Shame is a novel written by author Salman Rushdie, first published in 1983. Set in the fictional town of Q. in the imaginary country "Peccavistan"—based on Quetta, in Pakistan—the book follows the intersection of various lives during a turbulent historical period.
The novel begins with the story of three sisters, named Chhunni, Munnee, and Bunny Shakil. The three women pretend to be pregnant at the same time, but only one son, named Omar Khayyám, is born after nine months. However, all of the sisters raise him together, so he never knows who is his birth mother, nor does he ever know his biological father. The story then pivots to describing the rise and fall of the military dictatorships of Raza Hyder and Iskandar Harrappa, as they attain power, lose it, and are eventually both killed.
At the same time, the narrative follows Omar's eventual marriage to Sufiya Zinobia Hyder, the developmentally delayed daughter of Raza Hyder. Their relationship remains stagnant, as Sufiya cannot live life as an adult. She is also tormented by the "beast" of shame inside her, which manifests the unprocessed shame of the world around her. Later in the novel, Sufiya becomes violently possessed and starts killing men in a frenzied state. The story ends when Sufiya eventually kills Omar. Over the course of the novel, Rushdie shows violence taking root in shame. All the characters have struggles with shame and shamelessness, as they navigate the political upheaval afflicting Pakistan.
Shame was well-received by critics. It won the French Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger and was shortlisted for the 1983 Booker Prize.
