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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Awesome! Such a fun read. Even non-fans of Pride and Prejudice would love this story.
This was exactly what I needed! I was immediately hooked and came to really care about the main characters. Quick and delightful!
Ayesha At Last is a modern version of Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice. In the past, I have not enjoyed reading books which mimic my most favorites story of all time; Mr. Darcy is hard to imitate. However, this story caught my interest and I am impressed. Although Khalid is a wonderful character with his strong sense of pride and religious beliefs, he was no match for the original. His beliefs blind him from how is perceived by others and causes much anxiety in his life.
Overall the story can stand on its own. I enjoyed diving into the Muslin and South Asian cultures and learning about arranged marriages. The characters are likable and there is a touch of humor. Ayesha is a strong woman who has her own pride and prejudices she must overcome, and she had wonderful grandparents with their Shakespearean wisdom and advice where I could reflect and apply them to my own experiences.
I am glad I have read this lovely story. Thank you Netgalley for this advanced copy.
Overall the story can stand on its own. I enjoyed diving into the Muslin and South Asian cultures and learning about arranged marriages. The characters are likable and there is a touch of humor. Ayesha is a strong woman who has her own pride and prejudices she must overcome, and she had wonderful grandparents with their Shakespearean wisdom and advice where I could reflect and apply them to my own experiences.
I am glad I have read this lovely story. Thank you Netgalley for this advanced copy.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Racism, Islamophobia
Minor: Fatphobia
I really enjoyed this. I always find it interesting to see how people adapt Jane Austen, especially in different cultures... truly shows how universal her stories can be. A really enjoyable and cute read.
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Because while it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single Muslim man must be in want of a wife, there’s an even greater truth: To his Indian mother, his own inclinations are of secondary importance.
This book has many layers and points you can view it from... I'll try to not make a mess out of it...
1. Jane Austen and Ayesha at Last as a retelling
Perfect! From this POV this book is the utter perfection. Why?
A) It doesn't follow the plot to the dot. It takes P&P and makes it it's own. And it works!
Some of the characters are mashed together, some are entirely new, some plot points are changed to fit better to our times and I just admire Jalaluddin's bravery to go there.
B) Most people see P&P as a romance and it's true that it has a romance plot, but Jane Austen is a social writer. She writes about society and how people interact and how restrictive and harmful some of the rules can be, but also how we need some of those rules. The getting together of two characters isn't really goal of her books and Uzma Jalaluddin gets that!
C) Pairing P&P with muslim communities' issues was simply match made in heaven. There is so much material and Jalaluddin makes use of that -> I feel like this book would be perfect for a club reading, because there is so many potential discussions.
What do you see when you think of me,
a figure cloaked in mystery
with eyes downcast and hair covered,
an oppressed woman yet to be discovered?
Do you see backward nations and swirling sand,
humpbacked camels and the domineering man?
Whirling veils and terrorists
or maybe fanatic fundamentalists?
Do you see scorn and hatred locked
within my eyes and soul,
or perhaps a profound ignorance of all the world as a whole?
Yet . . .
You fail to see
the dignified persona
of a woman wrapped in maturity.
the scarf on my head
does not cover my brain.
I think, I speak, but still you refrain
from accepting my ideals, my type of dress,
you refuse to believe
that I am not oppressed.
So the question remains:
What do I see when I think of you?
I see another human being
who doesn’t have a clue.
2. The discussion of muslim related issues (and then some maybe slightly unrelated?)
(Just a quick reminder that I'm not a muslim and I have no expertise on the subject so these are just some of my amateurish thoughts.)
This part was mostly great. Most of the plot happens within muslim community (or close friends) so there isn't really a space for great scale islamophobia. Ayesha wears a hijab so we get to see how that sometimes can attract an unwanted attention, but it's just passing inconvenience not something that deserves to be greatly pondered. Bigger space is dedicated to Khalid's wardrobe issues and his boss Sheila. I would like to stop at Sheila for a bit, because I think she is marvelously written adversary.
Sheila left her hand outstretched for another moment, cold eyes locked on his face. Then she slowly pulled back and raised an eyebrow. “I should have assumed as much from your clothing. Tell me, Khalid: Where are you from?”
“Toronto,” Khalid answered. His face flamed beneath his thick beard; he didn’t know where to look.
“No,” Sheila laughed lightly. “I mean where are you from originally?”
