Opportune storytelling: Of fact, fiction and fable
Nagwa Malik, author of spy novel The Mist, says her work is not about the ISI.
Nagwa Malik, author of spy novel The Mist, says her work is not about the ISI.
LAHORE:
I do not believe in distorting facts for fiction. I prefer to integrate facts to fiction for an entertaining read,” says Nagwa Malik, author of spy novel The Mist.
Her book, a thriller that revolves around Tanya, a Pakistani spy working for an unofficial intelligence agency, comes at a time when controversies about the nation’s intelligence groups abound.
However, Malik makes it clear from the start that she is not writing against the Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan (ISI).
“Depicting the ISI as the bad guys has become a norm,” says the lecturer of French and scriptwriting at Beaconhouse National University. “[On the other hand], the CIA gets away with crimes against humanity and violation of international laws everyday, only to be called heroes by their government.”
According to her, it is crucial to portray both sides of a story, which is why she has focused on incorporating facts into her work of fiction.
“My novel is based on my experiences and research,” she states categorically.
Tanya, the protagonist, is tasked with uncovering the truth behind the War on Terror and putting an end to militant activities in the country.
In this vein, the plot that takes the spy on quite a journey – from home to the West, then back home again – keeps the reader on edge. Along the way, truths about many a conspiracy theory are revealed. “Everyone likes a thriller,” Malik asserts.
A barred local market
Ironically, the publisher of this book does not sell in the local market. Readers have approached Malik with requests to make the novel available in the country.
“Unfortunately, this is not possible right now. The book is available online, though,” she says, adding that it has been well-received by readers abroad.
Now, Malik is working on a second book, an off-shoot of this one. This novel will focus on Pakistan and its national politics.
While she has written a number of books and short stories over the years, The Mist is her first published work of fiction.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 26th, 2013.
I do not believe in distorting facts for fiction. I prefer to integrate facts to fiction for an entertaining read,” says Nagwa Malik, author of spy novel The Mist.
Her book, a thriller that revolves around Tanya, a Pakistani spy working for an unofficial intelligence agency, comes at a time when controversies about the nation’s intelligence groups abound.
However, Malik makes it clear from the start that she is not writing against the Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan (ISI).
“Depicting the ISI as the bad guys has become a norm,” says the lecturer of French and scriptwriting at Beaconhouse National University. “[On the other hand], the CIA gets away with crimes against humanity and violation of international laws everyday, only to be called heroes by their government.”
According to her, it is crucial to portray both sides of a story, which is why she has focused on incorporating facts into her work of fiction.
“My novel is based on my experiences and research,” she states categorically.
Tanya, the protagonist, is tasked with uncovering the truth behind the War on Terror and putting an end to militant activities in the country.
In this vein, the plot that takes the spy on quite a journey – from home to the West, then back home again – keeps the reader on edge. Along the way, truths about many a conspiracy theory are revealed. “Everyone likes a thriller,” Malik asserts.
A barred local market
Ironically, the publisher of this book does not sell in the local market. Readers have approached Malik with requests to make the novel available in the country.
“Unfortunately, this is not possible right now. The book is available online, though,” she says, adding that it has been well-received by readers abroad.
Now, Malik is working on a second book, an off-shoot of this one. This novel will focus on Pakistan and its national politics.
While she has written a number of books and short stories over the years, The Mist is her first published work of fiction.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 26th, 2013.