Babbel's End argue against it - why shouldn't he and his family have a place to worship? All the while, trying to deal with his nervous constitution, and the fact that his wife, Mariam, seems to be growing ever distant. Mariam isn't happy, but she can't exactly work out why, what she wants, or what exactly it is that she feels. Her ex-husband, Saif, is back in their lives, now wanting contact with their son, Haaris, and bringing back all kinds of memories. Wrestling with her confusion becomes harder when Bilal announces he wants to build a mosque, which affects the way they're treated - the way her son is treated - by the people they considered friends, or were at least friendly with. But as tempers rise, she finds herself just as determined to fight for this mosque, despite not knowing what she wants otherwise. Rukhsana is Bilal's aunt, his mother's sister, who comes to live with them from Birmingham after she has a fall and needs looking after. Rukhsana lives quite a quiet life; she never really left the house she lived in with her sister, speaks barely any English, and has living with immense sadness ever since her husband died one week into their marriage many years ago. She's so happy Bilal is trying to build a mosque for his mother, but finds the anger of others confusing. She forms an, at first tentative, unlikely friendship with Shelley, which comes to mean a great deal. Richard is Babbel's End's vicar, and Bilal's best friend. He is torn between his automatic unease at the thought of having a mosque in their town, and his role as a vicar which argues that everyone should have a place to worship, as well as his friendship with Bilal, and wanting to support him. And then there's his unresolved feelings for Anne, a woman in the village he was quite good friends with, until her son died several months ago. Then there is Shelley, leader of the Parish Council, who could not be more against the idea of a mosque in their quaint, normal, English village, and aggressively organises the people of Babbel's End to campaign against the mosque. She has an unhappy home life, and despite the language barrier, and their differing opinions on the mosque, forms an important and meaningful friendship with Rukhsana.

As I've said, This Green and Pleasant Land is about far more than about a Muslim family wanting to build a mosque in their village, and despite how awful things do get, it's actually a really very beautiful story. I just completely adored it. Malik has been very clever in giving us multiple narrators, plus other side characters, who all have their own stories. Because you do feel for most people; you grow to like them and become invested in their own lives and how things will work out for them, all the while, really hoping the mosque gets built. Malik humanises characters that are just bloody awful. Because the way people the Hashams knew and liked completely turn on them is despicable. They're after having a building built - yes, a place of worship, a building with meaning and importance, but a building all the same. And now they're either being ignored completely, or having people turn cold. They're having people tell them a mosque isn't English, it's going to be an eyesore, it's too different and too other. And the way people talk about them behind their back is disgraceful. They're anonymously told to go home. It made me so, so angry, and then so very sad, my heart breaking for a family who just wanted a place to worship - for people who are constantly told they don't belong. They're not English enough, not white, and not Christian, so this is not their home.

'Shelley took a sip of her sherry and looked around at the heaving crowd she'd managed to gather [...] People from neighbouring villages - Little Chebby and Swinknowle, Romsey and Baerney - had also come. Because what if Bill's ideas caught on? What if more Muslims came out and decided they wanted to bring foreign ideas into their green spaces? There was a reason people chose to live in a quiet village. There was a certain way of doing things in these parts.'
"I didn't know what to say when I heard," exclaimed one voice.
"Oh I said exactly what I felt," came another. "That Pa--"
"It is indeed a very trying time," interjected Shelley quickly, unsure where that particular statement was going. "But I don't think any of us have the intention of letting this abomination go ahead."' (25%)

'"Why shouldn't we have something new?" Mrs Pankhurst had said.
Everyone looked at her, a wave of loud grumbling.
"But-but-but," Mr Pankhurst stuttered, shocked at the notion of anything new. More so that his wife should suggest it. "It would change the whole look! It's unthinkable."
"This is England," another had replied.
"Isn't Bilal English?" Mrs Pankhurst had leant forward, a challenging glint in her eye.
They had all looked at each other. Even Shelley didn't have an answer to this one.
"He's Pakistani, isn't he?"
"He was born here though, eh?"
"It's all about links, isn't it? You send me to any country to live and I tell you, England will always be in my blood," said Copperthwaite.
"But your children would no longer be English," replied Mrs Pankhurst as the crowd's eyes narrowed. Copperthwaite's frown contracted because he had no children, and the sadness of it never quite left him.
"Well, if I had, they damn well would be. They'd be white."' (36%)

