The Shalamar Code
by Mary Louise Clifford

    THE SHALAMAR CODE by Mary Louise Clifford
    Category:  Contemporary
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 9+
    Release Date:  9/1/06
    Publisher:  Flux
    Reviewed by:  Jocelyn Pearce
    Rating:  4 Stars


    THE SHALAMAR CODE is a fast-paced and interesting book that takes place in a world very different--and very
    much the same--from ours. In Pakistan, fifteen-year-old Mumtaz is just like many other teenage girls. She wears
    jeans, plays tennis, and occasionally sneaks out of the house to meet a boy her parents don't approve of.

    When her older brother, Sikandar, gets involved with some shady characters, Mumtaz's life changes drastically.
    Mumtaz convinces Rashid to help her get her brother out of trouble and find out what it's all about.  But when Rashid
    loses his job because of what he did for her and Sikandar runs away from the city to escape the trouble he's in,
    Mumtaz might be in over her head.

    At first, Rashid and Mumtaz think it's all about drugs, which isn't particularly unusual in Pakistan, but then they find out
    there's a political element as well. This isn't surprising, as Mumtaz's father is head of an illegal opposition party, and
    they are watched constantly by the government. Remnants of Al Qaeda are making trouble with the tribal groups, and
    that makes everything particularly complicated. Who is involved? What's going on? Most importantly, can Mumtaz
    keep herself and her family safe?

    This fast-paced story shows another side of life after 9/11 than what the media shows us here, on the opposite side of
    the world from Mumtaz and her family. While the story is interesting and suspenseful, the language of this story is
    simple, as are the characters. Still, it's definitely a page-turner. Characterization, as it sometimes does in action-
    packed stories, seems to take a backseat to moving the story along, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. There were
    times when, as a reader, I just wanted to know what would happen next, and details about the characters weren't
    particularly important.

    The unusual perspective from which Mary Louise Clifford writes and the fascinating and controversial story she tells in
    THE SHALAMAR CODE make this book one that is worth reading, particularly for those interested in what goes on
    in the lives of the people who are often shown in the media only as terrorists. This is a book that you shouldn't miss.