A Splintering by Dur e Aziz Amna

Join us for an evening of conversation, reflection, and literary brilliance as we celebrate the launch of A Splintering — an electrifying new novel by critically acclaimed Pakistani-American writer Dur e Aziz Amna.
In a remote village in rural Pakistan, Tara dreams of escape. Her world is one of dust, silence, and simmering violence — a place where women wait, watch, and endure. But Tara refuses to be contained. Haunted by her brother’s brutality and driven by a fierce inner hunger, she risks everything to forge a new life in the city — a life that promises freedom, ambition, and danger in equal measure.

Set against the backdrop of political unrest and environmental catastrophe, A Splintering is a haunting, lyrical exploration of class, gender, and selfhood. Tara’s journey from the margins to the metropolis is both urgent and unforgettable — a powerful meditation on what it means to break free, and what it costs to truly live.

Don’t miss this chance to hear from one of the most exciting voices in contemporary fiction, the challenges of writing between cultures, and the layered complexities of Tara’s world.

'A fierce, unflinching portrait of class, ambition, and a woman pushed to the edge' SERVICE95

‘Smart and gripping – I read it in one sitting. Tara is a glorious creation, crackling with life and aspiration and sensuality’ KAMILA SHAMSIE, author of Home Fires

‘Amna’s prose...captures the fetid backwaters of poverty that Tara loathes and the glittering, corrupting city life she wants to own...The bond between a daughter, willing to do anything for her dreams, and enabling, worldly-wise mother, is brought alive with psychological intricacy and beauty...a superb second novel’ – The Guardian

‘Amna is a witty and spiky writer and A Splintering is a blistering portrayal of a woman unwilling to accept life’s unfairness. Despite Tara’s greed and cruelty, her disdain for the restraints of her society is mesmerising. As her schemes to escape get wilder, you urge her on’ – Emily Lawford, Sunday Times

About the author:

DUR E AZIZ AMNA is from Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and now lives in Newark, USA. Her debut novel, American Fever, was published in 2023 and won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature and the South Asia Book Award. Her work also appears in the New York Times, Financial Times, and Al Jazeera, among others. She was selected as Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2022, and she won the 2019 Financial Times / Bodley Head Essay Prize. She is a graduate of Yale College and the Helen Zell Writers' Program at the University of Michigan.

About SASS:

South Asian Sisters Speak (SASS) creates spaces for South Asian women to connect, learn and share their experiences. Since 2016, they've been running regular workshops, events and the Brown Girls' Book Club - which meets every other month in East London to discuss books written by South Asian women. They are passionate about raising the profile of South Asian authors and discussing the themes raised in these books in culturally nuanced ways.

The event will start promptly at 7.00pm.

Ticket Plus Book £16.99

Tickets £8

Includes glass of wine/soft drink

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Author talks are held in our basement which is fully accessible via a nearby lift. Please ask a member of staff who will accompany you.

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