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Haveli

Zeenat Mahal

3.70 · Rating details · 395 ratings · 74 reviews

It’s the 1970′s in Jalalabad, an erstwhile princely state in Pakistan. Chandni is a self-proclaimed cynic and prefers to be called C. An orphan brought up by her domineering grandmother, a.k.a. The Broad, C is rebellious, quick-witted and stunningly beautiful.

When Taimur, a.k.a. Alpha Male, enters the closed universe of the haveli, he is smitten, but he’ll never admit it. ...more

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ebook, 93 pages

Published June 12th 2013 by Indireads

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South Asian Romance

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Average rating 3.70 ·

Rating details

· 395 ratings · 74 reviews

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Mar 27, 2018 Ronak Gajjar rated it did not like it

Shelves: 2018, stand-alones

Was this a book? A joke? A prank on my brain cells? – Then not funny at all!
Therefore, it was that – I read blurb after reading the so-called “Book” and it was supposed to be – ROMANCE!
Funny part - No relevance between title and the story!
‘Good girls’ wore red lipstick only after they were married.
description

Concept: 1.0/5.0
Execution: 0.0/5.0
Characters Bespoken: 0.0 /5.0
Cover: 1.0/5.0
Overall: 0.5/5.0
So, the story begins with:
An orphan girl named Chandni(*who btw hates her name) – struggles to mov ...more

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May 25, 2017 Em*bedded-in-books* rated it it was ok

Shelves: india-via-books, ebooks, borrowed, india-2017

2.5 stars
A chiclit dealing with the angst of a beautiful, affluent 20 year old girl with green eyes, an orphan brought up by her Hitlerish maternal grandmother. She has a crush on an older widower, and then meets up with a handsome young, brash guy who rubs her the wrong way...
and then her long gone father makes an appearance with another young man.... and the comedy of suitors starts, with a sinister touch.
The first half was much better than the latter half.
Initially a 4 star material, the boo ...more

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Jun 12, 2014 Shilpa Garg rated it really liked it

I loved reading Haveli and that’s because of the witty, humorous and intelligent expression of the author. Zeenat’s style of writing is very engaging and lucid. Assigning nicknames to the various characters is an interesting approach. The 'literary' conversations between Chandni and Taimur are entertaining.

Haveli is a short breezy romance with charming characters, a fast paced storyline with funny and quick-witted dialogues. This is one novella, that I would love to re-read again!

Haveli is defi ...more

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Jan 14, 2014 Shuchi Kalra rated it really liked it

The first thing about ‘Haveli’ that intrigued me was its setting – Pakistan in the 1970s. I have never read a book by a Pakistani author and I know little or nothing about the culture next door so I was naturally curious. Zeenat describes the era with such flair that none of it seems strange or alien. But the high point of the story is the spunky C – she is witty, bratty, strong-willed, sarcastic but completely lovable. I have to admit, I have a thing for raw, roguish heroes too and Taimur fit t ...more

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Mar 29, 2014 Reet Singh rated it it was amazing

I loved this book. L.O.V.E.D it!
I wanted to be the one who had written it!

Zeenat Mahal, you are so irreverent; you have a naughty, cheeky, humorous voice. I kept grinning; even took my Kindle to work in case I got a minute during out-patients, just so I could get back to the sexy sparring between C. and Alpha-male. I didn't get time, sadly, but I did finish it this morning, and couldn't wait to tell you how much I loved C, what with all her name calling! And what an adorable rogue Heathcliff-t ...more

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Jul 08, 2016 Sara Saif rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: NO ONE.

Recommended to Sara by: My conscience

Shelves: my-whole-life-is-a-lie, i-dunno-why-i-bothered

Er … What the actual hell?
I really thought this would be better than The Accidental Fiance. LOL, NAH! This was worse. I’ve read some really good books this past month so this feeling of absolute loathing and disgust is something fresh. I’m relishing it.
I had expectations. They’re making fun of me right now.

