Bhutto writes of an extraordinary place where beauty lives alongside brutality, with superb poise and a kind of defiant lyricism The Times Stunning ... Few debut novels can adequately explore such colossal themes as betrayal and allegiance, or persuasively render fear, doubt and determination The National Incredibly ambitious, extremely powerful and moving Radio 4 Stunningly worded Company Magazine Concise, elegant. Bhutto is a gifted and compelling writer, economically and poetically summoning up this beautiful mountainous backwater Mail on Sunday Powerful, compelling, moving inexorably to a devastating conclusion Sunday Express [Explores] the divisive split between those suffering from the direct consequences of war and a generation of unaware, complacent young Pakistanis Evening Standard A first novel of uncommon poise and acuity, The Shadow of the Crescent Moon is set in an old and protracted war for land and dignity. But its swift and suspenseful narrative describes a fiercely contemporary battle in the human heart: between the seductive fantasy of personal freedom and the tenacious claims of family, community and history -- Pankaj Mishra An extraordinary first novel which reads like a politico-religious thriller. Compelling. -- Hector Abads This is (...) a human story, with love as well as ideology - Bhutto blends the two adroitly (and) writes with great poignancy, keeping the emotional pitch high Financial Times It's a heart-stopping thriller, as well as an important political commentary about oppression, occupation and war. Most strikingly, though, it's a devastating love story -- Jemima Khan New Statesman 'Books of the Year' The novel is set over the course of one morning in a small town in Pakistan's tribal regions (and) follows the story of three brothers who are forced to make difficult choices. But the heart of the novel, for Bhutto, lies in the female characters Observer Thought-provoking. Above all, what The Shadow of the Crescent Moon captures so well is not just the trauma of war, but also the conflicts of contemporary Pakistanis, torn between remaining faithful to the legacy of previous generations, and their own dreams of choosing their own destiny Sunday Telegraph

Fatima Bhutto was born in 1982 in Kabul, grew up in Damascus, and lives in Karachi. She is the author of a memoir, Songs of Blood and Sword. The Shadow of the Crescent Moon is her first novel.