“Toronto,” Khalid responded again, and this time his voice was resigned.
Clara shifted, looking tense and uncomfortable. “I’m originally from Newfoundland,” she said brightly.
Sheila is a toxic feminist and in another lightning she could very well be a protagonist of her own story. She is a strong successful woman, encouraging her female subordinates to stand for themselves. When Khalid first meets Sheila, he refuses to shake her hand for religious reasons and gains her instant dislike. To be completely honest, I get that. I understand that someone might feel uncomfortable touching a stranger (even if it is just a handshake) and if he formulated it like that it would be absolutely cool by me. But saying you can't touch a woman for religious reasons without giving any context... I don't know... it would definitely made me feel dirty and it's misogynistic in my opinion. (I would love to hear a contra-argument!) So, we start at a point where we partially get her even if her reactions are inappropriate and only slowly - the more we get to see of her - do we realise what bag of trash she truly is. I really liked this part of the plot, what I liked less was the handling of Khalid's wardrobe choices.
Or... I can't say I disliked it, it certainly was really thought provoking. But I guess I can't agree with the solution and especially how that solution was delivered. I guess, these are spoilers...
Spoiler
Throughout the book, Khalid wears extremely traditional clothing and is judged because of it. He tells us that he wears them because they make him feel honest and like himself. This is one of the things clothes are for, clothes offer us a way to show to the world who we are (on many different levels). The other thing clothes are for is the exact opposite - they also make us belong into a bigger group, blend in with the crowd. I feel like the creation of the wardrobe is always about balancing those two things - how comfortable am I with random strangers(/coworkers/friends/family) knowing this thing about me, knowing I like this etc. and what will make me feel suffocated. When Khalid wears a suit for the first time, he thinks how uncomfortable it makes him feel and he wonders how some people can wear it every day. And yet, he makes the decision to wear this "every day". Like... I feel he might be compromising himself too much. Conformity is definitely the easier route and I get it, but at the same time, it feels like a step back - definitely not a character development. But what made me dislike it was the feeling that it wasn't something he wanted to do, he was pushed into it by the circumstances and it just felt poorly handled.This is more of a feminist issue, but I really hate how Khalid's mother was handled. That woman has no redeeming quality and no fashion sense and inability to cook on top of that. Like... you can tell the mother is bad when she can't cook...
The assumptions he saw in strangers’ eyes as they took in his beard and skullcap were painful to acknowledge. Khalid had considered shaving or changing his wardrobe many times over the years. It would be easier for the people around him, but it wouldn’t feel right. This is who I am, he thought.
3. It's just a book
I'm going to be honest. Some of the plot points felt a bit convoluted. Why did we have to do the mistaken identity? And the engagement that was a result of that? Like... there is no point. It was just frustrating. (To be honest, there was a point, but I felt there were better ways to get there.
I guess, I'm just not a fan of drama, so I liked some of the takes on the P&P pattern, but some of the added shenanigans were just very skippable. I also didn't get the feeling of closure in the ending. I really loved the first third of the book and then it kind of... let me down a bit? (To be completely fair, I kind of miss the feeling of closure in the original P&P too...)
I really loved the characters, especially our protagonist Ayesha - though she was great at creating drama where none was needed. And since I love hopelessly pining man - I really loved Khalid in the second half of the book. (Or I guess I liked him the whole time, but some of his opinions were hard to get over for me.) I also absolutely loved Clara and her issues with her partner - and how all of that resolved (that part was so hilarious, absolutely loved it). But who steals the cake is the modern version of Mr. Collins, like... *chef's kiss* he is the perfect translation... (I just kind of missed Catherine de Bourgh...)
I guess, I'm trying to say that I felt like this book was slowly dying on me, but it was still quite good?
"Your defect is a tendency to judge everyone," Ayesha said.
"And yours," he said with a smile, "is to willfully misunderstand them."
4. Things that didn't fit anywhere else
A. This book made me feel so hungry! Like honestly... On a book unrelated issue, when making chai, Ayesha puts in the spices, tea and milk in at the same time? (Trying hard not to judge...)
B. The audio is great! (The only issue is that I can't remember the names of some of the side characters...)
C. I distinctly remember there was something else, I wanted to put here, but... can't remember.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It's probably the best Jane Austen inspired book I read so far. Would definitely recommend!
Khalid took a deep, calming breath, and smiled at her, channeling his inner shark.
Or at least, dolphin.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes