'DESPITE THE FALLING SNOW by Shamim Sarif, one of our most outstanding young novelists, is my novel of the year: its delicate artistry and immense compass reaches back to the labyrinthine heart of Soviet Russia'   Stevie Davies, THE INDEPENDENT

'Sarif’s thrilling new novel makes me think of the ‘THE ENGLISH PATIENT’ and ‘THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN’. Like those books, it has at its core an unforgettable love story. Yet Sarif also understands the human cost exacted by totalitarian systems. And she knows that the worst betrayals are those committed by the ones we love. Her novel is immensely powerful – and deeply moving.'   Steve Yarbrough, author of THE OXYGEN MAN

'A perfectly balanced novel of love and tragedy…brutally shocking. The beauty of the streets of Moscow, the bejewelled architecture of the metro stations, is all a majestic backdrop to a play of mistrust and deception, where friends, even the best of friends, can turn against each other in fear.'  WATERSTONES MAGAZINE

'This story is, quite literally, breathtaking.'  THE GOOD BOOK GUIDE

'A compelling read, flicking expertly between the tragic present and tumultuous past…Haunting at times, Shamim’s elegant prose weaves a poignant tale indeed.'   CRUSH BOOKS

'Sarif's elegant and understated debut offers an insight into early apartheid'   THE TIMES

'[Sarif's] story brings together the descriptive power of the novelist with the screenwriter's mastery of dialogue'   THE TIMES

'One of the most promising of a new generation of British writers...Sarif's debut is confident, original and jam-packed with insight'  THE LIST

'The novel's characters shine with the beauty of Sarif's deceptively skilful prose which keeps your eyes skating along the narrative in sheer enjoyment'   DYVERSE

'Highly original...this is a stylishly written work. Sarif is near faultless in her portrayal of the times'   INDIA WEEKLY

'In the tradition of Vikram Seth, Sarif throws down a literary gauntlet that very few writers will be able to pick up'   PRIDE