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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
3.75 / 5 stars
Ayesha at Last was a cute, summery read (that you can read at any time) that centers around Muslim families that immigrated to Toronto from India. The story revolves around arranged marriages and two characters navigating through the chaos of either wanting or not wanting their parents to arrange their marriage. While I felt that the story wasn't that unique, this book is important for the diversity in a romance novel. I flew through this novel, though there were some cringey (yet important) scenes in this book. I liked Ayesha's outspoken and determined personality and that I could relate to her teacher mishaps in the beginning of the book.
I wished that Ayesha and Khalid's relationship was more developed at the end of the book, but I'm not sure if the way the author decided to end the book was similar to Pride and Prejudice. I haven't read Pride and Prejudice, so I cannot speak to the elements that were used in Ayesha at Last.
Overall, if you have time to fit this contemporary romance into your TBR, I would recommend this book!
Ayesha at Last was a cute, summery read (that you can read at any time) that centers around Muslim families that immigrated to Toronto from India. The story revolves around arranged marriages and two characters navigating through the chaos of either wanting or not wanting their parents to arrange their marriage. While I felt that the story wasn't that unique, this book is important for the diversity in a romance novel. I flew through this novel, though there were some cringey (yet important) scenes in this book. I liked Ayesha's outspoken and determined personality and that I could relate to her teacher mishaps in the beginning of the book.
I wished that Ayesha and Khalid's relationship was more developed at the end of the book, but I'm not sure if the way the author decided to end the book was similar to Pride and Prejudice. I haven't read Pride and Prejudice, so I cannot speak to the elements that were used in Ayesha at Last.
Overall, if you have time to fit this contemporary romance into your TBR, I would recommend this book!
4.5/5
When I was sixteen, I was obsessed with the French film Populaire. I was equally obsessed with the film's soundtrack, and when I found out it wasn't available on iTunes (at least in the US), I paid a ridiculous amount for the CD on Amazon, only to promptly forget about it. I don't even know where it is today. My dedication to getting Ayesha at Last was similarly manic but with a much better end result.
Retellings are tricky, and I was worried I'd be hit over the head with Jane Austen. Not only was I pleasantly surprised, but it was a genuinely funny, dramatic and romantic book. By the end of the first chapter, I knew it'd be a keeper. The second time around, my opinion is unchanged.
Ayesha is a 27-year-old substitute teacher/aspiring poet living in Toronto with her eccentric extended family. Her cousin, Hafsa, is en route to rejecting her 100th rishta, and Ayesha... isn't. She's sensible and passionate, with a solid head on her shoulders. Across the road is 26-year-old Khalid, a devout Muslim and admitted mama's boy. He trusts his mother to find him the perfect wife, and leads his life with the same confidence- Khalid knows who he is, and doesn't care if the world would prefer otherwise. When Ayesha and Khalid meet by chance, it goes as expected: badly. As kismet would have it, the two are thrown together again and again until their feelings evolve. But things are rarely that simple.
Ayesha At Last is based on Pride and Prejudice, but if you're expecting an exact retelling, you're in the wrong place. Yes, a lot is drawn from Jane Austen, but an equal amount is inspired by Shakespeare (and Bollywood, to0). The writing can be clunky, but the story was enthralling. Even if you grew up reading Pride and Prejudice (or watching the adaptations), there are still plot twists and surprises abound. If you want something equally fun and substantial, this is a great choice.
When I was sixteen, I was obsessed with the French film Populaire. I was equally obsessed with the film's soundtrack, and when I found out it wasn't available on iTunes (at least in the US), I paid a ridiculous amount for the CD on Amazon, only to promptly forget about it. I don't even know where it is today. My dedication to getting Ayesha at Last was similarly manic but with a much better end result.
Retellings are tricky, and I was worried I'd be hit over the head with Jane Austen. Not only was I pleasantly surprised, but it was a genuinely funny, dramatic and romantic book. By the end of the first chapter, I knew it'd be a keeper. The second time around, my opinion is unchanged.
