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Austenistan
Heiress Kamila Mughal is humiliated when her brother's best friend snubs her to marry a social climbing nobody from Islamabad. Roya discovers her fiancé has been cheating on her and ends up on a blind date on her wedding day. Beautiful young widow Begum Saira Qadir has mourned her husband, but is she finally ready to start following her own desires?
Inspired by Jane Austen and set in contemporary Pakistan, Austenistan is a collection of seven stories; romantic, uplifting, witty, and heartbreaking by turn, which pay homage to the queen of romance who lives on among us.
Inspired by Jane Austen and set in contemporary Pakistan, Austenistan is a collection of seven stories; romantic, uplifting, witty, and heartbreaking by turn, which pay homage to the queen of romance who lives on among us.
164 pages, Paperback
Published December 6, 2017
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August 24, 2020
I started this book with zero expectations,and it turned out to be much better than I thought.
Seven stories,set in Pakistan with a Jane Austen quote prefacing each. I never cared much for Jane Austen,but seems there is a Jane Austen Society in Pakistan,and this book is a result of their efforts.
Four of the seven stories are pretty readable,humorous and good fun. Nothing deep or profound here,just women's love lives and the quest to find a good match.
Not bad for a couple of hours' entertainment.
2.5 stars rounded up.
Seven stories,set in Pakistan with a Jane Austen quote prefacing each. I never cared much for Jane Austen,but seems there is a Jane Austen Society in Pakistan,and this book is a result of their efforts.
Four of the seven stories are pretty readable,humorous and good fun. Nothing deep or profound here,just women's love lives and the quest to find a good match.
Not bad for a couple of hours' entertainment.
2.5 stars rounded up.
June 13, 2019
I think pretty much the only interesting thing about this collection of short stories is the name of this anthology. Austenistan might be an obvious play with words, but it’s still charming and it makes the intent clear–a Pakistani version of Austen’s stories. Unfortunately, it’s pretty much the only time anyone can enjoy anything at all in this pitiful excuse of an anthology, since the stories themselves are just so awful.
Composed of seven stories, you would think at least one of the entries would have the decency to provide good writing, and yet. The foreword from Catherine Jane Knight, founder and chair of the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation, doesn’t provide any support either. Unlike forewords which talk about the content within, which seek to add on to the material by providing context, or a look at the background which led to the book’s publication, over here it feels like Ms Knight wrote the foreword without actually reading any of the stories. Not only does she provide a generic statement about how the stories prove that Pakistani society reflects Austen’s work, she also uses the opportunity to promote her own Literacy Foundation’s charity work. The blatant campaigning for aid is both irritating and liable to leave a bad taste in the mouth of the reader, even before they’ve read a single story.
I think pretty much the only thing worth recommending these stories is the fact that our Pakistani protagonists suffer from the same expectations and enforced roles as those imposed on Austen’s heroines. However, that’s more of a blanket statement rather than a compliment to the series itself, since this is a fact undeniable. While our writers manage to bring this point across pretty clearly in how women are expected to behave, what was needed was a more nuanced, better-written expression of this very fact. While the mother in the first story (The Fabulous Banker Boys by Mahlia S Lone) worries about her daughter’s personality in much the same way Mrs Bennett clucked over Elizabeth Bennett’s stubbornness, the rest of the disappointing story ruins the effect of this similarity.
Then came Elisha, her father’s pet, with bucket-loads of independence, spirit, and strong personality. No man likes a headstrong and blunt wife, she thought. However, she had to admit that the girl knew her own mind and wasn’t needy. I must teach her to at least appear more subservient and pliant.
I think one of the limitations of this anthology was that the writers felt the need to encompass all of Austen’s tale from beginning to end within the short word length assigned to them. While the hero and heroine usually take the space of a whole novel to get together, in these stories they are forced to resolve their issues in too short a time for us to care about them. Lone’s version of Elizabeth Bennett’s meeting with Mr Darcy at a party ends with them having cleared all misunderstandings by the end of the story. On its own, the story could be a good representation of Pakistani society. As an adaptation of Austen’s most beloved title, it fails spectacularly, showing us all the places where the author could not manage to rise to Austen’s level.
The second story, an adaptation of Lady Susan (one of Austen’s lesser known works, which was never submitted by the author for publication herself), makes the mistake of being an adaptation. On its own, writer Nida Elley’s Begum Saira Returns could have been a fabulous look at a woman who doesn’t restrict herself to the social constructs within which women are expected to live. Slightly departing from the original work, Elley has sketched an image of a women who has always reached for what she has wanted shamelessly, a character trait that is so rare as to be almost invisible in Pakistani female protagonists. However, the vague morality of our character’s actions get lost in trying to trace Austen’s words and actions in our story. In this case, on its own the story could have stood up on its own two feet, maybe. As an Austen adaptation, it’s no good.
Rumours began circulating that the young bride was being too flirtatious with some of the other women’s husbands. Of course, nobody ever blamed the man, Saira thought, not considering them capable of initiating these flirtations.
Of course, all of the stories feature at least some sort of commentary on the inherent misogyny of Pakistani society, or on the sexism of the marriage traditions we follow. Unfortunately, things that resonated in Austen’s work feel like they lack any depth whatsoever in this collection. This is true even for the characters themselves, who are mostly vain and generally tedious. The wit that is so obvious in Austen’s stories is so very lacking here that it’s like the writers weren’t even trying. Ships that we have all shipped so ardently in Pride and Prejudice or Emma barely elicit any sparks on these pages. In Emaan Ever After by Mishayl Naek, we already know she’s going to end up with Haroon, the Mr Knightly to her Emma, but in this format, the feeling that this is the guy we want our heroine to ultimately end up with is barely there. That might have something to do with the fact that Emaan, like all the other characters in this story, sounds like a vapid, highly spoilt, and ultimately boring character for whom we care not a single bit. Divorced and living with her father, our Pakistani Emma spends her days using teenage text speak and making bad life decisions. Not impressive at all.
It was ridiculous that instead of thinking of a career – finally – that might actually mean something to me, I was moping over a boy.
Usually, when I review something I try to concentrate on the work and not the writer, because I’m overall a believer in the Roland Barthes idea of a dead author. Unfortunately, for these stories it’s hard not to see the shallow, one-dimensional characters as anything less than a chance for the author to show off about the number of brand names they know. With the exception of only a few stories, almost all these entries feature at least fifteen different situations in which a person’s wardrobe from the top to the bottom is described in terms of which brands they are wearing, right down to which perfume they smell like. Frankly, it’s all kinds of amazing that this anthology managed to gather so many female writers who belong to the tiny 1 percent of Pakistan’s ultra-rich community. Either that, or there must have been some condition put forth before these stories were submitted that ensured that each and every single of them had some unhealthy obsession with major international brands. Nonetheless, the idea that these are authors born with golden spoons in their mouths is overwhelming and eventually a little chafing: It’s fine to read about the super wealthy in one story, or even two, but by the fifth one it’s hard not to roll your eyes at the description of Valentino sandals or honeymoon plans in Seychelles. The Mughal Empire by Saniyya Gauhar had great potential, imagining the repercussions of the Darcy-Elizabeth marriage on Miss Bingley, whose affection for Darcy had been well known, and who now faces the shame of being so publically ignored for someone whom she considers below her station. This premise had an interesting appeal, but unfortunately the chunks of paragraph obsessed with each item of a person’s clothing managed to turn this into a really bad execution.
Here, she had bought Erum luxuries that most girls could only dream of: handbags from Hermes, Chanel, Bottega Veneta and Prada; shoes for every possible occasion in an assortment of styles and colours from Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, Saint Laurent, Roger Vivier and Dior; lingerie from Rigby & Peller, Agent Provocateur and Le Perla, and a designer wardrobe from some of the finest stores on Sloane Street.
