"Saffron is a luxury, but salt is a necessity, Aliya learns in this charming, witty exploration of class values." - Library Journal

 

"The utterly sensuous descriptions of food and tea are alone worth the price of admission." - Booklist

This is my first book that I've read by Kamila Shamsie. Salt and Saffron is a beautiful, interesting, and very well-written novel. I am eager to read Shamsie's other books.

*All I can remember is the names of mouth watering food* :D

The story revolves around Aliya; a Pakistani girl of an aristocratic family who becomes reacquainted with family members – first in London and then in Karachi. Aliya thinks of herself as a family historian and a storyteller. After spending four years of her life at university in America for her studies, she was unaware of so many secrets about her ancestors.

There are so many thoughts which were haunting Aliya's mind as the things went strange into the family; Why her cousin Mariam doesn't speak? Who are the not-quite- twins? The very peculiar thing is Aliya to some extent start believing herself as one of the not-quite twins.It is the not-quite twins who every time are the source of disaster and shame for the Dard-e-Dil. Aliya knew so little about the Partition of Indo-Pak which divided the family. Caste, family and social status comes in the way of Aliya's love.

Will she become a matter of shame to her family being a not-quite twin or not?