Ayesha is a 27-year-old substitute teacher/aspiring poet living in Toronto with her eccentric extended family. Her cousin, Hafsa, is en route to rejecting her 100th rishta, and Ayesha... isn't. She's sensible and passionate, with a solid head on her shoulders. Across the road is 26-year-old Khalid, a devout Muslim and admitted mama's boy. He trusts his mother to find him the perfect wife, and leads his life with the same confidence- Khalid knows who he is, and doesn't care if the world would prefer otherwise. When Ayesha and Khalid meet by chance, it goes as expected: badly. As kismet would have it, the two are thrown together again and again until their feelings evolve. But things are rarely that simple.
Ayesha At Last is based on Pride and Prejudice, but if you're expecting an exact retelling, you're in the wrong place. Yes, a lot is drawn from Jane Austen, but an equal amount is inspired by Shakespeare (and Bollywood, to0). The writing can be clunky, but the story was enthralling. Even if you grew up reading Pride and Prejudice (or watching the adaptations), there are still plot twists and surprises abound. If you want something equally fun and substantial, this is a great choice.
Will I ever tire of Muslim romances/contemporaries? NEVER.
This was just lovely š
This was just lovely š
Interesting look into the Indian culture, especially as it pertains to Muslim marriage customs and family structures, but not as well-written as it could have been.
ModernMrsDarcy.com Summer 2019 Reading List
Ayesha At Last is a Pride and Prejudice inspired novel with lots of Shakespearean references ā Muslim-style. I must stop saying that Iām not a fan of rom-com because, apparently, I am. Iām reading a lot of this genre because Iām on a mission to read all the books on the ModernMrsDarcy.com Summer 2019 Reading List and Iām truly enjoying most of them. Thank you, Anne, for expanding my horizons.
Interview:
https://janeaustensummer.org/2019/03/20/ayesha-at-last-author-uzma-jalaluddin-creates-a-modern-day-muslim-adaptation-of-pride-and-prejudice/
Ayesha At Last is a Pride and Prejudice inspired novel with lots of Shakespearean references ā Muslim-style. I must stop saying that Iām not a fan of rom-com because, apparently, I am. Iām reading a lot of this genre because Iām on a mission to read all the books on the ModernMrsDarcy.com Summer 2019 Reading List and Iām truly enjoying most of them. Thank you, Anne, for expanding my horizons.
Interview:
https://janeaustensummer.org/2019/03/20/ayesha-at-last-author-uzma-jalaluddin-creates-a-modern-day-muslim-adaptation-of-pride-and-prejudice/
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
I love a good Pride and Prejudice rewrite and this one included the exploration of different cultural elements. A fun read.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not exactly my cup of tea, but surprisingly enjoyable. It had the vibe of a chaotic rom-com ā full of eccentric characters and unpredictable moments. Nana is my absolute favorite ā I love him with all my heart.
Still, I'm gaving it 2.5 stars because, while it had its charm, some parts felt underdeveloped, and few moments unnecessary or out of character.
Still, I'm gaving it 2.5 stars because, while it had its charm, some parts felt underdeveloped, and few moments unnecessary or out of character.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is another of the Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Challenge picks. When Ann described this one in the online "unveiling," it was near the top of my list. I had to order it from England (who knows why it was only available that way, I'm not e-sales expert) and was a little annoyed that it arrived while we had guests, because that meant I wouldn't be able to submerge myself.