Some stories barely have anything from Austen novels, using a random line from within the novels to set up a completely different premise and setting. The Autumn Ball by Gayathri Warnasuriya is another story that would have done better on its own, rather than as an adaptation. The problem with being an adaptation is that we then start looking for how it connects to the original. Warnasuriya takes one line about dancing from Pride and Prejudice to sketch a tale of a woman in a slightly unhappy marriage, whose desire to dance keeps getting thwarted by her bore of a husband. As a recently married woman trying to figure out the intricacies of a romantic relationship, I have a warm affinity for stories which feature complex husband-and-wife interactions. Unfortunately, my expectation of Austen’s touch ruined my enjoyment of Warnasuriya’s writing.
She wasn’t sure what she wanted to do, it was all so much more complicated than she thought marriage would be.
This trend of a random line from P&P serving as the basis of a completely new story continues in Sonya Rehman’s Only the Deepest Love–as an aside, I think all these authors should first be told what an adaptation actually means. In this short story, we have our protagonist Samina, who is worried about her younger cousin Sobia’s contentious sex life post-marriage while trying to juggle her own family and work drama. While on the one hand the author brings up a number of important issues, the problem is that she brings up too many topics in too short a time, making it all too fleeting and pointless to actually hit their mark. Gay husband, abusive landowner’s son, privileged and spoiled students, family abuse, second marriages and their effects on children, all this gets mentioned for a period so transitory it weakens the overall narrative. Even the romance feels badly developed and rushed through, making me believe that maybe a longer word length might serve this author better. One major point that this story gained and then subsequently lost was it’s lgbtq+ representation, where the existence of a gay husband and how the wife deals with the revelation of his sexuality could have used more nuanced attention. Instead what you have is an abrupt, hasty ending, as well as a blatantly stereotypical representation of the gay character as a twirly, quirky figure, in what was a remarkable lack of sensitivity to the marginalized group the author was trying to represent.
‘Sobia’s been fretting all day, Sam,’ Asad said jovially, like an Aunt jokingly complaining about her silly daughter, ‘She was like oh my God oh my God oh my Goddddd, Sam’s sooooooo not going to make it! But I was like tsk tsk, don’t be stupid jaanu, of course she will! And look! Here you are!’ With that Asad did a little twirl, waving his spatula in the air like a wand.
I think I was hoping that the last entry, written by the editor of this anthology, would have been the saving grace of this fiasco, but it was not to be. A story better suited to the capable hands of someone like Sophie Kinsella or Jane Costello falls apart over here: in Laaleen Sukhera’s On The Verge, Roya, who has broken off her engagement to rich but fickle ‘Princey’ (it’s hard to believe that’s an actual name of a character), plans to attend a ball on the day when her fated wedding would have happened. I would tell you what happens next, but the truth is that I didn’t really care, even while forcing myself to read till the end. It was as boring to read as it will be to recount, and masochism is not my thing. Ironically enough, the only character I liked in this story was Myra, the no-nonsense older sister to our air-headed heroine, who barely appears in the narrative. Maybe if we had focused less on our imbecile of a protagonist, and more on female characters who suffer no fools, the story could have redeemed itself.
Myra had decided to pursue a career early in life and barely got the time to meet men, plus she had almost no patience for fools, which was the commodity largely on offer.
It’s really sad that this anthology doesn’t translate into literature worth reading, because even a casual reader can easily see that Austen’s stories have a very strong parallel to subcontinental traditions, particularly our fixation with families and marriages. Unfortunately, this aspect of social expectation is unable to translate into the sort of biting irony and acerbic commentary Austen had to offer. The writing in Austenistan is awkward and heavily dependent on clichés or slang phrases, in what can only be seen as a ridiculous attempt to make the stories seem contemporary. Punctuation is also a mess, with misplaced commas ensuring that my poor editorial heart is in a constant state of pain. One of my major pet peeves, that of the italicization of the desi word, also happens liberally throughout the book, and while I understand that those things are usually dependant more on the publisher’s style policy, it still serves to irritate me to no end. There’s also the fact that with seven authors and seven titles written by Austen, surely it would have been a smart move to split the stories seven ways in terms of adaptations? Instead we find that the most famous child, Pride and Prejudice, is once again given the most attention. Unfortunately, the reasons for which I loved P&P are completely lacking in this anthology: not only do we not see the kind of complex female relationships that I was exposed to in P&P, what I had to face was a backlash of severe misogyny in a number of myriad ways. And one of my most hated tropes, that of the evil female character being described as indulging in excessive makeup, reared its ugly head quite regularly:
Emane was a socialite who attended ladies’ committee lunches by day and snorted coke by night. She had ash blonde extensions with a bulbous trout pout and was wearing a sequined Moschino Pepto-Bismol pink mini dress with a crotch-skimming slit that revealed an inch of a Spanx corset. She carried a cocktail in one taloned hand and an Alexander McQueen skull clutched in the other.
Another reviewer put it best when they said that this anthology has the vibe of an ‘unpolished anthology of fan fiction written during a literary club meeting’. Honestly, there is much better writing out there, and not enough time in one’s life to read this kind of atrocious crap. Do yourself a favour, and give this a miss.
**
I review Pakistani Fiction, and talk about Pakistani fiction, and want to talk to people who like to talk about fiction (Pakistani and otherwise, take your pick.) To read more reviews or just contact me so you can talk about books, check out my Blog or follow me on Twitter!
**
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
My god, SO BAD. And for once, after days and days, I've actually finished a review! To put it up soon.
Composed of seven stories, you would think at least one of the entries would have the decency to provide good writing, and yet. The foreword from Catherine Jane Knight, founder and chair of the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation, doesn’t provide any support either. Unlike forewords which talk about the content within, which seek to add on to the material by providing context, or a look at the background which led to the book’s publication, over here it feels like Ms Knight wrote the foreword without actually reading any of the stories. Not only does she provide a generic statement about how the stories prove that Pakistani society reflects Austen’s work, she also uses the opportunity to promote her own Literacy Foundation’s charity work. The blatant campaigning for aid is both irritating and liable to leave a bad taste in the mouth of the reader, even before they’ve read a single story.
I think pretty much the only thing worth recommending these stories is the fact that our Pakistani protagonists suffer from the same expectations and enforced roles as those imposed on Austen’s heroines. However, that’s more of a blanket statement rather than a compliment to the series itself, since this is a fact undeniable. While our writers manage to bring this point across pretty clearly in how women are expected to behave, what was needed was a more nuanced, better-written expression of this very fact. While the mother in the first story (The Fabulous Banker Boys by Mahlia S Lone) worries about her daughter’s personality in much the same way Mrs Bennett clucked over Elizabeth Bennett’s stubbornness, the rest of the disappointing story ruins the effect of this similarity.
Then came Elisha, her father’s pet, with bucket-loads of independence, spirit, and strong personality. No man likes a headstrong and blunt wife, she thought. However, she had to admit that the girl knew her own mind and wasn’t needy. I must teach her to at least appear more subservient and pliant.
I think one of the limitations of this anthology was that the writers felt the need to encompass all of Austen’s tale from beginning to end within the short word length assigned to them. While the hero and heroine usually take the space of a whole novel to get together, in these stories they are forced to resolve their issues in too short a time for us to care about them. Lone’s version of Elizabeth Bennett’s meeting with Mr Darcy at a party ends with them having cleared all misunderstandings by the end of the story. On its own, the story could be a good representation of Pakistani society. As an adaptation of Austen’s most beloved title, it fails spectacularly, showing us all the places where the author could not manage to rise to Austen’s level.