'"They really hate me now."
"What did you expect?" laughed Vaseem. He opened up his arms and put on a posh accent. "Yes, come along - build a mosque on our green land. We invaded and ruled your country for hundreds of years, so it's the least we could do." He shook his head.
"Well, they never did me any personal harm," replied Bilal. He wasn't fond of this historical blame ideology. "You can't move forward if you hang on to the past," he added.
Vaseem thought about it. "No, bro. But you can't move forward without thinking about what went wrong in the past either."' (58%)

I really need to talk specifically about Shelley. The amount of patience Malik must have to write a character like her. Because she is a person, she does have things going on in her own life, she's not just a cardboard cutout racist or Islamophobic person. At first, before Bilal announced he wanted to build a mosque, I didn't like her in an enjoyable way - she was the character I loved to hate. She was so judgemental, I could imagine her disdainfully sniffing at how other people live their lives in a way she doesn't agree with. She has an opinion on almost everything, and she has a very "holier than thou" attitude. And Malik wrote her in a way that I couldn't help but laugh at her, because she was just so ridiculous. But then Bilal announces his intentions, and Shelley goes from laughable to absolutely disgusting. And oh my god, she had me raging, along with everyone who agreed with her. Whenever something controversial happens on Twitter and people of colour are giving a teachable moment, I've often read someone say, "I didn't call you a racist, I said what you did/said was racist." Us white people can screw up because of our privilege and not actually realise what we have said/done was racist, without actually being a racist person. I was hoping this was the case for Shelley, but it wasn't. While she genuinely believes she's not racist or Islamophobic, she is. She is an awful, awful woman. While there are things that she wouldn't do or say, or the actions and words of others that she doesn't agree with, and finds quite horrifying, she's still disgusting. And I am amazed that Malik spent the amount of time it took to write this book with this character, and wrote her with patience and kindness. Writing a character who treats people like yourself terribly, and also humanising her, giving her own story, have readers feel for her, despite the awful things she does... it's amazing, and I'm in awe of Malik for being able to write such a character and have us try to understand her when she's so vile.

'A quiet discomfort lingered in her. She wasn't a racist - heavens! She had, after all, rather taken to Bilal's wife, despite her monochrome clothes. (That was until Shelley discovered that Mariam still referred to herself as 'Ms', For Shelley this was dithering under the guise of feminism, and if there was one thing she couldn't abide, it was dithering.) No, it had nothing to do with the Hashams' skin colour. It was the unknown. Unknown people harboured unknown ideas. And ideas could be a dangerous thing.' (24%)

'"Won't you even look at how many more names there are on the petition?" she said.
"I understand people are upset but--"
"What'll be next? Maybe a Muslim-only school?" Shelley's now high-pitched voice reverberated in the church. "And pardon me for saying, but at least Mariam doesn't wear one of those scarves. Can the same be said for the type of people who'll want to visit?"
"You object to them?"
"Well, no, it's a free country, but you understand that kind of thing can make a person feel uncomfortable."
"Does her aunt?" Richard asked.
Shelley paused, as if recalibrating her thoughts. "I'm sure we all seem very closed-minded, but in this day and age it takes some bravery to say exactly what's on one's mind."' (53%)

Yes, she has her own story, and yes she forms this meaningful friendship with Rukhsana, who is just wonderful, but I'm afraid I just can't forgive her for the things she says and does. But I do need to talk about their friendship. Despite my feelings towards Shelley, their friendship was really quite sweet. Neither woman can really understand the other - not until Rukhsana starts to learn English - but it's the language barrier that makes their friendship work; both women are able to confide in the other, able to say things out loud that they have never said to anyone before, but it's ok, because the other woman doesn't actually know what she's saying. But both women understand tone and body language, so while they may not know exactly what the other is talking about, they know sadness when they see it, and just being understood means so much to these women. It was surprising how much they needed each other, but it was really quite beautiful. But probably mostly because of Rukhsana, who is probably my favourite character. She has such a unique way of seeing things - especially when she doesn't understand what's being said a lot of the time - and she's so kind, and so compassionate, and so generous. Because Bilal, Mariam, and Haaris call her Khala, which means aunt, most people think that's her name, and so call her Khala. Bilal tries to correct them, but Rukhsana says they can call her Khala, it's fine. She's just the sweetest, most loveliest of characters, and her character arc was wonderful; her discovering the beauty of Babbel's End, making friends, finding some happiness. Mate, I just love her.