Reasons why this was mostly shit:

1.There is a thing called “trying too hard”. It was insufferably suffering from it. This is the crux of the matter. Everything, the protagonist, th ...more

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Feb 20, 2014 Maria rated it it was amazing

A charming little romance which is set in the recent past. Pakistan in the seventies, to be precise. Chandni has been somewhat over-protected by her maternal grandmother in the crumbling haveli (palace) which is their family’s ancestral home. They are, as you might have guessed, erstwhile Indo-Pak royalty. Young, beautiful and extremely well read and educated due to rigorous home tutoring, Chandni longs for the love and affection of the father she has never known. He seems, her father, to have b A charming little romance which is set in the recent past. Pakistan in the seventies, to be precise. Chandni has been somewhat over-protected by her maternal grandmother in the crumbling haveli (palace) which is their family’s ancestral home. They are, as you might have guessed, erstwhile Indo-Pak royalty. Young, beautiful and extremely well read and educated due to rigorous home tutoring, Chandni longs for the love and affection of the father she has never known. He seems, her father, to have been something of a heartbreaker, a life destroyer even. Even before Chandni’s late mother died when she was a baby, pining for the man she had loved and been abandoned by, the same man had already loved and left the mother of Chandni’s elder brother Zafar to a similar fate. Zafar’s mother had had the wherewithal to deposit her child in the home of her successor before succumbing to her fate.

Chandni’s overpowering grandmother has planned out her life and even chosen her husband, but Chandni, with the candid innocence (or is it ignorance?) that is the characteristic of the young and naive, fails to see that her grandmother works only out of love and concern for her granddaughter. The old lady doesn’t do less for Zafar either, although he’s not her grandson. So when Chandni’s father appears out of the blue, protesting his helplessness in the past and his true love for his daughter, Chandni is thoroughly charmed. It doesn’t seem to occur strange to her that her father shows absolutely no concern for her brother. As the reader and other members of Chandni’s circle look on helplessly, Chandni seems to be drawn to her father’s love, affection and approval as a moth is drawn to a flame. She even mindlessly accepts the rather shallow fiancé her father has produced for her, as a magician produces a rabbit out of a hat.

I enjoyed this unusual story, which kept me guessing right up to the end. A sweet romance with sparkling dialogue and a gallant hero. Just my favourite type of read. I look forward to more from this worthy author.

I received a review copy of this work in return for an honest review.

Published By Indireads ...more

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Jul 26, 2013 Roopa Raveendran Menon rated it it was amazing

Zeenat Mahal’s Haveli belongs to its protagonist C, a stunning, sassy 20- year- old with a strong mind of her own. She has a delicious Scarlet O’Hara bite to her that makes her absolutely unforgettable! As for Taimur- Alpha Male, sigh! The reader is clearly left gasping before his smouldering, roguish charm. Superb characterization aside, another stand out is Zeenat Mahal’s style-she uses the stream of consciousness narrative style with such flair and mastery that it takes this book to another l ...more

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Dec 31, 2016 Vishy rated it really liked it

Fast paced love story with lots of humour and an awesome heroine who will give Elizabeth Bennett a run for her money.

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Sep 08, 2013 Anum S. rated it it was ok

Shelves: pakistani, muslim-characters, asian-authors, mindless-entertainment, meh, reviewed-in-detail, didn-t-agree-with-some-parts, laughed-out-loud

Even though both Pakistan and India are experiencing a rapid change in terms of interest in South Asian English literature, the field stills remain sparse and dominated by only a few well known names.

Haveli, one of the more popular ventures of Indireads, a Canada-based independent publishing company, is a novella set in a time period that appeals to both Pakistani and Indian readers. The location of the story, a mansion in Jalalabad, featuring in the book as a former princely state of Pakistan, ...more

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May 17, 2014 Nikita (Njkinny's Blog) rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Nikita by: Zeenat Mahal

Shelves: 2015, beautifully-written, first-reads-sent-by-authors, historical-romance, loved-it, bollywood-style

http://www.njkinnysblog.com/2015/06/b...

Having already read and loved The Contract by Zeenat Mahal, I already loved the author's writing style. The Contract had a strong and sensual romance more to do with strong feelings that any physical acts and this was what had me loving Zeenat Mahal's style.

But when I read Haveli, I realized that she has so much more to offer. I absolutely loved the romance, the feisty heroine, the struggles that she threw to make the story more appealing and the whole em http://www.njkinnysblog.com/2015/06/b...

