CULTURE WARS 038; PEACE

An elegant take on the Zia legacy.

She was named amal after the two different kinds of intellect, her Nana tells her. 8220;Aql nazari. A talent for imagining. And aql amali. A talent for doing. A person with this talent can plant his ideas in the world.8221; And it is this quality that Zahoor hopes to nurture in Amal, a child that he sees as special.

But before that can happen she has to become the eyes for her younger sister Mehwish, who is suddenly blinded. The irony is that it happens after a fossil hunt in which Amal accidentally finds proof of the Pakicetus, the oldest known primitive whale. Her curiosity and quest for knowledge are awakened and from there on she is defined by that one moment.

The Geometry of God is a complex book. With its historical setting, it raises the question of science versus religion. Zahoor, for instance, is a paleontologist during the period when General Zia is pushing for Islamic Science. The dominant thought in Pakistan at that moment is that God is greater than logic 8212; and anyone who disagrees is a blasphemous traitor. Yet, there is a middle ground. It is revealed in the friendship that the scientist develops with a young man, Noman, whose interests lie with the Islamists 8212; even though in his heart he does not agree. He lacks the courage to stand up for one against the other but he cannot let go of either.

The same density permeates the symbiotic relationship between the sisters. Amal may be the eyes of Mehwish8217;s world but the latter seems to be the one who can really see. Their differences are most visible in their relationship with

Noman, who loves them both but with an aching separation.
The connections are finely layered in this delicately crafted book but there are times when Uzma Aslam Khan takes the title The Geometry of God too literally. The theology gets too wordy, the technical aspects are over specified and the conversation often runs into lectures. Every time you start to enjoy one of the characters your link is severed by a 8220;soap box moment8221;. And yet there is no denying the sensitivity with which Khan writes. She is impeccably restrained when it comes to handling emotions.

The rhythm of this novel is intriguing and takes some getting used to. It is not for everyone even though the writing is extremely elegant. Especially when she writes 8212; with rare humour 8212; about Mehwish, who speaks as she hears, turning traditional spelling and words on their head.

The problem in this case is too much detail. Too much information. It comes in the way of what actually is a good read.