The second story, an adaptation of Lady Susan (one of Austen’s lesser known works, which was never submitted by the author for publication herself), makes the mistake of being an adaptation. On its own, writer Nida Elley’s Begum Saira Returns could have been a fabulous look at a woman who doesn’t restrict herself to the social constructs within which women are expected to live. Slightly departing from the original work, Elley has sketched an image of a women who has always reached for what she has wanted shamelessly, a character trait that is so rare as to be almost invisible in Pakistani female protagonists. However, the vague morality of our character’s actions get lost in trying to trace Austen’s words and actions in our story. In this case, on its own the story could have stood up on its own two feet, maybe. As an Austen adaptation, it’s no good.
Rumours began circulating that the young bride was being too flirtatious with some of the other women’s husbands. Of course, nobody ever blamed the man, Saira thought, not considering them capable of initiating these flirtations.
Of course, all of the stories feature at least some sort of commentary on the inherent misogyny of Pakistani society, or on the sexism of the marriage traditions we follow. Unfortunately, things that resonated in Austen’s work feel like they lack any depth whatsoever in this collection. This is true even for the characters themselves, who are mostly vain and generally tedious. The wit that is so obvious in Austen’s stories is so very lacking here that it’s like the writers weren’t even trying. Ships that we have all shipped so ardently in Pride and Prejudice or Emma barely elicit any sparks on these pages. In Emaan Ever After by Mishayl Naek, we already know she’s going to end up with Haroon, the Mr Knightly to her Emma, but in this format, the feeling that this is the guy we want our heroine to ultimately end up with is barely there. That might have something to do with the fact that Emaan, like all the other characters in this story, sounds like a vapid, highly spoilt, and ultimately boring character for whom we care not a single bit. Divorced and living with her father, our Pakistani Emma spends her days using teenage text speak and making bad life decisions. Not impressive at all.
It was ridiculous that instead of thinking of a career – finally – that might actually mean something to me, I was moping over a boy.
Usually, when I review something I try to concentrate on the work and not the writer, because I’m overall a believer in the Roland Barthes idea of a dead author. Unfortunately, for these stories it’s hard not to see the shallow, one-dimensional characters as anything less than a chance for the author to show off about the number of brand names they know. With the exception of only a few stories, almost all these entries feature at least fifteen different situations in which a person’s wardrobe from the top to the bottom is described in terms of which brands they are wearing, right down to which perfume they smell like. Frankly, it’s all kinds of amazing that this anthology managed to gather so many female writers who belong to the tiny 1 percent of Pakistan’s ultra-rich community. Either that, or there must have been some condition put forth before these stories were submitted that ensured that each and every single of them had some unhealthy obsession with major international brands. Nonetheless, the idea that these are authors born with golden spoons in their mouths is overwhelming and eventually a little chafing: It’s fine to read about the super wealthy in one story, or even two, but by the fifth one it’s hard not to roll your eyes at the description of Valentino sandals or honeymoon plans in Seychelles. The Mughal Empire by Saniyya Gauhar had great potential, imagining the repercussions of the Darcy-Elizabeth marriage on Miss Bingley, whose affection for Darcy had been well known, and who now faces the shame of being so publically ignored for someone whom she considers below her station. This premise had an interesting appeal, but unfortunately the chunks of paragraph obsessed with each item of a person’s clothing managed to turn this into a really bad execution.
Here, she had bought Erum luxuries that most girls could only dream of: handbags from Hermes, Chanel, Bottega Veneta and Prada; shoes for every possible occasion in an assortment of styles and colours from Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, Saint Laurent, Roger Vivier and Dior; lingerie from Rigby & Peller, Agent Provocateur and Le Perla, and a designer wardrobe from some of the finest stores on Sloane Street.
Some stories barely have anything from Austen novels, using a random line from within the novels to set up a completely different premise and setting. The Autumn Ball by Gayathri Warnasuriya is another story that would have done better on its own, rather than as an adaptation. The problem with being an adaptation is that we then start looking for how it connects to the original. Warnasuriya takes one line about dancing from Pride and Prejudice to sketch a tale of a woman in a slightly unhappy marriage, whose desire to dance keeps getting thwarted by her bore of a husband. As a recently married woman trying to figure out the intricacies of a romantic relationship, I have a warm affinity for stories which feature complex husband-and-wife interactions. Unfortunately, my expectation of Austen’s touch ruined my enjoyment of Warnasuriya’s writing.
She wasn’t sure what she wanted to do, it was all so much more complicated than she thought marriage would be.
This trend of a random line from P&P serving as the basis of a completely new story continues in Sonya Rehman’s Only the Deepest Love–as an aside, I think all these authors should first be told what an adaptation actually means. In this short story, we have our protagonist Samina, who is worried about her younger cousin Sobia’s contentious sex life post-marriage while trying to juggle her own family and work drama. While on the one hand the author brings up a number of important issues, the problem is that she brings up too many topics in too short a time, making it all too fleeting and pointless to actually hit their mark. Gay husband, abusive landowner’s son, privileged and spoiled students, family abuse, second marriages and their effects on children, all this gets mentioned for a period so transitory it weakens the overall narrative. Even the romance feels badly developed and rushed through, making me believe that maybe a longer word length might serve this author better. One major point that this story gained and then subsequently lost was it’s lgbtq+ representation, where the existence of a gay husband and how the wife deals with the revelation of his sexuality could have used more nuanced attention. Instead what you have is an abrupt, hasty ending, as well as a blatantly stereotypical representation of the gay character as a twirly, quirky figure, in what was a remarkable lack of sensitivity to the marginalized group the author was trying to represent.
‘Sobia’s been fretting all day, Sam,’ Asad said jovially, like an Aunt jokingly complaining about her silly daughter, ‘She was like oh my God oh my God oh my Goddddd, Sam’s sooooooo not going to make it! But I was like tsk tsk, don’t be stupid jaanu, of course she will! And look! Here you are!’ With that Asad did a little twirl, waving his spatula in the air like a wand.
I think I was hoping that the last entry, written by the editor of this anthology, would have been the saving grace of this fiasco, but it was not to be. A story better suited to the capable hands of someone like Sophie Kinsella or Jane Costello falls apart over here: in Laaleen Sukhera’s On The Verge, Roya, who has broken off her engagement to rich but fickle ‘Princey’ (it’s hard to believe that’s an actual name of a character), plans to attend a ball on the day when her fated wedding would have happened. I would tell you what happens next, but the truth is that I didn’t really care, even while forcing myself to read till the end. It was as boring to read as it will be to recount, and masochism is not my thing. Ironically enough, the only character I liked in this story was Myra, the no-nonsense older sister to our air-headed heroine, who barely appears in the narrative. Maybe if we had focused less on our imbecile of a protagonist, and more on female characters who suffer no fools, the story could have redeemed itself.
Myra had decided to pursue a career early in life and barely got the time to meet men, plus she had almost no patience for fools, which was the commodity largely on offer.
It’s really sad that this anthology doesn’t translate into literature worth reading, because even a casual reader can easily see that Austen’s stories have a very strong parallel to subcontinental traditions, particularly our fixation with families and marriages. Unfortunately, this aspect of social expectation is unable to translate into the sort of biting irony and acerbic commentary Austen had to offer. The writing in Austenistan is awkward and heavily dependent on clichés or slang phrases, in what can only be seen as a ridiculous attempt to make the stories seem contemporary. Punctuation is also a mess, with misplaced commas ensuring that my poor editorial heart is in a constant state of pain. One of my major pet peeves, that of the italicization of the desi word, also happens liberally throughout the book, and while I understand that those things are usually dependant more on the publisher’s style policy, it still serves to irritate me to no end. There’s also the fact that with seven authors and seven titles written by Austen, surely it would have been a smart move to split the stories seven ways in terms of adaptations? Instead we find that the most famous child, Pride and Prejudice, is once again given the most attention. Unfortunately, the reasons for which I loved P&P are completely lacking in this anthology: not only do we not see the kind of complex female relationships that I was exposed to in P&P, what I had to face was a backlash of severe misogyny in a number of myriad ways. And one of my most hated tropes, that of the evil female character being described as indulging in excessive makeup, reared its ugly head quite regularly:
Emane was a socialite who attended ladies’ committee lunches by day and snorted coke by night. She had ash blonde extensions with a bulbous trout pout and was wearing a sequined Moschino Pepto-Bismol pink mini dress with a crotch-skimming slit that revealed an inch of a Spanx corset. She carried a cocktail in one taloned hand and an Alexander McQueen skull clutched in the other.
