About The Future Can't Wait
The Future Can't Wait is a contemporary novel set in multi-cultural Birmingham against a background of growing radicalisation of young people sympathetic to Islamic State.
Kendra Blackmore's half-Iranian daughter Ariana (Rani) undergoes an identity crisis which results in her cutting off all contact with her family. Sick with worry and desperate to understand why her home-loving daughter would do this, Kendra becomes increasingly desperate for answers - and to bring her estranged daughter home...
My review of The Future Can't Wait
The Future Can't Wait is a contemporary novel that is very relevant to modern day Britain. Set in Birmingham, the story evokes beautifully what it is like to live and work in Birmingham, a multi cultural city that is often misrepresented by the media and society. I found it most refreshing and an addictive read that I could not put down.
The story is told mainly from Kendra's viewpoint, as we follow her in her daily life of teaching psychology part time at the local Academy. She is an intelligent, articulate and strong willed woman who slowly changes throughout the story due to the fact that her daughter, Rami, has decided to cut off all ties with her mother and stepfather, David. Wracked with guilty, Kendra worries that her half Iranian daughter has been radicalised, but is powerless to do anything about it, as she has no idea where her adult daughter is, or who she is with.
As well as highlighting the issues of radicalisation in a sensitive manner, this book is really an exploration nto the bond between mothers and daughters, and I found the character of Kendra utterly captivating. Her grief and slow unravelling are difficult to read as I felt very close to her. I felt as if I was Kendra, and I couldn't imagine how it must feel to not know where your daughter is and the possibility that she could be in danger.
I found myself completely immersed in this fascinating story, and its equally fascinating characters. David, Kendra's husband, is a man who obviously prefers his own company, and is happiest when working with circuit boards in the garage. I liked him, and although not stated, I knew that he had Asperger's syndrome. Equally as likeable and intriguing was Kendra's son, Adam, a doctor who now lives in America with his girlfriend. Here is a man who is intelligent and who tries to be the voice of reason, in that Rami is a grown woman and that she needs to find her own path n life. But as a mother, I completely understood Kendra's anxieties and I understood that as a psychologist, she had the knowledge to back up her very real concerns.
Tins is a really fascinating read. The pace is just right, in that we follow Kendra at her own natural pace from the moment that Rami leaves. We are with her as she tries to communicate her worries to David, and how she seeks friendship from a man whom she meets dog walking. It's a gentle read that tackles the very serious issue of radicalisation, and racism within Britain today. It also helps to shed light on the true Birmingham and that it is a truly vibrant and interesting city in which to live.
At the very heart of The Future Can't Wait is the story about a mother and a daughter, and of how they both need to examine their relationship with each other. It is a beautiful book.
With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy.
The Future Can't Wait is published by Urbane Publications on 2 Nov. 2017 and can be found pn Amazon here.
I am so glad you enjoyed it Jo. Thank you for taking time to review. Much appreciated. Angelena
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