Take a photo of a barcode or cover
jstimmins 's review for:
Ayesha at Last
by Uzma Jalaluddin
I enjoyed the beginning more than the end, and I liked the stories about the Muslim community in Toronto, and each of the main character's relationships with their family and friends and employers, more than I cared about the romance itself. I thought the evil boss was over the top -- how could such an awful woman rise to such a position of power -- but I loved how Sheila was able to turn the tables with Khalid. I also appreciated that Amir, who seemed to be nothing but comic relief, turned out to have depths of his own.
I think this story has much more in common with Shakespeare's comedies than with Pride & Prejudice, and the one piece of writing the deliberately echoed Austen (the proposal) seemed inconsistent with Khalid's mindset up until then. I can't help wondering whether Jalaluddin's editors suggested adding those elements late in the writing process, because the Shakespearean parallels work so much better. Sheila and Amir and Hafsa would be right at home in Arden.
I think this story has much more in common with Shakespeare's comedies than with Pride & Prejudice, and the one piece of writing the deliberately echoed Austen (the proposal) seemed inconsistent with Khalid's mindset up until then. I can't help wondering whether Jalaluddin's editors suggested adding those elements late in the writing process, because the Shakespearean parallels work so much better. Sheila and Amir and Hafsa would be right at home in Arden.