Another reviewer put it best when they said that this anthology has the vibe of an ‘unpolished anthology of fan fiction written during a literary club meeting’. Honestly, there is much better writing out there, and not enough time in one’s life to read this kind of atrocious crap. Do yourself a favour, and give this a miss.
**
I review Pakistani Fiction, and talk about Pakistani fiction, and want to talk to people who like to talk about fiction (Pakistani and otherwise, take your pick.) To read more reviews or just contact me so you can talk about books, check out my Blog or follow me on Twitter!
**
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
My god, SO BAD. And for once, after days and days, I've actually finished a review! To put it up soon.
January 2, 2018
“A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.”
----Jane Austen
The Jane Austen Society of Pakistan started by the journalist-cum-author, Laaleen Sukhera payed a homage to our very dear and favorite 18th century author, Jane Austen, by penning some Austen-themed stories about the rich, some feminist and damsel-in-distress type, dramatic, haughty aristocrat Muslim women, who are way past their "marriageable age" of a posh society based in Pakistan, through a book called Austenistan featuring a collection of seven short stories written by the members of the Jane Austen fan club and is edited by Laaleen Sukhera.
Synopsis:
Heiress Kamila Mughal is humiliated when her brother's best friend snubs her to marry a social climbing nobody from Islamabad. Roya discovers her fiancé has been cheating on her and ends up on a blind date on her wedding day. Beautiful young widow Begum Saira Qadir has mourned her husband, but is she finally ready to start following her own desires?
Inspired by Jane Austen and set in contemporary Pakistan, Austenistan is a collection of seven stories; romantic, uplifting, witty, and heartbreaking by turn, which pay homage to the queen of romance who lives on among us.
The 18th century author, Jane Austen, whose novels changed the lives of then society in London as well as the lives of everyone one century after another on a global scale. Austen depicted a narrow-minded English society where women from a respectable and aristocratic class can easily enrich themselves with varied opportunities in life, like a classy educational background or equally rich hobbies to allure eligible bachelors when the women have reached their "marriageable age" and for those women belonging from a middle-class background might find it bit difficult to allure men like Mr. Darcy and rather allure someone from lower strata of life. Also women should seek husband before crossing the maximum limit of "marriageable age" because only then she can find herself a handsome and successful bachelor, otherwise, she ill chained to an old, fat, grumpy man for the rest of her life. Austen has captured the then mindset of our society, but little did she knew that, the society that she is talking about is a perpetual one. So even in 21st century, we women find ourselves challenged these mediocrities of our society. And thus Austen is and will forever be alive in our everyday complexities and challenges of life.
And Laaleen and her group of Austen fan club members have payed a tribute to the legendary author, Jane Austen by portraying stories about every day women that we meet while commuting to our work-place or while using the public loo or while waiting in a queue for the trial rooms in any shopping mall or maybe in our neighborhood. The women who are feminist yet love drama and enjoy passion and romance, the women who are independent and want to be successful in their lives and the women who want freedom from everything. But the surprisingly part is that these women might be from your neighborhood, but in the book, the women belong from a very restricted society in Pakistan, where beyond the layers of their hijaab, they love to explore their freedom in the fields of marriage, love, sex and career.
Some are haughty Gucci-Prada-draped mid-aged spinsters, some are curvaceous, young and flirty, some are independent and headstrong and some are fabulous in their own shell, but they all are either crushing on tall, handsome, rich, posh, foreign-returned, successful men (typical Mr. Darcy type) or rebelling against the societal norms followed by high-octane melodrama in their lives.
The writing style is brilliant, vividly penned and laced with light emotions and full of humor that is bound to keep the readers not only glued to the book, but also entertained till the very last page. The challenges of a complex society and a society that is never going to grow up is depicted with full of funny anecdotes all the resonating closely enough with the everyday challenges in the lives of 21st century women. Yes the characters are highly relatable and extremely honest and portray authenticity through their demeanor, well yeah I agree they can be a bit dramatic at times. The narrative is articulate and with a fast pace, this book is a perfect and must read for any and every modern day single, married, widowed, divorced or engaged women. The authors did a brilliant and amazing job in arresting the raw truth about our "so-called progressive" society strikingly.
Verdict: Definitely a must read and a perfect book to cure our gloomy moods.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Bloomsbury India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----Jane Austen
The Jane Austen Society of Pakistan started by the journalist-cum-author, Laaleen Sukhera payed a homage to our very dear and favorite 18th century author, Jane Austen, by penning some Austen-themed stories about the rich, some feminist and damsel-in-distress type, dramatic, haughty aristocrat Muslim women, who are way past their "marriageable age" of a posh society based in Pakistan, through a book called Austenistan featuring a collection of seven short stories written by the members of the Jane Austen fan club and is edited by Laaleen Sukhera.
Synopsis:
Heiress Kamila Mughal is humiliated when her brother's best friend snubs her to marry a social climbing nobody from Islamabad. Roya discovers her fiancé has been cheating on her and ends up on a blind date on her wedding day. Beautiful young widow Begum Saira Qadir has mourned her husband, but is she finally ready to start following her own desires?
Inspired by Jane Austen and set in contemporary Pakistan, Austenistan is a collection of seven stories; romantic, uplifting, witty, and heartbreaking by turn, which pay homage to the queen of romance who lives on among us.
The 18th century author, Jane Austen, whose novels changed the lives of then society in London as well as the lives of everyone one century after another on a global scale. Austen depicted a narrow-minded English society where women from a respectable and aristocratic class can easily enrich themselves with varied opportunities in life, like a classy educational background or equally rich hobbies to allure eligible bachelors when the women have reached their "marriageable age" and for those women belonging from a middle-class background might find it bit difficult to allure men like Mr. Darcy and rather allure someone from lower strata of life. Also women should seek husband before crossing the maximum limit of "marriageable age" because only then she can find herself a handsome and successful bachelor, otherwise, she ill chained to an old, fat, grumpy man for the rest of her life. Austen has captured the then mindset of our society, but little did she knew that, the society that she is talking about is a perpetual one. So even in 21st century, we women find ourselves challenged these mediocrities of our society. And thus Austen is and will forever be alive in our everyday complexities and challenges of life.
And Laaleen and her group of Austen fan club members have payed a tribute to the legendary author, Jane Austen by portraying stories about every day women that we meet while commuting to our work-place or while using the public loo or while waiting in a queue for the trial rooms in any shopping mall or maybe in our neighborhood. The women who are feminist yet love drama and enjoy passion and romance, the women who are independent and want to be successful in their lives and the women who want freedom from everything. But the surprisingly part is that these women might be from your neighborhood, but in the book, the women belong from a very restricted society in Pakistan, where beyond the layers of their hijaab, they love to explore their freedom in the fields of marriage, love, sex and career.
Some are haughty Gucci-Prada-draped mid-aged spinsters, some are curvaceous, young and flirty, some are independent and headstrong and some are fabulous in their own shell, but they all are either crushing on tall, handsome, rich, posh, foreign-returned, successful men (typical Mr. Darcy type) or rebelling against the societal norms followed by high-octane melodrama in their lives.
