Unmarriageable

October 15, 2018
A modern-day retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, this time set in Pakistan.Why so many writers choose to retell Pride and Prejudice is a question that will never be answered. You can read versions of the novel in which the characters are gay, Amish, or battling zombies, though not, fortunately, all of the above. Kamal's (An Isolated Incident, 2014) latest effort locates the familiar story in Pakistan in 2001. Here, the Bennets are the Binats, with sisters Elizabeth, Jane, Kitty, Mary, and Lydia becoming Alysba, Jena, Qitty, Mari, and Lady, respectively. Mr. Darcy appears as--wait for it--Mr. Darsee. And so on. Kamal sticks closely to the original plot, so there aren't any surprises there. Alysba Binat, like her predecessor, is smart, headstrong, and a little too quick to judge. Likewise, her mother is a little too eager for her daughters to marry; her father a little too retiring; etc. All these similarities, unfortunately, draw attention to the gap between Austen's writing and Kamal's. Kamal can be heavy-footed where Austen was light, plodding where Austen was quicksilver. Kamal's dialogue sometimes sounds more like something from a doctoral thesis than like something someone might actually say. At one point, Darsee tells Alysba, "That book made me believe I could have a Pakistani identity inclusive of an English-speaking tongue. We've been forced to seek ourselves in the literature of others for too long." She responds, "But reading widely can lead to an appreciation of the universalities across cultures." But as those lines also reveal, Kamal's version of the classic novel highlights issues of colonialism, race, and Pakistani identity. Her insights are pointed and smart. Flaws aside, Kamal's novel is a charming update to the original. Put your feet up and enjoy it.Kamal's version has its flaws, but overall it's a delicious book, something to sink your teeth into.

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Starred review from October 29, 2018
Kamal (An Isolated Incident) masterfully transports Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice from Regency England to modern-day Pakistan in this excellent retelling. Alys Binat, 30, and her sister, Jena, 32, are teachers at the British School of Dilipabad and are considered spinsters by the standards of their community and their obsessively matchmaking mother, who still grieves the loss of the Binats’ wealthy lifestyle years ago after they were bilked by a family member. Upon receiving invitations to the wedding of a family friend, Mrs. Binat turns her considerable talents to preparing her five daughters to land rich husbands to secure their family’s future. Enter the handsome, genial Fahad “Bungles” Bengla, who is instantly taken with Jena, and his best friend, the intense Valentine Darsee, who wastes little time offending Alys’s pride and earning her scorn. What ensues is a funny, sometimes romantic, often thought-provoking glimpse into Pakistani culture, one which adroitly illustrates the double standards women face when navigating sex, love, and marriage. This is a must-read for devout Austenites.

December 15, 2018
Alys Binat, the second of five daughters, is an independent, forward-thinking English teacher in Pakistan or, as Alys likes to call it, [t]he home of the marriage-industrial complex. When the rich and handsome Bungles becomes smitten with Alys' older sister, her family eagerly awaits an advantageous proposal. The classic plot unfolds, but with rich descriptions of colorful, chiffon anarkalis instead of empire-waist gowns, chai and samosas instead of tea and scones. Kamal's adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is faithful, with scene-by-scene recreations that will inevitably cause the reader to picture Austen's original at the same time. Mrs. Binat beautifies her daughters with chickpea masks; Mari bores her sisters with Islamic preachings. That juxtaposition along with plenty of metareferential allusions are what makes this version so much fun. Even the most devoted Austenites will be surprised with how much they judge Darsee as arrogant in the beginning of the novel yet suddenly adore him in the end. This love letter to Austen reexamines sisterhood, society, and marriage in Pakistani culture and includes a fleshed-out epilogue that will satisfy today's readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

Starred review from November 1, 2018

Pride and Prejudice in Pakistan may seem like an unusual pairing to some, but the rich cultural backdrop only enhances and breathes new life into Jane Austen's classic. In this adaptation, the Binat family experiences a reversal of fortune, which lands them in the small town of Dilipabad. Alys, the second daughter of five, works as a teacher to supplement the family's income. She swears she'll never marry, but at a wedding festival, she meets Valentine Darcee, whose sensitivities hide behind his churlish veneer. Meanwhile, Mrs. Binat uses the wedding to parade her daughters in front of the rich bachelors in attendance, causing quite a stir. Kamal (An Unfortunate Incident) boldly embraces this treasured love story, creating a version solely her own. An Austen fan herself, the author remains faithful to the original story while giving readers insight into Pakistani culture in a modern retelling both enlightening and entertaining. The dialog sparkles with sharp humor, which will dazzle readers with counterparts of the original. VERDICT Austen devotees will rejoice in this respectful cross-cultural update of a beloved classic. [See Prepub Alert, 7/30/18.]--Julie Whiteley, Stephenville, TX

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2018

With the marital prospects of her five daughters not so bright, Mrs. Binat eagerly anticipates a big wedding in town where eligible bachelors might surface. Oldest daughter Jena gets lucky, but independent-minded Alys does not get on with aloof Valentine Darsee. Yes, it's Pride and Prejudice set in contemporary Pakistan, with Kamal following up her multi-prize-finalist debut, An Isolated Incident.

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.