This book had me raging, laughing out loud, and it broke my heart. And it's also a really important book. I really think it really shines a lot on - or rather, holds a mirror up to - white people's thoughts and behaviour, but make it really obvious that it's not ok. Of course, we should all know this already, but for some people, I think reading this book and recognising their own thoughts/behaviour might just make things click for them, and finally see what everyone has been saying for so long. And given that there are some villagers are on Bilal's side, there are those forcing the awful characters, and readers, to see and confront their bigotry.

But despite the serious and important topics covered, This Green and Pleasant Land is a really heart-warming and special story. It moved me beyond words, and is one I'll be thinking about for a very long time. I absolutely want This Green and Pleasant Land to become a TV series, and have already been dream-casting the characters. This is book is powerful and wonderful, and I implore everyone to read it.

Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features death, grief, discussion of drug use, racism and Islamophobia.

I am a fan of Aiysha Malik's writing and have read the Sofia Khan books many times.

This green and pleasant land delves into issues of racism, prejudice and discrimination. It may seem light hearted at first but Aiysha is an author who uses her books to speak of difficult topics that not only make for a great story line but also make you think.

As a young muslim living in the UK the topics in the book are at times hard for me to read as they related to me and things I had, at times, seen or been through.

But all in all, this is another excellent book from Aiysha and for sure I will be re-reading.

This was an easy engaging read that I’m sure will help open the discussion about cultural differences, discrimination and the impact both of these can have on our lives.

Firstly i found it very interesting to follow the discussions/ arguements surrounding the building of a mosque and people views in general about religion. I felt the arguements were well rounded and covered the different opinions held by people. It seemed very realistic as I have sadly heard similar arguements in real life. It was interesting to see how the village was so affected by the discussions, though ultimately lovely to see how all the differences actually brought them closer in the end.

The book isn’t just about the mosque however and there were lots of other subplots to the story involving the other people in the village. I thought these were very interesting as it helped give the reader more of an understanding of the dynamics in the village and let’s the reader learn more about the individual villagers too.

Overall I really liked this absorbing read which kept my interest throughout. There were definitely some memorable moments in the book which I will remember, especially Bilal digging a grave to lie in when thinking. I think it’s an important book for everyone to read as a lot of the issues and opinions discussed are ones that people hold today. For this reason I think it would make a great book club read as there would be lots to discuss.

Huge thanks to Tracy for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Zaffre for my copy of this book.

"This Green and Pleasant Land" is a story of Babbel's End, a quiet village, whose residents find themself divided, when one of them, Bilal, puts forward a proposal to build a mosque. What might be seen as just a light-hearted read, is actually a story in which the author deals with subjects such as racism, prejudice, the meaning of Britishness and progress versus the cultivation of the past. There is a lot going on in this book - there is not only the main plot but also a number of sub-plots revolving around Bilal and his family as well as other characters. There is sorrow and sadness, humour and love, but there is also place for reflection about life and faith. Ayisha Malik writes about what progress does to past ways of living, about what we call home, what does it mean to be a British Muslim and about unconscious biases and blatant racism. These might not be the lightest of subjects, but then the book itself is light-hearted and carries a positive message about the future. I do not think it is a perfect book, but I really enjoyed it, especially as I was in need of gentler and positive fiction.

The synopsis of Malik's latest novel is brilliant and provoking. I was a big fan of Malik's debut, the Sofia Khan duology, and so I was really excited to pick this one up. As you can imagine, Bilal's dying mother's wish is controversial and divides the very un-diverse village community when he makes a courageous case for it in a memorable town meeting. It paves the way for a rewarding and insightful analysis of what it means to be British as well as an interrogation of community, tolerance and prejudice. It is an important, timely novel and I hope it gets the attention it deserves.