The writing style is brilliant, vividly penned and laced with light emotions and full of humor that is bound to keep the readers not only glued to the book, but also entertained till the very last page. The challenges of a complex society and a society that is never going to grow up is depicted with full of funny anecdotes all the resonating closely enough with the everyday challenges in the lives of 21st century women. Yes the characters are highly relatable and extremely honest and portray authenticity through their demeanor, well yeah I agree they can be a bit dramatic at times. The narrative is articulate and with a fast pace, this book is a perfect and must read for any and every modern day single, married, widowed, divorced or engaged women. The authors did a brilliant and amazing job in arresting the raw truth about our "so-called progressive" society strikingly.
Verdict: Definitely a must read and a perfect book to cure our gloomy moods.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Bloomsbury India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
March 20, 2021
The book is surprisingly modern, you hear the word Pakistan and imagine a very conservative Muslim society, but it's not the case in this collection of short stories. Also, I wished there were retellings of Jane's other books, it's mainly about Pride and Prejudice (everyone's favorite!)
1- The Fabulous Banker Boys by Mahlia S Lone ★★★★★
A retelling of Pride and Prejudice
The moment I flipped the last page of this short novel I wanted more! It stopped right after it was getting exciting! Jameela Baig (Mrs. Bennet) wants more for her daughters, who she got after 10 years of miscarriages and debt. Her eldest at 20 Jahan (Jane) is the sweetest, Elisha (Elizbeth) is the one who knows her mind, Khadija (Kitty) is just there, and Leena (Lydia) is 16 and wild! They attend the event of the season the Mirza family wedding with two suitable single men from Dubai attending the wedding, Faiz Dar (Fitzwilliam Darcy) and Saif Bhatti (Charles Bingley). Very well done! Perfect YA story.
2- Begum Saira Returns by Nida Elley ★★★★★
A retelling of Lady Susan
This must be my favorite so far, it's so hot and different, I really wanted a full book about Saira in 1989, she is 40, beautiful, rich, and widowed recently. Society shuns her because she is a flirt and has a way with men at any age. She attends a wedding and meets two men she might be interested in, her old flame now her sister's boyfriend, and a younger man she wants to wed to her daughter. Erotic dark cover for this one!
3- Emaan Ever After by Mishayl Naek ★★★★★
A retelling of Emma
Emaan is 32, divorced and she lives with her father again, she feels she will never know love and was willing to go home and have sex with a guy she just met at a party when her best friend the handsome Haroon (Mr. Knightly) as always stops her. He then announces he's getting married and she discovers she is in love with him. This one is so cute and very funny! I laughed out loud! Would make a wonderful novel with a bright-colored cover!
4- The Mughal Empire by Saniyya Gauhar ★★★★★
A retelling of Pride and Prejudice
This one is about Caroline Bingley aka Kamila Mughal. The man she always thought would be hers married beneath him, Faisal Dayyan (Darcy) to a miss Erum Bilal (Lizzie) and now she is humiliated in her society where everyone knew she thought she will be the one, not only that but her brother Chengiz (Charles) married her sister Jahanara (Jane) so now they are related! Zehra Bilal (Mrs. Bennet) is my favorite character! The wedding dance and gossip were hilarious... poor Ayyan being bullied by his wife! A novel with the same title "The Problem with Mr. Darcy" would be perfect!
5- The Autumn Ball by Gayathri Warnasuriya ★★★☆☆
A retelling of Pride and Prejudice
I don't see how is this one inspired by Pride and Prejudice. It seems so random, sad, and not with the vibe of Austen. Maya is married to a politician who is so cold to her, all she wants is to attend the autumn ball and dance with him all night. He doesn't.
6- Only the Deepest Love by Sonya Rehman ★★☆☆☆
A retelling of Pride and Prejudice
Very dark and disappointing in parts, sort of okay. It's about abuse, being with the wrong person, and social classes. Samina is bitter, her cousin just got married to a gay man, she and her mom are barely surviving while the father who left them is thriving in Canada with a new western family, a son of an important man she teaches and gives a bad grade beats her up. Things are barely looking up. Her cousin's gay husband's friend is interested in her. That's all.
7- On the Verge by Laaleen Sukhera ★★★★☆
A retelling of Pride and Prejudice
Roya was engaged to the perfect man until she discovers he was cheating on her. She is a blogger and trying to stay on top of things when she gets an invite to a party by a millionaire in Dubai she goes intending to have fun, and ends up meeting a true prince! Pretty cute, stylish and fun.
1- The Fabulous Banker Boys by Mahlia S Lone ★★★★★
A retelling of Pride and Prejudice
The moment I flipped the last page of this short novel I wanted more! It stopped right after it was getting exciting! Jameela Baig (Mrs. Bennet) wants more for her daughters, who she got after 10 years of miscarriages and debt. Her eldest at 20 Jahan (Jane) is the sweetest, Elisha (Elizbeth) is the one who knows her mind, Khadija (Kitty) is just there, and Leena (Lydia) is 16 and wild! They attend the event of the season the Mirza family wedding with two suitable single men from Dubai attending the wedding, Faiz Dar (Fitzwilliam Darcy) and Saif Bhatti (Charles Bingley). Very well done! Perfect YA story.
2- Begum Saira Returns by Nida Elley ★★★★★
A retelling of Lady Susan
This must be my favorite so far, it's so hot and different, I really wanted a full book about Saira in 1989, she is 40, beautiful, rich, and widowed recently. Society shuns her because she is a flirt and has a way with men at any age. She attends a wedding and meets two men she might be interested in, her old flame now her sister's boyfriend, and a younger man she wants to wed to her daughter. Erotic dark cover for this one!
3- Emaan Ever After by Mishayl Naek ★★★★★
A retelling of Emma
Emaan is 32, divorced and she lives with her father again, she feels she will never know love and was willing to go home and have sex with a guy she just met at a party when her best friend the handsome Haroon (Mr. Knightly) as always stops her. He then announces he's getting married and she discovers she is in love with him. This one is so cute and very funny! I laughed out loud! Would make a wonderful novel with a bright-colored cover!
4- The Mughal Empire by Saniyya Gauhar ★★★★★
A retelling of Pride and Prejudice
This one is about Caroline Bingley aka Kamila Mughal. The man she always thought would be hers married beneath him, Faisal Dayyan (Darcy) to a miss Erum Bilal (Lizzie) and now she is humiliated in her society where everyone knew she thought she will be the one, not only that but her brother Chengiz (Charles) married her sister Jahanara (Jane) so now they are related! Zehra Bilal (Mrs. Bennet) is my favorite character! The wedding dance and gossip were hilarious... poor Ayyan being bullied by his wife! A novel with the same title "The Problem with Mr. Darcy" would be perfect!
5- The Autumn Ball by Gayathri Warnasuriya ★★★☆☆
A retelling of Pride and Prejudice
I don't see how is this one inspired by Pride and Prejudice. It seems so random, sad, and not with the vibe of Austen. Maya is married to a politician who is so cold to her, all she wants is to attend the autumn ball and dance with him all night. He doesn't.
6- Only the Deepest Love by Sonya Rehman ★★☆☆☆
A retelling of Pride and Prejudice
Very dark and disappointing in parts, sort of okay. It's about abuse, being with the wrong person, and social classes. Samina is bitter, her cousin just got married to a gay man, she and her mom are barely surviving while the father who left them is thriving in Canada with a new western family, a son of an important man she teaches and gives a bad grade beats her up. Things are barely looking up. Her cousin's gay husband's friend is interested in her. That's all.
