Books

“Just as The Circle turned Silicon Valley culture into something deeply creepy, The Centre is Duolingo gone dark.”

“This Black Mirror take on the world of language labs and translation workshops opens up questions of cultural appropriation, the power of language, memory, and privilege . . . Even without the clever notion, I would have blazed through The Centre, because Siddiqi’s easy storytelling and her heroine Anisa’s sweet narrative voice slip down like summer rosé.”

“This has all the makings of a high-concept thriller for the ages.”

“Over and above its tightly scripted plot, The Centre engages with South Asian themes in unusual and memorable ways.”

“Draws you in from the very first line, thrusting you straight into a world that steadily gets more dystopian. . . . Siddiqi’s debut novel, while an effortless read, raises big questions around appropriation, identity, the immigrant experience and language privilege.”

“The most fascinating debut I’ve read in years—enigmatic, biting, absurd, and right when you think you’ve got it figured out, utterly horrifying.”

“Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi has crafted a gripping, surreal mystery about language, identity, and greed. The Centre explores impossible success at an equally impossible price—and the difference between merely paying for something and truly understanding its dark cost.”

“The Centre had me frantically guessing at every page—SO gripping and vivid that it’s become a spicy topic of discussion for me with my book club (that’s how you know it’s a hit). Between the debates and haunting concept, it makes me so excited about what Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi has up her sleeves for the future.”

“The Centre is as haunting as it is tempting; this book devoured me back.”

“The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi is a propulsive and profound read. I was gripped by the mystery haunting the core of the book— and equally gripped by Siddiqi’s exploration of the power of language, particularly for those pulled between multiple mother tongues. This is a debut of dazzling wit and insight.”

“The Centre is a banger! I don’t know how Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi managed to write a book that feels both cheery and terrifying, but The Centre draws you in with a gentle hand until it throws the mallet down in the last thirty pages. A terrific meditation on language, diaspora, alienation, and culture, The Centre will stay with you long after you read its last, luscious, loopy sentence.”

“What begins as a darkly propulsive thriller gradually reveals itself to be a haunting and incisive meditation on language, translation, identity, and the far-reaching reverberations of colonialism. The Centre is a wickedly ingenious debut that, like the mysterious institution at its heart, is far more complex than it first appears.”

“I haven’t read anything this wonderful or brilliant in ages. I profoundly loved this book.”

“At once a twisting mystery and nuanced exploration of identity and assimilation, The Centre cuts deep. Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi has written a compelling, witty, sometimes gruesome tale of how we use language to connect and to sever, appropriate, and explore. I’ll be mulling her brilliance for some time.”

“A mystery-thriller-satire with social justice messaging? Yes, please! Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi’s compelling debut takes on racism, classism, capitalism and colonialism, all in a creepy, entertaining and engrossing tale of the price we’ll pay to get ahead.”

“For fans of genre-blended novels with a must-keep-reading-to-know-what-is-going-on feel.”

“A vicious and entertaining speculative satire of late-stage capitalism.”

“Siddiqi’s novel veers into the horror realm without abandoning the truly fascinating drama at the heart of the story . . . The Centre is Siddiqi’s first novel, a dialogue-rich drama with comic undertones and a creepy thriller nestled within.”

“With its focus on language learning, The Centre fills a gap in my life I didn’t even know it had . . . This bitingly satirical novel shows how (neo)colonising groups strip marginalised languages of their autonomy and cachet. Rather than a tool of communication and aesthetic enjoyment, language becomes a vehicle for domination and the erasure of heritage.”

“Incredible . . . it’s creepy AF, in the best way possible. Highly recommend!”

“Siddiqi’s cleverly written debut is atmospheric and unsettling… the suspense builds quietly toward the final startling reveal and many interconnected social issues—immigration, language, class, privilege, gender roles—are carefully exposed. The questions raised by this heady story and its abrupt ending are perfect for book club discussions.”

“Manazir Siddiqi’s ambitious debut packs insightful observations about racism, classism, and colonialism into a dark mystery…Anisa’s perceptive narration propels the novel, and Manazir Siddiqi’s sharp cultural analysis of England, Pakistan, and India deepens her devilish plot…this marks Manazir Siddiqi as a writer to watch.”

“Filled with astute insights into life as a brown person in a predominantly white country and how differences of class, religion, and nationality can bring about rifts in solidarity between people who share a racial or ethnic background, the novel offers a mystery rife with social critique…A fast-paced thriller with its finger firmly on the pulse of contemporary social discourse.”

“I was speculating earlier which book had the prettiest cover in the guide and this is a strong contender. . . For all my reader, insider-y nerds, I appreciate how this book, which is written by a translator, digs into what it takes to create a well-done translation . . . This is about the nuances of translation but also identity, about translating meaning across cultures, the politics of translation, and cultural appropriation, all wrapped up in the package of a speculative thriller. This book feels like it could very much be in conversation with Yellowface.”

“With dark humor, surreal twists, and a probing exploration of language and success, The Centre takes readers on a gripping journey through Karachi, London, and New Delhi, leaving them questioning the sacrifices they would make.”