Having already read and loved The Contract by Zeenat Mahal, I already loved the author's writing style. The Contract had a strong and sensual romance more to do with strong feelings that any physical acts and this was what had me loving Zeenat Mahal's style.

But when I read Haveli, I realized that she has so much more to offer. I absolutely loved the romance, the feisty heroine, the struggles that she threw to make the story more appealing and the whole emotional play that had my heart soaring and then also wrenching as I happily followed the heroine, Chandni.

The cover is nice but I think it could have been more appealing to complement the stunning story. The blurb is interesting and will interest the readers.

The author's writing style is balanced. She writes simply sometimes and then suddenly throws in the flair to go along with the story which is noteworthy. She flawlessly recreates the Pakistani high society culture of the 1970's with all its pomp and show. There are royal descendants, big Palaces (Haveli), the royal etiquette and manners and then the clash of the old with the modern.

The characterization is admirable. I loved the bratty, spoilt but still naive with a heart of gold and a mouth so foul that it can singe you, heroine, Chandni. Her craving for love, belonging and acceptance had me teary eyed. She has created a wall of brattiness around her so she can hide her true soft and loving self. Taimur had me swooning and falling in love with him. His maturity and yet the knack of rubbing Chandni the wrong way put so much fun in the story. They bickered but still felt attracted towards each other and their chemistry is hot! Chandni's grandmother who she calls "The Broad" remained an enigma to me. She is strict but still one can see that she loves Chandni and although she never shows it but cares for her well being. The other characters are also a varied mix of personalities and very entertaining to watch. All the characters in this book are people I loved meeting and learning from. The author truly has the knowledge of human character which she shows here by creating a variety of characters with different personalities.

The story moves quickly and I loved the whole experience. C aka Chandni's journey of finding her true self is funny, thrilling, sad but very entertaining. The romance is hot, conflict filled with many memorable moments.

While I completely loved the book, I still felt that the ending left a few queries in my mind like
What happened to the absconding-but-then-returned Father?
What happened when everything came to light in front of him?
Were the differences between C and her brother resolved?

All in all, Haveli is an entertaining and a memorable book that I can re-read again. 4.5 out of 5 to it and strongly recommended to everyone. Had the end left me completely satisfied, I would have happily given it 5 stars. Zeenat is a talented author and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future. ...more

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Jan 17, 2014 Lemon Review rated it really liked it

Originally posted on The Lemon Review

Lemon Reviewer: Lindsey

I’m always on the lookout for new fiction that pushes the boundaries of what I typically read. Recently, I had the opportunity to do just that with Haveli, by Zeenat Mahal. Haveli is a novella set in 1970’s Pakistan. This intrigued me because a) though I love learning about different cultures, I literally know next to nothing about Pakistan and b) most romance novels I come across have current, futuristic, or regency era time periods. Originally posted on The Lemon Review

Lemon Reviewer: Lindsey

I’m always on the lookout for new fiction that pushes the boundaries of what I typically read. Recently, I had the opportunity to do just that with Haveli, by Zeenat Mahal. Haveli is a novella set in 1970’s Pakistan. This intrigued me because a) though I love learning about different cultures, I literally know next to nothing about Pakistan and b) most romance novels I come across have current, futuristic, or regency era time periods.

Haveli is about Chandni, an heiress, who has a modern way of thinking for her time and culture. She’s feisty, intelligent, and determined to get what she wants – even if what she wants is a man who’s about two-decades her senior. In her pursuit, however, she comes across Taimur, the son of a much loved friend of the family. Immediately, Chandni pegs him as an “Alpha Male” and frequently refers to him as such throughout the novella.

Taimur is apparently wealthy, obviously cocky, and, according to Chandni, “too perfect”. Taimur immediately picks up on Chandni’s pursuit of the older man, and find it amusing to no end. However, Taimur knows something that she doesn’t – their betrothal is imminent.
There are a lot of things to like about Haveli aside from the fact that it’s something different. There’s a decidedly Austen-esque tone to the novel where Chandni and Taimur are not unlike Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. The story is well written, colorful with fun dialogue, and even some intrigue once Chandni’s long-lost father comes into the plot.

