DEBATING CULTURAL IDENTITY : SPACES OF NEGOTIATION IN MONICA ALI’S SELECT NOVELS.

Abstract

Untold Story explores the concepts of identity, the nature of celebrity, and locating oneself in the world. The imaginary protagonist of this book is an iconoclast, just like Diana. By disclosing the specifics of her difficult marriage and eating disorder and by reaching out like no other royal before her, she touches millions of lives and hearts worldwide. She is, however, disturbed and in danger of losing everything. Will the curse of celebrity be too severe for her to ever find happiness and peace? What if Princess Diana had survived? A combination of a nightmare and a fairy tale, Diana’s life and marriage were. A million people adored her, yet in her private life, she experienced betrayal, grief, and rejection. As she battled to make a meaningful career out of serving the poor and destitute, she was surrounded by flash and glamour and the media’s unwavering attention. In what path would her life have gone if she had survived? And how may she have grown into her thirties and beyond? Lydia, an Englishwoman, lives in a little, unremarkable town somewhere in the American Midwest. She has a group of friends: one owns a fashion business, another sells properties, and another is a harried stay-at-home mother. Lydia works at an animal shelter and swims in the mornings. Her lover, who adores her, fears she would not reveal herself to him.