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kristinj1's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This is a really interesting story, mainly because it was a world that I really know nothing about and having zero experience with. There were a few things about the writing that I bumped against, but overall I think the story was a really interesting one. Depicting a few people who were set up as villains in the story as just overall bad people without any redeeming qualities. It feels like these were based on real life people and had realistic stories, so feel weird that they already picked it in such a negative way without any mitigating circumstances or stories to be told. That being said, it was still really fascinating look at a Muslim community in Toronto. I think I would probably read the next story in this series, we're there to be one.
Content Warnings
Minor: Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Trafficking, Racism, Death of parent, Grief, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Xenophobia, Abortion, and Religious bigotry
sweetsxrrxw's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
4.0
one thing about me is that i always end up getting stuck in reading slumps for weeks and end up finishing about 50% of the book in a day or two. this is a terrible thing because i always end up forgetting many details. but, anyways, i guess that doesn't really matter for this review.
i must confess i have never read or watched "pride and prejudice" (even though i'll have to watch the movie soon for a uni assignment, lmao) so i had no idea of how the plot would unfold but i honestly did not mind.
there are so many things i have loved about this story. so when i have recently learnt it's the author's debut novel i was surprised because it is so good. the characters she created are truly complex and i love how you couldn't always hate or love them and how they had their cons and pros (some of them felt kinda flat, though).and i love how most of the characters end up being somehow intertwined. even minor characters had some kind of closure and i really like that.
but let's focus on the main characters: khalid and ayesha. there is this other thing i genuinely loved since the beginning of the story and it's khalid standing out because of the way he dresses. usually, it's always muslim women who go through that but he always says he wants to make his identity clear and i love that so much. don't get me wrong, i like relating to hijabi characters who go through discrimination because that's what i face every day too. but i appreciate how, mostly, none of ayesha's issues were related to that. speaking of ayesha, she is also a great character and you can't help but love her. of course, i haven't always necessarily agreed with every thing she did or said (i might have a couple annotations calling her dumb, lmao) but that's what gives her character more depth.
i also love how, before getting together, they took their time to grow and become better versions of themselves.
and i could go on and talk about every other side character since, as i said, i loved many of them. but that would make this review a reaaally long one, so let's just move on.
there were scenes, paragraphs or quotes that made me giggle but i wouldn't really classify this as a funny story or even a rom-com. i think it has more drama than comedy? but i love that, of course. but then there were some parts which felt really slow :/so slow that i am kinda disappointed that we didn't get to see the main relationship properly unfold and the ending left me wanting for more. maybe a second book wouldn't be a bad idea
let me just finish this review with a quote which really ressonated with me <3
i must confess i have never read or watched "pride and prejudice" (even though i'll have to watch the movie soon for a uni assignment, lmao) so i had no idea of how the plot would unfold but i honestly did not mind.
there are so many things i have loved about this story. so when i have recently learnt it's the author's debut novel i was surprised because it is so good. the characters she created are truly complex and i love how you couldn't always hate or love them and how they had their cons and pros (some of them felt kinda flat, though).and i love how most of the characters end up being somehow intertwined. even minor characters had some kind of closure and i really like that.
but let's focus on the main characters: khalid and ayesha. there is this other thing i genuinely loved since the beginning of the story and it's khalid standing out because of the way he dresses. usually, it's always muslim women who go through that but he always says he wants to make his identity clear and i love that so much. don't get me wrong, i like relating to hijabi characters who go through discrimination because that's what i face every day too. but i appreciate how, mostly, none of ayesha's issues were related to that. speaking of ayesha, she is also a great character and you can't help but love her. of course, i haven't always necessarily agreed with every thing she did or said (i might have a couple annotations calling her dumb, lmao) but that's what gives her character more depth.
and i could go on and talk about every other side character since, as i said, i loved many of them. but that would make this review a reaaally long one, so let's just move on.
there were scenes, paragraphs or quotes that made me giggle but i wouldn't really classify this as a funny story or even a rom-com. i think it has more drama than comedy? but i love that, of course. but then there were some parts which felt really slow :/
let me just finish this review with a quote which really ressonated with me <3
"just remember to pack light. dreams tend to shatter if you're carrying other people's hopes around you."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Islamophobia, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism and Misogyny
Minor: Grief, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Abortion
nrhilmer's review against another edition
emotional
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Islamophobia, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia
Minor: Death of parent, Abortion, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, and Emotional abuse
aseel_reads's review against another edition
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
3.75
this was really fun! i enjoyed figuring out which character was the reimagined one from P&P. i liked how it was adapted to fit a Indian/south asian muslim community!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Islamophobia, Death of parent, Abortion, Alcohol, Grief, and Religious bigotry
thewildmageslibrary's review against another edition
4.0
It's been a while since I read this, but I remember liking it! Going in, the synopsis had given me certain expectations that I was glad were not true. I enjoyed the story much better with mistaken identity being the conflict! Khalid was such a cinnamon roll.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Grief
Moderate: Islamophobia, Racism, Misogyny, and Fatphobia
Minor: Abortion and Death of parent
kelly_e's review
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
4.0
Title: Ayesha at Last
Author: Uzma Jalaluddin
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4
Pub Date: June 12 2018
T H R E E • W O R D S
Lighthearted • Delightful • Modern
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Ayesha at Last is a modern day retelling of the beloved classic Pride & Prejudice with Muslim protagonists. Ayesha dreams of being a poet, but she's put that dream aside for a teaching job in order to repay her uncle. Her boisterous family is constantly reminding her she's still single, but she knows she doesn't want an arranged marriage. When she meets Khalid, she's immediately off-put by his conservative and judgmental nature. His father having recently died, Khalid is focused on his career, and trusts his mother to find him a wife. When a new boss is put in place, he faces pressures to conform to different ways than what he knows. When the two are thrown together to plan event to help save an organization near and dear to them both, they're about to get to know each other a whole lot better.