If I hadn't built up my expectations, I would not have been left with the little let-down. It's a pretty good book. I liked the way that Ayesha and her grandfather trade literary references. I liked the various members of the cast: Ayesha and her best friend Clara, her grandfather and grandmother and her love interest, Khalid. These characters are all fairly well rounded; all of the others are cartoons or deux-ex-machinae. And that's ok, for a lightweight book. The plot has multiple strands: Ayesha is torn between her heart's desire to be a poet and her practical desire to be a good person, a person who follows her mother's advice to be financially independent, who takes a scatterbrain cousin under her wing in gratitude to her uncle for providing her family with refuge when they arrived from India, who believes in being a good friend. She embodies good intentions, and outwardly shows them in her faith-based attire and behavior. Khalid is a pious Muslim who also wants to do the right thing: to remain a virgin until married, to follow precepts of conservative Islam even when he attends a more relaxed mosque. He is quick to judge others but holds himself to an impossible standard. His widowed mother's family money means he needn't work, but he works to send money to his sister in India. In the face of harassment at work, he does his best to temporize without sacrificing his personal principals (clothing, beard, prayer, no touching women). He is a little rigid, a little judgmental, and he holds himself as aloof as he can from temptation. But he is tempted by Ayesha, and she by him. Unfortunately, his mother's need for control, her cousin's need for shenanigans, and their own pride keep them apart (though it is a comedy, so it ends with love).
I appreciated Jalaluddin's riffs on characters from Jane Austen. Khalid's mother is something like Lady Catherine de Bourgh; Mr. Collins gets a remake in the goofball person of Majoob, Life Coach to the Wrestling Stars; the young ditzy cousin is of course Lydia, and their grandfather is Mr. Bennett, but much more sweet-natured. And then there are some fun surprises, like Nani, the grandmother, who occasionally lets her Sherlock/Lt. Columbo freak flag fly.
But other characters are just too crudely drawn; Sheila, the mean, Islamophobic boss; Tarek, a Wickham wannabe who takes it a bit farther with internet pornography. Scenes of Ayesha's first teaching job seem to be set up simply to provide another place for Ayesha to be. Shouldn't it feel as though they'd been written thoroughly and then edited to a few words that captured a real environment?
So, not perfect, though fun. I much preferred Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal, which also riffs on Pride and Prejudice in an Islamic setting, but does so more faithfully and more successfully.
If I hadn't built up my expectations, I would not have been left with the little let-down. It's a pretty good book. I liked the way that Ayesha and her grandfather trade literary references. I liked the various members of the cast: Ayesha and her best friend Clara, her grandfather and grandmother and her love interest, Khalid. These characters are all fairly well rounded; all of the others are cartoons or deux-ex-machinae. And that's ok, for a lightweight book. The plot has multiple strands: Ayesha is torn between her heart's desire to be a poet and her practical desire to be a good person, a person who follows her mother's advice to be financially independent, who takes a scatterbrain cousin under her wing in gratitude to her uncle for providing her family with refuge when they arrived from India, who believes in being a good friend. She embodies good intentions, and outwardly shows them in her faith-based attire and behavior. Khalid is a pious Muslim who also wants to do the right thing: to remain a virgin until married, to follow precepts of conservative Islam even when he attends a more relaxed mosque. He is quick to judge others but holds himself to an impossible standard. His widowed mother's family money means he needn't work, but he works to send money to his sister in India. In the face of harassment at work, he does his best to temporize without sacrificing his personal principals (clothing, beard, prayer, no touching women). He is a little rigid, a little judgmental, and he holds himself as aloof as he can from temptation. But he is tempted by Ayesha, and she by him. Unfortunately, his mother's need for control, her cousin's need for shenanigans, and their own pride keep them apart (though it is a comedy, so it ends with love).
I appreciated Jalaluddin's riffs on characters from Jane Austen. Khalid's mother is something like Lady Catherine de Bourgh; Mr. Collins gets a remake in the goofball person of Majoob, Life Coach to the Wrestling Stars; the young ditzy cousin is of course Lydia, and their grandfather is Mr. Bennett, but much more sweet-natured. And then there are some fun surprises, like Nani, the grandmother, who occasionally lets her Sherlock/Lt. Columbo freak flag fly.
But other characters are just too crudely drawn; Sheila, the mean, Islamophobic boss; Tarek, a Wickham wannabe who takes it a bit farther with internet pornography. Scenes of Ayesha's first teaching job seem to be set up simply to provide another place for Ayesha to be. Shouldn't it feel as though they'd been written thoroughly and then edited to a few words that captured a real environment?
So, not perfect, though fun. I much preferred Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal, which also riffs on Pride and Prejudice in an Islamic setting, but does so more faithfully and more successfully.