There were, however, a few things I had some trouble with. Having little to no prior knowledge of the Pakistani culture, I would have really loved to see part of that embellished on. There were a few points in the novel where I had to remind myself that the culture there (and then) was different from anything I’m used to. Additionally, there were references to what I’m assuming are traditional Pakistani items or clothing that went right over my head – a glossary in the beginning or end would have been a great add.

Overall, I found it to be a very enjoyable read. Chandni, though at times a little frustrating in her naiveté, was a realistic character who’s occasional caustic but saucy dialogue makes you wonder just what she’ll say to Taimur next.

In terms of citrus, you’re looking at a very respectable orange. Though Austen might have taken pause with some of Chandni’s wardrobe options, I think she would whole-heartedly approve of the buildup to the romance between Chandni and Taimur (who turns out to be a respectable gentleman even Mr. Darcy would approve of).
...more

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Jan 18, 2014 Nabanita rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Haveli is the tale of a twenty year old Pakistani girl, Chandni, born into an Nawabi family. Desserted by her father and left by her heart broken mother in the care of her grandmother Zaitoon Begum, the widow of the last Nawab of Jalalabad, she grew up home-schooled just as a princess would have. With romantic and dreamy notions of the happily every after she fell in love with a man twice her age Kunwar Rohail Khanzada. But then came into her life a man who didn't seem to be left in awe of her c Haveli is the tale of a twenty year old Pakistani girl, Chandni, born into an Nawabi family. Desserted by her father and left by her heart broken mother in the care of her grandmother Zaitoon Begum, the widow of the last Nawab of Jalalabad, she grew up home-schooled just as a princess would have. With romantic and dreamy notions of the happily every after she fell in love with a man twice her age Kunwar Rohail Khanzada. But then came into her life a man who didn't seem to be left in awe of her charm. It was the first time a man had seen right through her. He told her things about herself that she hadn't even spoken out loud or even thought about. Taimur was not like any other man she had met, he challenged her mentally and more often than not got on her nerves. She hated the fact that he was right about her or that he saw how she was throwing herself at Kunwar. While she battled Taimur whom she named Alpha Male, suddenly the unexpected occured. Her father walked back into her life. While everyone that loved her warned her of his motives, she was overjoyed. But what was he back for? Was it for his daughter truly or did he have some sinister motives? Did Chandni finally make Kunwar fall in love with her or did Alpha Male finally capture her fancy? Read to find out.

I began reading Haveli in office on a day when I had absolutely no work. And I finished it in a matter of 4 hours, it was such a pacey read. If you start with it there's no way you can stop without reaching the last page.

Pacey read!

There are several facets of Haveli that I liked, one being the generous use of characters from literature by the protagonists to get back at each other. While Chandni used names likes Heathcliff, Moriarty or Uriah Heep; Taimur got back at her with Medussa.

The setting of the tale in the 1970s seemed real with the author being able to take you back in time. And any book that helps me time-travel occupies a special place in my heart. Also, the flow is smooth for I moved from one page to the other unaware of the surroundings near me. Zeenat Mahal has the knack of keeping the reader engaged till the very end.

Un-put-downable!

All the characters in the book are well developed which is a really great assest for a yarn. Trust me it isn't easy to do so which makes Haveli gain a few more points in my view.

As a reader I was completely satisfied by the tale set in the 1970s. So I would definitely recommend it. I assure you Haveli will leave you wanting for the tale to go on forever. So go grab your copy soon!
...more

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Sep 01, 2014 ZOEY rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, historical-fiction, romance, adult-fiction, bar-e-saghir, contract-marriages, indireads

This is the second book I've read by Zeenat Mahal. In "Haveli" (which is set in 1971).

We are introduced to a twenty year old, green-eyed Chandni ;or as she prefers herself to be called "C".

"I hated my name. It made me sound like some prostitute from Pakeezah"

She lives in Gulaab Mahal with her grandmother - "The Broad" (Zaitoon Begum, the widow of the last Nawab of Jalalabad) who wants to see her become a "lady" and marry someone respectable.

"I was convinced she was born from Satan’s rib"

"She ...more

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Jan 30, 2014 Ipshita rated it really liked it

Shelves: own

This was a short and sweet novella that I would ask everyone to take an hour off to read.

