The Centre is one of those novels that are best enjoyed going into it without much knowledge of its plot. Here is what’s needed: there is a centre where one can acquire a language in only ten days, at the end of which they will be more fluent than even some natives. 
 
Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi’s debut novel looks at language from multiple angles: is a language only a language or is the culture and history of the native speakers an essential part of it? Can the nuance that native speakers understand be transmitted simply by learning a language to a very high level? How does the way speakers look confer language a different level of privilege? Do we have enough awareness of the shadows of colonialism that still manifest in language? The Centre weaves these complex themes together and combines them with narration that is full of suspense and tension making the novel both a gripping and stirring read.