With all that being said, it's also just a really good read and I devoured it in a few sittings. Malik has constructed a great cast of completely realistic characters, and I fell in love with their lives. This Green and Pleasant Land is humorous in an understated way, filled with satirical and laugh-out-loud moments. It really reminded me of a modern Jane Austen novel, in the way Malik handles the village drama and personalities. I cannot give much higher praise than that!

This is such a brilliant and lovely story!

Malik writes in a way that is compelling and heartfelt but completely relatable. Each and every character felt like someone I know and as a person of colour living in the countryside myself, it felt like she was writing about my own village.

A very timely and compassionate look at the current cultural feeling surrounding Muslims in the UK, specifically near Birmingham. I'm from a small village in the West Midlands, so this hit so close to home for me, and was quite difficult to read at times, This is a difficult topic to deal with, and Ayisha handled it with eloquence and dignity, mixing the bad and the good to create an ultimately uplifting narrative.

This Green and Pleasant Land is based in Babbel's End, a small English village, were Bilal and his wife Mariam live along with their son Haaris. Saqeena, Bilal's mother, on her death bed wishes that her son builds a mosque in the place where he lives. Bilal himself is not particularly religious, but as the idea starts to grow in his mind, it causes divides and frictions in his family and his community. I thought it was a very timely story, where English values are challenged and important questions are raised. It was interesting to see the views of the villagers to the idea of a mosque, and who took what side. I really liked the characters of Margaret and Tom who both were frank in their speech, and the character of Khala was endearing and sad, but had a strength that I loved. There were several laugh out loud moments for me as I was able to relate to the Pakistani quips and comments that pepper the novel.. I enjoyed this book and it left me with a lot to think about. A good read I think for anyone that wants a book with heart as well as one that isn't afraid to bring up a contentious topic.

Billal and his wife Mariam live in Babbel's End, a village near Birmingham. They visit his mother on her death-bed, and she asks her son to build a mosque in their village. Although Bill is not that religious, he feels that his mother's wishes must be fulfilled, and as he is on the local Parish Council, he suggests it to them.
Little does he know how much resistance, and trouble there will be in the light of his proposal. Religious bigotry, racial hatred, and threats are issued, and racist graffiti appears in the village and at Billal's office.
The way this problem is solved is genius, and the characters all remain true to themselves, and their beliefs.
Very apposite in the light of recent events in Great Britain.

I was greatly charmed by Ayisha Malik’s first novel, 'Sofia Khan is Not Obliged', although I’ve yet to pick up a copy of its immediate sequel. I have been keeping an eye out for more books by and about British Muslims that have a similar tone. This book fits that brief very nicely, although its central couple are a little older than Sofia and Conall, Their friends and families are just as quirky, to say nothing of the richly described surroundings in which they have chosen to live.

Bilal Hasham, his wife Mariam and Mariam’s son Haaris are the only Muslims in the Southern English village of Babbel’s End. They all play an active part in the community: Bilal runs an accountancy firm and attends meetings of the parish council, while Mariam writes articles for the local newspaper and Haaris attends the village school and takes part in fundraising towards a new bell for the less used of the village’s two churches. When they pay a visit to Birmingham to attend Bilal’s dying – and eccentric – mother, they are totally unprepared to hear her last wish: for Bilal to build a mosque in Babbel’s End.

Bilal is at first reluctant to follow the instruction, but over time he comes around to the idea and is unprepared for the uproar the plan creates when he suggests it at a meeting of the parish council. Soon all the village busybodies are organising petitions against the mosque, and some people are directing more overly hostile actions towards the Hasham family. Only the vicar and a very few of Bilal and Mariam’s neighbours are supportive of the idea, and their lives are further complicated when Bilal’s aunt has a fall and comes to stay with them while she recuperates. To cap it all, Mariam’s ex-husband – Haaris’ father – wants to be more involved in his son’s life, and Mariam begins to wonder if she made the right choice in marrying Bilal after her divorce.

