Uzma Jalaluddin’s YA fiction, Ayesha At Last, borrows from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice only to reconstruct the whole narrative around a conservaUzma Jalaluddin’s YA fiction, Ayesha At Last, borrows from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice only to reconstruct the whole narrative around a conservative Muslim society. Ayesha and Khalid’s story mirrors the quintessential struggles of a modern generation trying to grapple with the norms set by their families. While he is wont to do everything his mother asks of him, Ayesha’s immediate family is much more supportive of and respectful towards her They make each other’s acquaintance much in the way of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet – initial attractions buried by prejudice. But when a case of false identity gets out of hand, Ayesha and Khalid realize the cost of losing a loved one.
As consumers of mainstream media, we are fed a certain ideology about the nature of Islam as a religion. This novel undoes those trite notions by portraying characters who each practice a version of the religion that feels right to them. And in doing so, their identities stretch the boundaries of what is naturalized by media representation. Khalid’s disapproval of a young Muslim woman who frequents bars and performs stand up poetry only goes to show the indoctrination of regressive mindsets within a culture. On the other hand, Ayesha’s grandfather’s fondness for poetry and Shakespeare depict an intermingling of cultures that is frowned upon by orthodox communities.
The plot progresses in the usual way; the introduction of the characters is followed by minor conflicts. In an attempt to battle these minor conflicts, the main characters end up facing a major conflict. While I was constantly trying to draw parallels between this novel and P&P, it soon became apparent that Uzma Jalaluddin has tweaked quite a few details. And anyway, I realized that it’s best to enjoy reading Ayesha At Last as a solitary text without trying to form comparisons.
Khalid’s mother is a really infuriating character. And so is Hafsa. They’re utter disrespect for others, meddling behavior and lack of courtesy annoyed me to no end. In my opinion, Sheila is depicted as an emblem of bigotry. Through her, the author explores the themes of Islamophobia, workplace harassment and fraudulent behaviour. There are a fair share of stereotypes and clichés in the book, but they didn’t have so much emphasis as to become problematic.
I think this title is definitely worth a read! Especially if you are interested in novels composed of family drama.
In my opinion, Katherine Rundell has now clearly established her brand as a children’s adventure novelist. Three of her novels that I’ve read till datIn my opinion, Katherine Rundell has now clearly established her brand as a children’s adventure novelist. Three of her novels that I’ve read till date share a similar thread of kids embarking on a quest of some sort, often beyond the knowledge of the parents. The Good Thieves is her newest release and doesn’t fail to grab our attention. This time, through the voice of a young girl named Vita, we read about family bonds, determination, fight for justice and what it means to be brave.
When Vita’s ancestral home is taken away from her grandfather by means of deception, she assumes the responsibility to plan a heist and retrieve the family’s jewels. But she’s not alone! Her wit and efforts enable her to persuade three acquaintances to join her in this mission. It is appalling the nonchalance with which Vita, a mere child, goes about setting things right, unsupervised in a foreign land.
One of my favorite aspects of this book is that it is set in New York and is filled to the brim with twists and turns. That said, it is the kind of read where you shouldn’t put too much thought into the workings of the plot points because then it wouldn’t be as convincing. The fact that a bunch of kids are scurrying about, wrecking havoc in the lives of the goons gives this novel a comical undertone. The author’s writing style is not over the top or too descriptive. While the narration is heavy on action scenes, we get the occasional glimpses of what New York looked like then.
Vita’s character is sketched to be full of spunk and zeal. She is resourceful in the sense that she makes the best of what’s available. Some of her character traits were quite surprising. And the way in which she persuades Silk, Arkady and Samuel to accompany her speaks volumes about how steadfast she is. They each possess interesting attributes that make the plot more entertaining.
The pace of the novel is surely an added bonus. You can finish the whole thing in one sitting. Parts of it are unpredictable, but for some reason, the story didn’t thrill me as much as the author’s other works have. Don’t get me wrong; I did enjoy reading the book. It’s just that in the overall experience of reading, it felt like something was missing.
To conclude, I’d say that you should definitely give it a try. Katherine Rundell’s writing has never disappointed me....more
City of Girls, penned by Elizabeth Gilbert, is a wholly satisfying novel that encapsulates the stories of women who set themselves apart in society byCity of Girls, penned by Elizabeth Gilbert, is a wholly satisfying novel that encapsulates the stories of women who set themselves apart in society by way of exercising their individuality and ambition.
When 19 year old Vivian Morris gets sent to New York City to live with her aunt, she is enveloped by the culture of the land and begins to discover herself anew. At her Aunt Peg’s theatre company, young Vivvie realizes that her skills are much required and she fills the role of costume designer. But as this spirited woman gives in to her desires, she finds herself mired in scandal.