7- On the Verge by Laaleen Sukhera ★★★★☆
A retelling of Pride and Prejudice
Roya was engaged to the perfect man until she discovers he was cheating on her. She is a blogger and trying to stay on top of things when she gets an invite to a party by a millionaire in Dubai she goes intending to have fun, and ends up meeting a true prince! Pretty cute, stylish and fun.
November 10, 2020
Witty, thoughtful, and engaging from the first to the last. Seven contemporary stories of a myriad of Pakistani women, their friendships, families and romantic relationships with more than a nod to Austen’s canon. Easy to recommend this smart and vibrant collection. One need not be familiar with Austen to enjoy! Thoughtful foreword by Caroline Jane Knight, 5th great niece of Jane Austen.
January 3, 2018
Note: This is an uncorrected proof copy, sent to me by the publisher (Bloomsbury India). The quotes can be subject to change in the final version. I would like to thank the publisher for the copy.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
I rarely indulge myself in short stories or anthologies. On top of that there are already enough adaptations – plays, novels, novellas – on Pride and Prejudice and other critically acclaimed works of Austen. Suffice it to say that I was very doubtful about liking this one.
This is an anthology with seven short stories, all written and adapted from Jane Austen’s different novels. Each one is written by a different author and follows different voices and patterns of narrativity. They are a mesh of beautifully written short stories. I’ll be honest, I feel like in the literary world Austen has been done to death, but I was very shocked to see how the local and the Victorian merged in these stories.
It was wonderful to follow the lives of these flawed yet very real characters and get a glimpse of the Pakistani lifestyle, which is pretty much like the Indian one, so I could relate.
There are passages of immense beauty; on the city (Lahore) , the landscape, marriages, women, politics and such, which were wonderful to read . My personal favourite has to be “Begum Sadira Returns”, because of the wonderful realist technique. It is adapted from Lady Susan (I had expected it to be as horrid as Love and Friendship, but I am happy to say that wasn't the case at all). I am so glad I got a chance to read these stories, because I flew through them. For someone who doesn’t prefer short stories, I was very sorry when the seventh one ended, it was a perfect blend of the “unique local way”.
I am glad that I got a chance to read this beautiful anthology, because I won’t have picked it up otherwise, due to my inhibitions with the adaptations of Austen, especially the recent novels (ugh). However, I ended up tremendously enjoying them. And also December is (somewhat) the month for marriages so it became a perfect fit for me. I even recommended this to my mother, and my copy is highlighted with flags because of the phenomenal detail that some short stories provide.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a little bit more of Jane Austen but also a very eastern and contemporary take on her.
-Samidha
🌟🌟🌟🌟
I rarely indulge myself in short stories or anthologies. On top of that there are already enough adaptations – plays, novels, novellas – on Pride and Prejudice and other critically acclaimed works of Austen. Suffice it to say that I was very doubtful about liking this one.
This is an anthology with seven short stories, all written and adapted from Jane Austen’s different novels. Each one is written by a different author and follows different voices and patterns of narrativity. They are a mesh of beautifully written short stories. I’ll be honest, I feel like in the literary world Austen has been done to death, but I was very shocked to see how the local and the Victorian merged in these stories.
And so to his utter disbelief, and slightly to hers, she calls off their splashy wedding and goes sailing into the sunset, solo.”
-Laleen Sukhera (On the Verge)
It was wonderful to follow the lives of these flawed yet very real characters and get a glimpse of the Pakistani lifestyle, which is pretty much like the Indian one, so I could relate.
There are passages of immense beauty; on the city (Lahore) , the landscape, marriages, women, politics and such, which were wonderful to read . My personal favourite has to be “Begum Sadira Returns”, because of the wonderful realist technique. It is adapted from Lady Susan (I had expected it to be as horrid as Love and Friendship, but I am happy to say that wasn't the case at all). I am so glad I got a chance to read these stories, because I flew through them. For someone who doesn’t prefer short stories, I was very sorry when the seventh one ended, it was a perfect blend of the “unique local way”.
“He rests his hand lightly on my lower back, something I hate because it makes me self conscious about my love handles.”
-Mishayl Naek (Emaan Ever After)
I am glad that I got a chance to read this beautiful anthology, because I won’t have picked it up otherwise, due to my inhibitions with the adaptations of Austen, especially the recent novels (
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a little bit more of Jane Austen but also a very eastern and contemporary take on her.
-Samidha
June 8, 2018
I refuse to believe that Pakistani authors cannot come up with better desi-version of Austen than the amateurish stories contained in this book. So disappointing.
December 13, 2017
Austenistan is a compilation of seven short stories that, in true Jane Austen fashion, comment on the nature of society and revolve around the lives of modern women. Based in different cities of Pakistan, these stories are as immersed in Pakistani culture as they are tweaked to accommodate the whims of 21st century folks.
I had such great expectations of this book, particularly because it was inspired by Jane Austen's writings with the promise to feature Pakistani culture. Unfortunately, I didn't love it as much as I'd hoped. Now, the writing style (of the different writers) is colloquial and easy to get accustomed to, which was an interesting change from Austen's very ornate and wordy style. Most of the stories had some element of a wedding celebration or a party, the vibes of which were aptly conveyed through the use of imageries and cultural references. You'll also find empowered women refusing to bow down to society's ridiculous expectations. Clichés like insta-love, brooding men and marriage-fixing-aunties notwithstanding, I really liked reading about how different female protagonists reacted in different circumstances.
My problem was with certain characters and value systems that overshadowed even the simplest of stories. In Begum Saira Returns, Saira's plight is heartrending! She is bullied by society for being open-minded. BUT THEN, the turn of events at the end is bewildering. How is it okay to let go of your morals, especially when doing so could hurt a loved one? Many of the stories emphasize superficial standards, when it comes to arranging a marriage or fixing a date, by placing those with a better outward appearance, money and stature at a pedestal. In Austen's writings, these aspects could be justified because the time was such. But the same is not an overarching truth of today. Certain parts of the stories do get predictable after a point, but because they're cutesy romances it's not really bothersome. My favourite has to be The Autumn Ball by Gayathri Warnsuriya. The disconnect between a couple is heartbreakingly sketched in that story. All in all, the book had it's good and bad aspects. I enjoyed reading most of the stories. It's just a couple of them that irked me.
What do you get out of it? A few entertaining stories which attempt to reflect prevalent ideals about marriage, womanhood and society.
Thank you Bloomsbury India for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
I had such great expectations of this book, particularly because it was inspired by Jane Austen's writings with the promise to feature Pakistani culture. Unfortunately, I didn't love it as much as I'd hoped. Now, the writing style (of the different writers) is colloquial and easy to get accustomed to, which was an interesting change from Austen's very ornate and wordy style. Most of the stories had some element of a wedding celebration or a party, the vibes of which were aptly conveyed through the use of imageries and cultural references. You'll also find empowered women refusing to bow down to society's ridiculous expectations. Clichés like insta-love, brooding men and marriage-fixing-aunties notwithstanding, I really liked reading about how different female protagonists reacted in different circumstances.
My problem was with certain characters and value systems that overshadowed even the simplest of stories. In Begum Saira Returns, Saira's plight is heartrending! She is bullied by society for being open-minded. BUT THEN, the turn of events at the end is bewildering. How is it okay to let go of your morals, especially when doing so could hurt a loved one? Many of the stories emphasize superficial standards, when it comes to arranging a marriage or fixing a date, by placing those with a better outward appearance, money and stature at a pedestal. In Austen's writings, these aspects could be justified because the time was such. But the same is not an overarching truth of today. Certain parts of the stories do get predictable after a point, but because they're cutesy romances it's not really bothersome. My favourite has to be The Autumn Ball by Gayathri Warnsuriya. The disconnect between a couple is heartbreakingly sketched in that story. All in all, the book had it's good and bad aspects. I enjoyed reading most of the stories. It's just a couple of them that irked me.