💭 T H O U G H T S
What a pleasant surprise Ayesha at Last was, I still cannot wrap my head around the fact this is a debut novel. The writing follows an easy flow, offering alternating third person accounts of both Ayesha and Khalid's lives. While marketed as a romantic comedy, this story is so much more than just romance. It takes a deep dive into the complexities of family relationships, religious standards, and finding oneself. Uzma Jalauddin explores many themes including identity, family, community, faith, and of course, love. The connection between the characters is magnetic. The humour an added bonus. The culture embedded within informative. The author has done a phenomenal job portraying the many different challenges faced by immigrants in Canada, in this feel-good story. For all of these reasons, this novel was an enjoyable reading experience I won't soon forget.
I've never read Pride & Prejudice so I cannot speak to its authenticity in relation to it, but this title stands strong all on its own. It is a fun, informative enemies-to-lovers done right novel that has be looking forward to Hana Khan Carries On, this author's latest release.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Pride & Prejudice lovers
• Cultural romance readers
• those that enjoy romance without all the steam
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"We are all just cosmic players in the eternal dance of life."
Author: Uzma Jalaluddin
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4
Pub Date: June 12 2018
T H R E E • W O R D S
Lighthearted • Delightful • Modern
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Ayesha at Last is a modern day retelling of the beloved classic Pride & Prejudice with Muslim protagonists. Ayesha dreams of being a poet, but she's put that dream aside for a teaching job in order to repay her uncle. Her boisterous family is constantly reminding her she's still single, but she knows she doesn't want an arranged marriage. When she meets Khalid, she's immediately off-put by his conservative and judgmental nature. His father having recently died, Khalid is focused on his career, and trusts his mother to find him a wife. When a new boss is put in place, he faces pressures to conform to different ways than what he knows. When the two are thrown together to plan event to help save an organization near and dear to them both, they're about to get to know each other a whole lot better.
💭 T H O U G H T S
What a pleasant surprise Ayesha at Last was, I still cannot wrap my head around the fact this is a debut novel. The writing follows an easy flow, offering alternating third person accounts of both Ayesha and Khalid's lives. While marketed as a romantic comedy, this story is so much more than just romance. It takes a deep dive into the complexities of family relationships, religious standards, and finding oneself. Uzma Jalauddin explores many themes including identity, family, community, faith, and of course, love. The connection between the characters is magnetic. The humour an added bonus. The culture embedded within informative. The author has done a phenomenal job portraying the many different challenges faced by immigrants in Canada, in this feel-good story. For all of these reasons, this novel was an enjoyable reading experience I won't soon forget.
I've never read Pride & Prejudice so I cannot speak to its authenticity in relation to it, but this title stands strong all on its own. It is a fun, informative enemies-to-lovers done right novel that has be looking forward to Hana Khan Carries On, this author's latest release.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Pride & Prejudice lovers
• Cultural romance readers
• those that enjoy romance without all the steam
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"We are all just cosmic players in the eternal dance of life."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia, Racism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Grief, and Misogyny
Minor: Abortion, Body shaming, and Bullying
fromjuliereads's review against another edition
challenging
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.5
I absolutely adored this book. I didn't want to put it down and wish I could have just kept reading it! The characters are so wonderfully developed, flawed, and loveable. I loved Ayesha and Khalid, Clara, Idris, Nana and Nani, so many of them! This is a loose retelling of Pride and Prejudice, and I absolutely loved that! I like that there were elements of the story and plot that aligned closely with the original, but it was told in such a unique and interesting way! Jajaluddin did a fantastic job of spinning the original P&P into a Desi Muslim retelling. I enjoyed it so much!
Also, I thoroughly loved the sprinkling of Shakespeare quotes! That was such a fun addition. And the quotes from the imam! He was such a great character - I even laughed out loud at a couple of his lines!
Highly recommend for anyone who loves Pride and Prejudice!! You will be tearing up, laughing, and cheering out loud!
Cannot wait to read Jalaluddin's next book!
Also, I thoroughly loved the sprinkling of Shakespeare quotes! That was such a fun addition. And the quotes from the imam! He was such a great character - I even laughed out loud at a couple of his lines!
Highly recommend for anyone who loves Pride and Prejudice!! You will be tearing up, laughing, and cheering out loud!
Cannot wait to read Jalaluddin's next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Pregnancy
Minor: Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Sexism
myfriendthatcanread's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Fatphobia, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
harperhoney's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, and Racism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Misogyny, and Grief
Minor: Domestic abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Violence, and Death
rosiewants2read's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is such a sweet romance I absolutely adored this book. Its super informative about Islam and Indian culture excellent story telling and I loved the plot twists at the end. I cant stop thinking about this story which Is why I gave it five stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Grief and Sexism
Minor: Bullying