Set in an older era of 1970s, we are provided with an outlook on the many facets of a strong-willed Pakistani woman’s life.I was expecting a rather conservative and a more serious story based on the backdrop of the novella, but what I got absolutely left me giddy with delight.

I really liked the sassy and spunky heroine; her headstrong and impulsive nature might make her appear a little bratty, but her sensi ...more

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Dec 06, 2014 Fariya rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reading-challenge-2014, reading-challenge-2015

I've tried to gather a range of different types of books for my first ever official 'reading challenge'. One day, I decided I want to include something by an author from my homeland... after days and days of searching, I stumbled upon Haveli... there was something about the name that intrigued me so, I bought it immediately... and I'm so glad I did!

My first ever anything by a Pakistani author! When I found it, I was ecstatic.. when I read it, I couldn't put it down... when it ended, I was like ...more

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Nov 07, 2013 Rubina rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed

Check out this review at http://rubinaramesh.blogspot.com/

The story starts with the relationship between Chandni and her grandmother, whom she lovingly calls –The Broad. This is enough to hook the readers till the end of the story. It's hilarious how the author brings out the humor, as well as the conflicting emotion, between the granddaughter and the grandmother. Chandni is an orphan, whose mother had died while waiting for her husband to return. She is brought up by her grandmother and turns o Check out this review at http://rubinaramesh.blogspot.com/

The story starts with the relationship between Chandni and her grandmother, whom she lovingly calls –The Broad. This is enough to hook the readers till the end of the story. It's hilarious how the author brings out the humor, as well as the conflicting emotion, between the granddaughter and the grandmother. Chandni is an orphan, whose mother had died while waiting for her husband to return. She is brought up by her grandmother and turns out to be a saucy young woman.

Chandni calls her father The Nameless. She shares the same love and hate relationship with her father. She wants her father to come and beg for forgiveness and declare his love for her. And he does come. But was his motives as pious as he led them to believe? Or does he have a hidden agenda?

While the father-daughter relationship is a part of the short story, there is another thread to this which is cute and full of hidden love and passion, the naughty love story between Chandni, [or shall I call her C?] and Taimur. Taimur is someone whom she hates because he could see through her acts. She herself couldn’t understand her true feelings for him until circumstances forces her to acknowledge what her heart desires? Will Taimur make the stubborn Chandni admit her love for him or will Chandni fall prey to her father’s schemes?

I love the way a saucy woman introduces the readers to the Pakistani culture. Where as it should have been a history lesson, if not written properly, but Zeenat Mahal makes you see the culture and the backdrop of the story through Chandni’s eyes. Whether it is defying her grandmother with her dressing style or accepting the wedding proposal out of the duty of a daughter, all portray the social and cultural nuances of the Pakistani society. In such a short story [99 pages approx..] to bring out two upheavals in the life of the protagonist is commendable.

The chats between Taimur and Chandni could not help but make a reader smile. I loved the scene [Sorry Zeenat but I have to mention this] where Chandni talks about knowing all about sex to Taimur and in the end he finds out where she got her lesson from. Hilarious.

The only problem I faced with this story is the number of pseudonyms given to the characters. The grandmother was The Board, Taimur was the Alpha Male, father was The Nameless and so on. Even Chandni is ‘C’. In such a short novella, with so many names flying by, makes it a bit confusing. I won’t say that they did not add humor to the story but they did confuse me at certain parts.

Would I recommend this book to my readers? Most Definitely. In fact there are many threads which surround the Indian Pakistani culture. With such stories in every household of both the countries, maybe one day we won’t need to put on the television and hear about some border fights. Kudos for writing such stories. ...more

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Dec 17, 2016 Sruthi rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, desi-romantic

I read 'Accidental fiance' and 'The contract' by Zeenat Mahal . But this is way too good . I was grinning throughout the book .