What do you get out of it? A few entertaining stories which attempt to reflect prevalent ideals about marriage, womanhood and society.
Thank you Bloomsbury India for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
December 23, 2017
“A lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.” -Jane Austen
The book opens with a beautiful Foreward by Caroline Jane Knight followed by seven wonderful short stories. Every story is unique and encompasses the basic elements of Austen’s work in modern day Pakistan. It includes women’s take on love, life and happiness.
Brilliant Writing
Since every story is written by a different author, there was a twist in narrative and voices. Set up in different cities of Pakistan, every culture and detail was carefully and effortlessly written to capture the nature of the story as an anthology all the while giving it a modern twist. The writing style is brilliant and included emotions and humor. It kept me glued to the book and entertained till the very last page.
“And so to his utter disbelief, and slightly to hers, she calls off their splashy wedding and goes sailing into the sunset, solo.”
–Laleen Sukhera (On the Verge)
Delightful Stories
It was wonderful to follow the lives of the characters, which were realistic and relatable. Giving us an insight to the modern day world, the challenges faced by women in the 21st century, these stories were like a breath of fresh air.
Continue reading on The Common Shelf.
The book opens with a beautiful Foreward by Caroline Jane Knight followed by seven wonderful short stories. Every story is unique and encompasses the basic elements of Austen’s work in modern day Pakistan. It includes women’s take on love, life and happiness.
Brilliant Writing
Since every story is written by a different author, there was a twist in narrative and voices. Set up in different cities of Pakistan, every culture and detail was carefully and effortlessly written to capture the nature of the story as an anthology all the while giving it a modern twist. The writing style is brilliant and included emotions and humor. It kept me glued to the book and entertained till the very last page.
“And so to his utter disbelief, and slightly to hers, she calls off their splashy wedding and goes sailing into the sunset, solo.”
–Laleen Sukhera (On the Verge)
Delightful Stories
It was wonderful to follow the lives of the characters, which were realistic and relatable. Giving us an insight to the modern day world, the challenges faced by women in the 21st century, these stories were like a breath of fresh air.
Continue reading on The Common Shelf.
December 29, 2017
For the full review go to http://www.diaryofabookgirl.in/2017/1...
There are certain books which brings out a hint of a smile on your face. Austenistan is one such book. Austenistan has 7 short stories written by the members of the Jane Austen Society of Pakistan and this anthology is edited by Laaleen Sukhera. These short stories are widely inspired by Jane Austen's works and they bring out the essence of Austen's novels.
Each of the stories are based in Pakistan. So one gets the cultural sense of the country. From extravagant weddings to Bhangras and Ball dances, Austenistan gives you a glimpse of everything. The subtle bits and pieces of Pakistan's sociocultural dogmas that the stories provide through its plots gives the reader a pretty much clear picture of Pakistan. Basically, one travels to Pakistan through this.
Now coming to the characters, I have to say that I loved each one of them. As I said before, the stories are greatly influenced by Jane Austen's novels, and so the male characters are pretty much like those in Austen's books. They are extremely good looking, extremely rich, extremely charismatic and extremely chivalrous. And if you have read Austen's novels you should know that the hero of the stories are the female characters and this is what Austenistan portrays. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters (the females especially). They are as self-righteous as the female characters in Austen's works. They are level headed, and have strong minded and balanced personalities.
As you can guess, the stories are mostly about love (read: modern love). But the stories are very different from each other. While some are about discovering love for the first time, some are about realisations while others are about safekeeping of their loved ones. Reading these short love stories is like a breath of fresh air. I promise you, you won't be disappointed.
Go for this book. You won't be disappointed.
There are certain books which brings out a hint of a smile on your face. Austenistan is one such book. Austenistan has 7 short stories written by the members of the Jane Austen Society of Pakistan and this anthology is edited by Laaleen Sukhera. These short stories are widely inspired by Jane Austen's works and they bring out the essence of Austen's novels.
Each of the stories are based in Pakistan. So one gets the cultural sense of the country. From extravagant weddings to Bhangras and Ball dances, Austenistan gives you a glimpse of everything. The subtle bits and pieces of Pakistan's sociocultural dogmas that the stories provide through its plots gives the reader a pretty much clear picture of Pakistan. Basically, one travels to Pakistan through this.
Now coming to the characters, I have to say that I loved each one of them. As I said before, the stories are greatly influenced by Jane Austen's novels, and so the male characters are pretty much like those in Austen's books. They are extremely good looking, extremely rich, extremely charismatic and extremely chivalrous. And if you have read Austen's novels you should know that the hero of the stories are the female characters and this is what Austenistan portrays. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters (the females especially). They are as self-righteous as the female characters in Austen's works. They are level headed, and have strong minded and balanced personalities.
As you can guess, the stories are mostly about love (read: modern love). But the stories are very different from each other. While some are about discovering love for the first time, some are about realisations while others are about safekeeping of their loved ones. Reading these short love stories is like a breath of fresh air. I promise you, you won't be disappointed.
Go for this book. You won't be disappointed.
November 30, 2021
I'm so disappointed.
Review to follow.
Review to follow.
October 28, 2020
What comes to your mind when you first read the name “Jane Austen"? Probably Pride & Prejudice? or any other novel written by her? Jane Austen doesn’t need any introduction (at least to the bookworms I guess?). Austenistan is an anthology containing 7 different stories inspired by Jane Austen’s work and are set in modern Pakistan. Sounds fun, eh?
The book starts with a wonderful foreword by Caroline Jane Knight who is related to Jane Austen. This book has 7 different stories and most of these are based on P&P. Every story is written by different author and overall the book is edited by Laaleen Sukhera. At the starting of each story, there is a quote from the Jane Austen story that is being retold. So you get the idea instantly that a particular story is an adaptation of which one.
Each of the stories has the character names similar to Jane Austen characters, so it makes it easier to recognize them. I think the best way to review this anthology is to go into details about each story. So let’s talk about them story-wise.
The Fabulous Banker Boys by Mahila S Lone: This was a typical P&P story based on the similar storyline. I was so glad the first story itself was based on P&P and I was able to relate to it. This is a story about Jameela Baig and her daughters. Jameela Baig is a middle-aged woman who has four daughters. All she ever think is about marrying her daughters to suitable grooms. When she heard about the Mirza wedding, she was happy with the prospect of finding many eligible bachelors there. In the wedding, her second daughter Elisha met Mr. Dar (sounds familiar? 😛 ) and their egos clash and rest is the history.
Begum Saira Returns by Nida Elley: This story is about Begum Saira who is a forty-plus widow and want to live her life again after her husband’s death. She tries to go back to her social life. Despite what society will think of her, she falls in love again. But the hardest thing is she falls in love with her sister’s fiance. I am not sure if I liked this story that much. It was the ending that made it little bitter for me and I wished it to be a little longer.
Emaan Ever After by Mishayl Naek: This story is about Emaan who is an editor of a lifestyle magazine. She is heartbroken after she was betrayed by love. So her best friend tries to link her up with eligible bachelors but her heart is just not into it. When she gets the news that her childhood best friend Haroon is getting hitched, suddenly she feels uneasy and wondered if she secretly in love with him? This has to be my favourite story of the book. I absolutely love this best friend romance trope. Emaan and Haroon are so different from each other still they are perfect together.
The Mughal Empire by Saniyya Gauhar: This is about Kamila who is in love with a man her whole life. But that man ran away and married someone else over her and her brother married that girl’s sister. She felt betrayed in love and her ego is shattered. Will she find love again? This was my second favorite story from the entire collection. Apart from romance, it was a powerful story talking about your career and aspirations.