Parts of this book reminded me of the late Canadian TV series, 'Little Mosque on the Prairie', although the Hashams face more adversity than I remember being directed towards the protagonists of those stories. Maybe the world is a more hostile place these days, but maybe also books like this can give everyone some pointers towards living alongside each other in harmony once again. Because, when faced with adversity from outside, the villagers do come together to solve bigger problems than that of the proposed mosque, and while not everyone is happy with the eventual outcome of Bilal’s proposition, the project does bring several couples in the village closer together.

I particularly loved Bilal’s aunt, Khala Rukhsana, and her attempts to make friends with people who not only spoke a different language to her, but also acted in ways she found very alien and at times unsettling. As always, I was also charmed by characters who turned out to be far less unpleasant than they made themselves out to be, and was greatly amused by all the tiny details of village life and neighbourly conflicts. All in all, a lovely book.

A story, lesson, guideline behavior for the modern, today's world. The emotions though complicated were presented in a way it made the whole thing seem simple. I thoroughly appreciate this green and pleasant land.

This Green and Pleasant Land is a beautiful take on the subtle and not-so-subtle racism that the Muslim community faces in Britain.

Bilal, a British-Pakistani, moves to the tiny village of Babbel's End to get away from the Pakistani community in Birmingham. All he wants is to fit in and be like everyone else, and he manages to do just that until the fateful day he decides to fulfil his mother's dying wish: to build a mosque. With that one request, the people he has called friends and neighbours for the past eight years draw their battle lines, showing him their true faces: that they can only be friends if he totally repudiates his culture and his faith.

It's a very clever book. It's both very British and yet very Asian (at least, I relate to it in a multicultural, diaspora, Malaysian kind of way). It takes a hard look at the British's superiority complex, white fragility, racism, and colonialism, yet also leaves a space to air their concerns. Ayisha doesn't pull punches. Right from the start, she compares the building of this mosque to the work of Christian missionaries in foreign lands, telling Bilal that Babbel's End is his Africa (even though he doesn't want to convert anyone, he hasn't thought that far ahead).

My favourite character (and I rarely have any favourites) is Bilal's aunt, Rukhsana, who's referred to as Khala (aunt) even by people who are older than her, mostly because they keep thinking it's her name no matter how many times Bilal explains. With her terrible understanding of English and her kind and generous heart, Khala Rukhsana sets out to conquer Babbel's End, softening the heart of even Bilal's strongest enemy, Shelley Hawking, parish council chairwoman and churchwarden. Actually, she just sets out to make friends and understand this weird goya village she finds herself in now that she's staying with her nephew. And maybe feed them more zarda and wish them happiness.

All in all, Ayisha manages to tell a complex story about a very sensitive issue without casting anyone as an outright villain just for villainy's sake, highlighting instead the complexity and the nuances around religion, culture, and community. Unless, of course, you're a fragile white supremacist, in which case, you wouldn't enjoy this book.

After all these good bits, why only 4-stars though? Um, mainly because the jumping between POVs was a little jarring for me and took a while to get used to.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bonnier Zaffre via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Straight away after reading this book I took to twitter to try to verbalise how I felt: ” This Green & Pleasant Land by @ayishamalik has just broken me, wow what a book!” were my words.

In this story Ayisha Malik weaves a story around an everyday sleepy, rural British village and the families within it, one of whom is Bilal, Mariam and Haaris Hasham. The Hasham’s live, work and socialise in Babbel’s End. When Bilal’s Mum whispers her dying wish to him, his reaction is one of confusion and horror, he hasn’t visited a Mosque or even prayed in a long time and his faith seems ever further stretched by his overwhelming grief and loss. However, soon the seed planted grows in the hole left behind by his dear Mum, and with the help of several other special characters, Bilal finds a growing strength and determination to challenge the status quo within the village and to find a way to make space for all who need it.

Anyone who has experience of, or lives within a rural village will identify with so much of this book. The petty matters that take over the whole village (hedges, turnips etc), dramas and the “clutching pearls” reactions to those that challenge “the way” is covered so authentically in this book, and provides much comedy as well as despair.

I think what I found so addictive about this book was the depth and breadth of characters within the story. Each person we are introduced to has a story, an identity that makes them flawed, challenging and so very genuine. Even when their actions are abhorrent or their outlook narrow, Malik reveals a subtle side view of their life and you see their raw truth and vulnerabilities that makes the reader privy to what’s truly going on. The community consists of so many sides, all struggling with grief, pain, loneliness and heartache. There is discontent and discomfort amongst their community and yet there remains connections beyond the differences.

