Like A Diamond In The Sky

Like a Diamond in the Sky is an emotional roller coaster ride. Deen, the main character, is a student at an exclusive private university in Dhaka. He is a privileged young man with many admirable qualities - musical talent, athletic ability, self-confident charm, and sincere compassion for the less-fortunate. But he is also a heroin addict.

Deen sees his drug use as a personal rebellion against a deeply unjust society in which the poor simply cannot get ahead. At a deeper level, though, he understands that dependence on heroin has narrowed his horizons; that he has become completely focussed on procuring his next high, and has abandoned his youthful dreams of serving the poor of Bangladesh. Addiction has shattered his dreams and destroyed his self-esteem.

Shazia Omar takes us on an unflinching journey through Deen's world, moving at whirlwind speed between exhilarating highs and harrowing lows. We watch as Deen falls in love, experiences the pleasure of seduction, and the exaltation of being loved. We feel his adrenaline rush at the execution of a robbery. We see him in the agony of withdrawal; we watch him plunge into the depths of self-loathing and guilt after having hurt the people who love him most. We wince as he pushes them away.

Shazia Omar has created a rich world of living, breathing characters. Their relationships are strained by their dependency on each other for drugs, money, and affirmation.

Deen's friend and fellow junky AJ shows us an even darker side of addiction. AJ uses his friends without remorse or hesitation. He is unable to admit even to himself that he is in love; unwilling to acknowledge any needs which might compete with his need for heroin. His addiction pulls him deeper and deeper into the world of crime.

Maria loves Deen deeply and blindly. The collapse of her parents' marriage has put her under severe strain. The question is, can a junky give her the emotional support she needs?

Falani sells drugs to Deen and his friends to pay for her daughters' education. Though Deen is protected from the law by class and connections, Falani is at the mercy of lecherous policemen.

Parvez is a younger student who looks up to the cooler, older Deen. Like Deen, he is charming, athletic, and musical; unlike Deen, he is clean. The question is whether he will stay clean or follow in Deen's footsteps.

Read this book. You will care about these characters, and as the tense plot unfolds – at a remarkable pace - you will worry about them. Will anyone get out of here alive?