Try as I might, I couldn’t think of another novel with a better representation of women, the need for them to be unapologetic about their passions, and their ability to be everything other than mere labels or categories. Gilbert’s intimate writing style stands out in this mesmerizing narrative about city life, lust, show biz, war and the constant nature of change.
Written in the form of a letter recounting the events of Vivian’s life, City of Girls features characters who are as refreshingly realistic as the conflicts they face. There is Anthony Roccella who enters the stage as a handsome, cocky actor, but doesn’t really play a lasting role in the grand scheme of things. Aunt Peg is depicted as the deviant whose calm demeanor and encouragement gave Vivian a direction in life. Arthur Watson’s clumsy and “good for nothing” characterization does add some humor to the play that is staged, but it would’ve been a bit more convincing if he hadn’t been shown as a total dolt.
More than a majority of the book is about Vivian in her 20s. And so, those scenes were full of frolic and fast paced scenarios. The third last section of the book goes through the next 60 or so years of her life. It may seem rushed, but the author pays attention to the necessary milestones and so, I didn’t have a problem with it. The only thing I wish is that we had gotten a scene with Nathan. It would’ve helped form a picture of his bond with Vivian and Marjorie. The following are a couple of aspects of the novel that earned major brownie points:
- The fact that it can be fun and entertaining, while also exploring serious themes. - An awe-inducing portrayal of 1940s NYC. - A series of female characters who build each other up and are successful in their own domains. - There is a play being staged and we get to read some parts of it (It is a hoot!). - Vivian doesn’t play the blame game, but rises to the occasion and learns from her mistakes. - A touching glance at the impact of WW2.
There is so much more about the book that I would like to address, but for the sake of keeping this review spoiler free, I’m going to refrain from doing that. All I’m going to say is that this one’s definitely worth reading. So give it a try!
★ ★ ★ ★.25
Thank you Bloomsbury India for sending me a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review. ...more
In the town of Near, there are no strangers. The resident families have been there through it all. So when the arrival of a mysterious boy precedes thIn the town of Near, there are no strangers. The resident families have been there through it all. So when the arrival of a mysterious boy precedes the gradual disappearances of the children in the town, the people of Near call for retribution. Although Lexi spied this stranger from her window, becoming one with the night and floating away with the wind, she is certain that he is not to be blamed. And so, despite her uncle’s warnings and at the risk of invoking the townsfolk’s wrath, she sets out to find him before the hunting party can get to him.
I honestly do not know how to do full justice to this book by merely pointing out everything that is good about it. So I’m going to preface my review by saying that YOU MUST MUST READ THE NEAR WITCH.
I’ve begun to pick up on the kind of vibes V.E Schwab creates in her books and I simply love it! This one is haunting and action-packed. It had the sense of a folktale being narrated to a child and I found myself wanting to remain immersed in this world long after the story had ended. The author’s writing is mesmerizing, detailing only that which is essential for us to visualize the story. Her world building wins all the brownie points. The Near landscape, the lifestyle of the people, the elements of nature – adds a lot of dimension to the plot execution.
On the surface, this novel is pretty much like your quintessential story about good vs evil. But what I particularly appreciated about it is the way in which it highlights a lot of themes prevalent in our world today. In the ostracization of the Thorne sisters, I saw the bigots of our society. In the admonishing of Lexi, I saw people who were afraid to let women make their own decisions. In pining the disappearances of the children on Cole, you get a glimpse of power-mongers and the extent of their cowardice.
Reading a lot of thrillers and mysteries has made me readily suspicious about characters in every book. So I cooked up all kinds of theories about what was happening to the children, why Cole has come to this town all of a sudden etc. But I was happy to realize that for a good chunk of the novel, we were not going to be able to pin-point the ending. I liked that unpredictability. The following are some other aspects of the book that I appreciated:
- The inclusion of folk songs and sayings to really cement the world-building and the culture of Near. - Lexi’s relationship with her sister, Wren, made me weep with joy. They have such a loving bond. - The not-so-exaggerated depiction of witches. For a change, I liked the subtle and realistic magic that was portrayed.
The references that are made to Lexi’s father and how he has helped shape her personality adds a lot of value to her character and affirms the fact that Lexi is not a rebel just for the sake of being one. She was raised differently by her father. One thing I didn’t like about the book is how a love interest gets passed on to another character when he realizes that he has no chance with Lexi.
Overall, this was such a fantastic read! It has easily become one of my top reads of 2019. I would recommend it to everyone who enjoys the fantasy genre.
★ ★ ★ ★.5
Thank you Bloomsbury India for sending me a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review. ...more
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