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brgntteva's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.0
stephbeaudoin20's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin
First Review: I absolutely loved this book! I read it in one sitting and could not put it down.
Updated Review:
I love Ayesha at Last. This is the fourth time I've read this book and it won't be my last.
Things I'm here for:
Authentic South Asian Representation
Muslim representation that shows Muslims are not a monolith
Muslim Romance
Ayesha is a strong Muslim woman. She is still learning who she is and what she wants. She is complicated.
Khalil loves deeply. He trusts in his Faith, and learns that Faith has many options.
This is an excellent retelling of Pride and Prejudice. It doesn't follow the story scene for scene, and there is a heavy dose of Shakespeare in there from Nana. You can feel the similarities like a thought in your subconscious. You know this story is timeless.
This is my 22nd book for The Diverse Baseline Challenge, and the first for the prompt of Desi or South Asian Author.
First Review: I absolutely loved this book! I read it in one sitting and could not put it down.
Updated Review:
I love Ayesha at Last. This is the fourth time I've read this book and it won't be my last.
Things I'm here for:
Authentic South Asian Representation
Muslim representation that shows Muslims are not a monolith
Muslim Romance
Ayesha is a strong Muslim woman. She is still learning who she is and what she wants. She is complicated.
Khalil loves deeply. He trusts in his Faith, and learns that Faith has many options.
This is an excellent retelling of Pride and Prejudice. It doesn't follow the story scene for scene, and there is a heavy dose of Shakespeare in there from Nana. You can feel the similarities like a thought in your subconscious. You know this story is timeless.
This is my 22nd book for The Diverse Baseline Challenge, and the first for the prompt of Desi or South Asian Author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Racism, Islamophobia, Alcohol, and Xenophobia
trin's review against another edition
2.0
Really wanted to like this, but alas, there were way too many elements that didn't work or rang false for me.
I love tropes, but there's at least three different novels' worth crammed in here. There's the much advertised Pride and Prejudice element--which is loose at best--muddled with a mistaken identity plotline, and a She's All That makeover-y bit that is still uncomfortable even when toned down. (Also like: is Khalid's issue that he dresses like a fundamentalist, or like a sloppy fundamentalist? These are very different things, but the answer appears to be: whatever is narratively convenient at the time.)
Also, there are, like, three different revenge plots, launched in turn by Khalid's cartoonishly evil boss, Khalid's cartoonishly evil mother, and then the book's Wickham stand-in, who Jalaluddin writes as both a legitimately wronged party in the update of the Georgiana Darcy shenanigans and the operator of a creepy porn site, because again, I guess both these things are narratively convenient at different times, and also, the novel's characterization is, overall, as subtle as an anvil.
Look, I love the idea of a modern, Muslim P&P, but with this book I was never able to turn off my logical brain and sink into the narrative for more than a couple pages at a time, because that's as long as the narrative seemed to be able to go without something off or OTT happening. There would be a cute exchange or moment, but then it would be followed by, say, a scene of Ayesha, the supposedly gifted poet, reciting some of her "amazing" poetry, only for the poem itself (and the other characters' astounded reactions) to be positively painful. (Pro-tip for writers: unless you yourself are really good at writing poetry, do not include any of your poet character's work if you want your readers to continue to believe in their skill/not burst out laughing.)
Pretty much any scene to do with Ayesha and poetry was utterly wince-inducing, including the part where she randomly recites Macbeth's "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" soliloquy to...get back at Khalid somehow? Except nothing that's going on has anything to do with what that speech is about?? And also at one point characters go to an AA meeting that is entirely unlike any AA meeting that has ever existed?? Why?
The genius of P&P was in Austen's nuanced characters, sparkling dialogue, and sharp social observation. All three of these things are lacking here. It's a pity.
I love tropes, but there's at least three different novels' worth crammed in here. There's the much advertised Pride and Prejudice element--which is loose at best--muddled with a mistaken identity plotline, and a She's All That makeover-y bit that is still uncomfortable even when toned down. (Also like: is Khalid's issue that he dresses like a fundamentalist, or like a sloppy fundamentalist? These are very different things, but the answer appears to be: whatever is narratively convenient at the time.)
Also, there are, like, three different revenge plots, launched in turn by Khalid's cartoonishly evil boss, Khalid's cartoonishly evil mother, and then the book's Wickham stand-in, who Jalaluddin writes as both a legitimately wronged party in the update of the Georgiana Darcy shenanigans and the operator of a creepy porn site, because again, I guess both these things are narratively convenient at different times, and also, the novel's characterization is, overall, as subtle as an anvil.
Look, I love the idea of a modern, Muslim P&P, but with this book I was never able to turn off my logical brain and sink into the narrative for more than a couple pages at a time, because that's as long as the narrative seemed to be able to go without something off or OTT happening. There would be a cute exchange or moment, but then it would be followed by, say, a scene of Ayesha, the supposedly gifted poet, reciting some of her "amazing" poetry, only for the poem itself (and the other characters' astounded reactions) to be positively painful. (Pro-tip for writers: unless you yourself are really good at writing poetry, do not include any of your poet character's work if you want your readers to continue to believe in their skill/not burst out laughing.)
Pretty much any scene to do with Ayesha and poetry was utterly wince-inducing, including the part where she randomly recites Macbeth's "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" soliloquy to...get back at Khalid somehow? Except nothing that's going on has anything to do with what that speech is about?? And also at one point characters go to an AA meeting that is entirely unlike any AA meeting that has ever existed?? Why?
The genius of P&P was in Austen's nuanced characters, sparkling dialogue, and sharp social observation. All three of these things are lacking here. It's a pity.
stephaniesteen73's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this smart and creative re-telling of "Pride and Prejudice," using a modern-day Canadian Muslim community as its context. Just as charming as the original!
jenniebrevik's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
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
lahreb_a's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is my second Muslim romance and it was nice to see different perspectives and each level of practising of every character. At times it almost felt like dramatic Indian dramas with the side plot twists. I also loved the incorporation of poetry and Shakespeare throughout the story. Overall I did enjoy it but it was very hard to truly get into the story and only picked up its pace after halfway through.
cecicastro's review against another edition
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
3.5
Absolutely loved the first half of the book but the second part left me a bit disappointed. The ending felt rushed, too much was going on at a time. I would have liked if there was more time spent on the scene where the Ayesha and Khalid finally get together, instead of getting that last scene with Clara and Rob.
That said, I did really love many of the characters- Khalid and Ayesha especially. Nana and Nani were also amazing.
That said, I did really love many of the characters- Khalid and Ayesha especially. Nana and Nani were also amazing.
mynameislaura's review against another edition
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
3.25
fluffycamel's review against another edition
4.0
Fun read. Warning: it will make you want to drink a warm mug of chai, constantly.