New Books Network Somia Sadiq, "Gajarah" (GFB, 2025)
Dec 14, 2025
Somia Sadiq, a debut novelist and peace negotiator, delves into her compelling book, Gajarah, exploring intergenerational trauma and healing. She discusses how her experiences in both Pakistan and Canada shaped her narrative, highlighting the complexity of belonging. Somia shares insights on the nonlinear structure of her writing, inspired by her trauma-informed storytelling approach. She emphasizes the coexistence of resilience and vulnerability, while also unpacking the intricacies of forgiveness amidst personal struggles. Overall, her work seeks to amplify the voices of survivors.
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Naming Intergenerational Trauma
- Gajarah explores reclaiming voice by naming intergenerational trauma and displacement.
- Somia Sadiq frames the novel as a way to bring human complexity beyond right/wrong binaries.
Writer's Migrant Memories
- Somia draws on her migrant experience and blood memories of Lahore and Kashmir to shape Iman's nostalgia.
- She uses personal longing to make the protagonist's homesickness feel authentic and vivid.
Form Mirrors Trauma
- The novel deliberately refuses a single genre to mirror trauma's messy expression.
- Somia blends prose, poetry, and parables to reflect nonlinear, multimodal healing processes.