This is just fantastic , Not only the plot , characters butalso the writing style is different . *good different*

Chandni aka C' is abandoned by her father and hence is brought by her strict grandmother whom Chandni fondly calls 'The broad' - 'Bride of Satan' . She is secretly in love with a Man , 20 years his senior and wants to get married to him eventually , ONLY .
T ...more

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Jun 29, 2013 Sumeetha Manikandan rated it really liked it

I was hooked on to the book right from the line ‘the Broad’ makes an appearance. Chandini who prefers to be called C is a beautiful wilful child abandoned by her father. She wants to marry Kunwar, on whom she has a big crush but her grandmother’s choice of groom is Taimur, whom she loves to hate. Too add to her confusion, her long absent father makes an appearance and not alone. He too has a groom for her.

I love the descriptive style of Zeenat Mahal’s writing. It is so lucid that I felt as if I ...more

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Jul 06, 2013 Yamini Vijendran rated it it was amazing

Zeenat Mahal is the name to watch out for, that is a given. The attitude in the narration is just... juicy! It breaks a lot of stereotypes, about the people, about the era and about writing itself. I loved the way literary characters moved in and out of Zeenat's world. And the sheer command over the language that Zeenat exhibits is in itself a treat. I commend Zeenat for having created a masterpiece. ...more

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Dec 29, 2013 Kate Sherwood rated it liked it

I really liked the setting, but I didn't really buy the romance. And the hero was way too overbearing. I mean, I wanted to read the book to add to my understanding of a different culture, but I hope the hero ISN'T representative of the men of that culture (any more than the alpha-hole heroes in some western romances are representative of our men).

So, high marks for the setting, medium marks for the heroine, low marks for the hero. ...more

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Jan 18, 2015 Pratikshya Mishra rated it really liked it

Set in the 1970’s in the town of Jalalabad, Pakistan, ‘Haveli’ is a witty humorous contemporary novella by Zeenat Mahal. It narrates Chandini’s story from her point of view- her childhood and upbringing at her strict influential maternal grandmother Zaitoon Begum, the widow of the last Nawab of Jalalabad; her romantic fantasies for Kunwar Rohail who is almost twice her age; her war of words with Taimur, the guy she’s attracted to; the return of her estranged father after 20 long years and the ch Set in the 1970’s in the town of Jalalabad, Pakistan, ‘Haveli’ is a witty humorous contemporary novella by Zeenat Mahal. It narrates Chandini’s story from her point of view- her childhood and upbringing at her strict influential maternal grandmother Zaitoon Begum, the widow of the last Nawab of Jalalabad; her romantic fantasies for Kunwar Rohail who is almost twice her age; her war of words with Taimur, the guy she’s attracted to; the return of her estranged father after 20 long years and the change of all her beliefs, values and events. It’s a roller coaster journey as Chandini eventually realizes who’s her own, who actually cares for her and where she belongs.

Chandini’s mother had secretly married and fled with her lover who abandoned her when she was pregnant with Chandini. She died after Chandini was born, leaving her under the care of the grandmother, Bi Amma. Being from the upper class society she received home schooling, learned a couple of languages, read every piece of good literature and grew up to be a beauty with brains. Her green eyes mesmerized many a visitors and merchants, and Bi Amma received and rejected rather too many proposals for the 20 year old. Baba and Bua took care of her as their own children. Zafar, her half brother was her closest in the family and the secret keeper with whom she shared her fairy tale like romantic dreams of being with Kunwar Rohail and taking care of his 13 year old daughter, Manhal. All till Taimur entered the family scene. Let’s leave the rest a mystery. It’s ridiculous, hilarious, very interesting, and unputdownable.

The character ensemble in ‘Haveli’ is one of my favorite. I disliked the father Shen Jahan so much from the very beginning. Faisal was just a gold digger. Zafar’s brotherly love for C and their mutual hate for their father Nameless proves challenging for her decisions in the later part of the novella. Chandini called herself C, her grandmother-The Board, her father- Nameless, and Taimur- Alpha Male. Comic and witty conversations and the game of tit for tat between her and Taimur are my favorite. She’s a brat, but he’d take no nonsense. Taimur is her perfect husband to be. (Laughs!!)

Zeenat Mahal is a very good narrator. Though this is the first work of hers’ that I read, I’m already a fan. I loved the plot, and the backdrop- Pakistan of the 1970’s. The novella is easy to read and follow, quite engaging, never dragging or boring. Since Indireads novellas are available only in ebook format, the font is adjustable. I’d recommend this book to all romance and contemporary readers who love good humor.
...more

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Feb 01, 2014 Priyanka Batra Harjai rated it really liked it

‘Haveli’ is a story about the heir of a Haveli of Nawabs in Pakistan. It is about a girl ‘Chandini’ (a.k.a C) who has a sanctified lineage.