My particular favourite character was “Khala” Rukhsana. Her strength, wisdom, tenderness and intuitive approach to people is special and I just adored reading about her every interaction. We can all learn so many lessons from her. The generations covered by the stories told was so interesting and an important element to the “whole” of the book. It’s not my place to comment on the relatability of the Muslim experience represented because that’s not my experience, but as a Wife and Mum I could relate to a lot of Mariam’s concerns and loved reading the bond between Rukhsana and Haaris.

There are many comedy moments that had me really laughing throughout this book, but also deep sadness and shock events that stir so many emotions. The direct racism the Hassams experience is horrifying, and the levels of subtle and overt racism that is represented really tells such an important truth. There are those in Babbel’s End that base a lot of their approach on kneejerk reactions stirred by their own prejudices and limited world view; assumptions and misconceptions trickle through each connection and the fall out is uncomfortable to watch unfold but so necessary to be told.

Ultimately, this is a story about hope, courage and deeply relevant issues surrounding identity, unity and the fabric of community.

This Green and Pleasant Land is a superb, beautifully written book; easily one that holds up to being one of the best of the year, and would make a truly gripping TV mini series.

Bilal isn't a devout Muslim but his mother's dying wish is on his mind. She wanted him to build a mosque... in the small English village he calls home.

Ayisha Malik's warm writing finds the perfect balance in showing what everyday Islamophobia is, especially among people who would not consider themselves racist. Before his announcement, Bilal was "one of them" often called Bill, but he becomes othered when he talks of wanting a mosque.

Bilal literally digs his own grave, copying what his mother did and lying down in it to contemplate his life and decisions. Maybe he should honour his mother's wish. The metaphor of digging your own grave is also applicable as he decides to take on the villagers, knowing there will be conflict.

His main ally turns out to be the village priest. The story also does a good job in reflecting many a Brit's relationship with religion. The villagers are protective of their church but it is barely used. They feel it is their right to have a place or worship, just in case, so shouldn't others have the same right? It's also pointed out that there wouldn't be so much objection if he were from another religion.

Bilal's auntie comes to stay with them and she doesn't speak English. There is a lovely side plot where she somehow becomes friends with one of the villagers who is opposing the mosque. Both characters are pushed out their bubbles and there's a lot to be said for meeting in the middle.

It's certainly different from the Sofia Khan books, but does contain similar themes and compassion. If you liked those you should definitely give her new book a chance.

I really enjoyed this book.
Bilal is a mild mannered accountant who lives in the quintessentially English village of Babbel's End. He's been an active member of the community and seems to be accepted by everyone in the village. Until he decides to honour his mother's dying wish that he build a mosque in the village.

This book is largely about racism - the everyday, insidious kind that people aren't even aware of, until they are pushed a bit. There's no great violence, but there's petty hate crime (graffiti, nasty notes) and huge amounts of antagonism based entirely on the fear of the 'other'. It covers the nightmare of friendships fractured and the shattering of a sense of belonging. It also shows the joy of people being supportive.

There are several points of view in the book, which means you get the see the situation through the eyes of the man grieving his mother, the wife having doubts about her life, the reverend who is trying to keep everything in balance, the village busybody who would never consider herself to be racist, the elderly Pakistani lady who is finally working out who she is (she was my favourite). It's hard to write a book about something so big and not demonise either side, but Ayisha Malik manages to pull it off. She also captures that odd second generation feeling of your identity being mostly British, with a hint of the country your parents left behind.

I enjoyed this book very much. It's warm, funny, angry and moving in turns. A great read.

A brilliant book for our times: a story that proposes the unthinkable of building a mosque in a quiet corner of the English countryside. With humour, insight and satire, it exposes prejudice on both sides and breaks down barriers and argues the case so well for unity, love, understanding and friendship. I loved it.

I really loved this book about what happens when a man's mum's dying wish is for him to build a mosque in the quintessentially English village where he moved eight years ago.

Full review on my blog (published 29 March) https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2019/03/28/book-review-ayisha-malik-this-green-and-pleasant-land/