The story starts as we experience a sweet and salty rapport between a culturally rich grandmother – Zaitoon Beigum (a.k.a Broad) and a saucy granddaughter – Chandini. Moving a little back to the times of yore, her father abandoned Chandini and later she lost her mother also, both during her infancy and since then felt the agony of being a forsaken kid. She wa ...more

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Jun 23, 2016 Deepali Joshi rated it it was amazing

Haveli (though the name sounds spooky) is a beautiful tale of a smart and witty Pakistani Punjabi girl who finds herself in odd situation almost all the times. I am not sure you could use “cute” as an adjective for books, but that is exactly what comes to mind when I think about Haveli. After reading murder mysteries and war stories for a long time now, this entertaining story with Bollywood style twists felt refreshing.
Chandani or C., as she likes to call herself, is a teen-aged girl brought u ...more

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Feb 12, 2014 Rekha Seshadri rated it really liked it

Shelves: recd-for-review, small-middle-indie-press, novellas, ebooks

Haveli transports you to the world of the privileged class in 1970’s Pakistan.

Etiquette and excellence are the cornerstones of the widow of the last Nawab of Jalalabad - Bi Amma’s life. Her home-schooled grandchild Chandni aka C struggles with the demands of her elitist society. Abandoned by her father – Nameless, motherless C finds affection in her half-brother Zafar (another of her father’s castaways) but it’s never quite enough. The green eyed beauty has her share of admirers but sets her sig ...more

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Jun 16, 2014 Ruchi Singh rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance

What comes to mind with a setting of 1971, nawabs and haveli? Iridescent chandeliers, flowing gharara, shimmering dupattas, tinkling bangles, and an intense, magnetic hero, each of these things came alive for me from the first page when ‘C’ starts to pour tea under the watchful eyes of ‘The Broad’.

Intrigued? Well...it's a must read.

Chandni, our well-read protagonist, is an innocent girl abandoned by her father, who tries to handle life on her own terms. But is she able to understand the wicked w ...more

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Oct 14, 2016 Shanu rated it did not like it

I know a lot about Indian/Pakistani/Punjabi/Muslim culture (also i have a bird named Chandni, but that's another story) and i have to say that this book set in the Pakistan from the 70' does NOT match the content.

To have this sort of character - who acts like an occidental millennial - in that 70' Pakistani setting should put this character in the fantasy/paranormal category.

Author should have added a time-traveling arc, or maybe she should have wrote the character in a modern context, having ...more

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Sep 18, 2014 Ipshita Ranjana rated it really liked it

The first thing which attracted me to Haveli was its cheeky blur.I could not wait to find out more about Chandni and the choice she makes.Who could resist a story set in 1970's and that too amid all those nawabs.So I dived in and enjoyed every moment.

Chandni is a strong,independent heroine who is full of spunk.She is sarcastic when the situation calls and so full of life.I loved her wit and not a single moment with her was even close to dull.She has her moments of uncertainty and confusion as sh ...more

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Jun 29, 2013 Shweta Ganesh Kumar rated it really liked it

Zeenat Mahal’s Haveli is all about old-world charm and romance in the truest sense of the word. Despite the setting and the era though, the heroine of Haveli, C is a firebrand – a lovable, fiercely stubborn and outspoken girl. Mistaking the throes of her first crush as true love, she fails to recognize the actual thing when it stares at her in the face from another set of piercing eyes.
So beautifully written, I could see the entire story story play out in my mind’s eye with one of my favourite I ...more

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Jan 11, 2014 Karen rated it liked it

I won this book in a contest. Not sure if I would have actually bought this book if I hadn't won but I am glad I did win it as it is a good book. Getting to read a book about a different culture was very interesting. The only thing I actually had a problem with what the different names she had for different people. I would have liked a list of who was who so I could keep track. I will read another book like this as I enjoyed it. It was a short read but good. I would like to know what happened to ...more

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