The Autumn Ball by Gayathri Warnasuriya: This story is about a married couple, Maya and Hugo. When they are blessed with a baby boy, they feel the spark between them is fading away. Will they be able to save their marriage or will it fall apart? This was my least favourite story in this collection just because of the ending. But the writing was intense and I loved it.
Only The Deepest Love by Sonya Rehman: This story is about Samina and her take on marriage. It has raised a few interesting concerns as a society like the domestic violence inside the marriage. Also, I was happy about the gay representation in the story. It was good to read that what’s the condition of gay people in Pakistan and how they are forced to hide their identity because not many books talk about it out there.
On The Verge by Laaleen Sukhera: This is about Roya who discovers that her fiance has been cheating on her. So she decides to go on a blind date on her wedding day. What will change in her life after that date? Will she find her love? The premise of the story was interesting but in the end, the story just felt flat and I expected more from it.
Austenistan is the beautiful collection of entertaining and witty stories made on the verge of Jane Austen’s novels. Jane Austen fans- you are in for a treat. And those who haven’t read Jane Austen (like me) or are not a fan of her work, try this for some fun and quick read. The writing is captivating and showcases the bitter truth of Pakistan and its culture.
The book lived up to my expectations and there was a beautiful insight of contemporary Pakistan. Definitely, Jane Austen is travelling Pakistan 😀 I would definitely recommend this!
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The book starts with a wonderful foreword by Caroline Jane Knight who is related to Jane Austen. This book has 7 different stories and most of these are based on P&P. Every story is written by different author and overall the book is edited by Laaleen Sukhera. At the starting of each story, there is a quote from the Jane Austen story that is being retold. So you get the idea instantly that a particular story is an adaptation of which one.
Each of the stories has the character names similar to Jane Austen characters, so it makes it easier to recognize them. I think the best way to review this anthology is to go into details about each story. So let’s talk about them story-wise.
The Fabulous Banker Boys by Mahila S Lone: This was a typical P&P story based on the similar storyline. I was so glad the first story itself was based on P&P and I was able to relate to it. This is a story about Jameela Baig and her daughters. Jameela Baig is a middle-aged woman who has four daughters. All she ever think is about marrying her daughters to suitable grooms. When she heard about the Mirza wedding, she was happy with the prospect of finding many eligible bachelors there. In the wedding, her second daughter Elisha met Mr. Dar (sounds familiar? 😛 ) and their egos clash and rest is the history.
Begum Saira Returns by Nida Elley: This story is about Begum Saira who is a forty-plus widow and want to live her life again after her husband’s death. She tries to go back to her social life. Despite what society will think of her, she falls in love again. But the hardest thing is she falls in love with her sister’s fiance. I am not sure if I liked this story that much. It was the ending that made it little bitter for me and I wished it to be a little longer.
Emaan Ever After by Mishayl Naek: This story is about Emaan who is an editor of a lifestyle magazine. She is heartbroken after she was betrayed by love. So her best friend tries to link her up with eligible bachelors but her heart is just not into it. When she gets the news that her childhood best friend Haroon is getting hitched, suddenly she feels uneasy and wondered if she secretly in love with him? This has to be my favourite story of the book. I absolutely love this best friend romance trope. Emaan and Haroon are so different from each other still they are perfect together.
The Mughal Empire by Saniyya Gauhar: This is about Kamila who is in love with a man her whole life. But that man ran away and married someone else over her and her brother married that girl’s sister. She felt betrayed in love and her ego is shattered. Will she find love again? This was my second favorite story from the entire collection. Apart from romance, it was a powerful story talking about your career and aspirations.
The Autumn Ball by Gayathri Warnasuriya: This story is about a married couple, Maya and Hugo. When they are blessed with a baby boy, they feel the spark between them is fading away. Will they be able to save their marriage or will it fall apart? This was my least favourite story in this collection just because of the ending. But the writing was intense and I loved it.
Only The Deepest Love by Sonya Rehman: This story is about Samina and her take on marriage. It has raised a few interesting concerns as a society like the domestic violence inside the marriage. Also, I was happy about the gay representation in the story. It was good to read that what’s the condition of gay people in Pakistan and how they are forced to hide their identity because not many books talk about it out there.
On The Verge by Laaleen Sukhera: This is about Roya who discovers that her fiance has been cheating on her. So she decides to go on a blind date on her wedding day. What will change in her life after that date? Will she find her love? The premise of the story was interesting but in the end, the story just felt flat and I expected more from it.
Austenistan is the beautiful collection of entertaining and witty stories made on the verge of Jane Austen’s novels. Jane Austen fans- you are in for a treat. And those who haven’t read Jane Austen (like me) or are not a fan of her work, try this for some fun and quick read. The writing is captivating and showcases the bitter truth of Pakistan and its culture.
The book lived up to my expectations and there was a beautiful insight of contemporary Pakistan. Definitely, Jane Austen is travelling Pakistan 😀 I would definitely recommend this!
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December 30, 2017
Laaleen Sukhera, founder of Jane Austen Society of Pakistan, along with few other Austen enthusiasts compiled this collection of short stories as a tribute to the author whose many female protagonists have won our hearts over the years. Full of quirky situations and funny replies, each of the tales from Pakistan are fun to read and mull over. Whether the short stories win over the Austen fans is another question.
Some noteworthy things about the book :-
Every story quotes a line from the classic that it is adapted from and the plot is a sketchy outline of some of Austen’s classics.
The embellished clothes, ethereal decorations, extravagant weddings and flavorsome food all draw a parallel to the Victorian era that we encounter in the classics they are derived from, reminding us that there is more to Pakistan than the media makes us assume.
Laaleen and the other authors project a reflection of beautiful cities such as Lahore and Karachi and makes the readers fall in love with the dreamy ambience.
However …
The subtle line between funny and witty that is so well-defined in Austen’s works was particularly lacking in each of the stories.
The heroines of Austenistan lack the feisty attitude and punch that we have grown to love having read Emma, Lady Susan, Pride and Prejudice
What I absolutely hated (yes, some strong emotions here) was the fact that they have reduced an Austen recreation to an inevitable chick-lit, which made me question my thoughts on Jane Austen’s works.
Overall, it is a fun book to read but if you are an Austen devotee, you might want to keep your hands away from this one.
Some noteworthy things about the book :-
Every story quotes a line from the classic that it is adapted from and the plot is a sketchy outline of some of Austen’s classics.
The embellished clothes, ethereal decorations, extravagant weddings and flavorsome food all draw a parallel to the Victorian era that we encounter in the classics they are derived from, reminding us that there is more to Pakistan than the media makes us assume.
Laaleen and the other authors project a reflection of beautiful cities such as Lahore and Karachi and makes the readers fall in love with the dreamy ambience.
However …
The subtle line between funny and witty that is so well-defined in Austen’s works was particularly lacking in each of the stories.
The heroines of Austenistan lack the feisty attitude and punch that we have grown to love having read Emma, Lady Susan, Pride and Prejudice
What I absolutely hated (yes, some strong emotions here) was the fact that they have reduced an Austen recreation to an inevitable chick-lit, which made me question my thoughts on Jane Austen’s works.
Overall, it is a fun book to read but if you are an Austen devotee, you might want to keep your hands away from this one.
Read
December 12, 2017Austenistan is a collection of short stories that is highly inspired by Jane Austen. Set in contemporary Pakistan, the stories revolve around the present-day scenario of young Pakistanis. Edited by Laaleen Sukhera of the Jane Austen Society of Pakistan, the book consists of multiple stories by Pakistani women writers who often find themselves in Austen’s shoes. The humour, the romance, the drama and the reality of living in a world that still continues to be superficial, arrogant and boisterous; where marriage proposals and wedding receptions are larger than life are fine examples of how the society still functions.
Jane Austen’s works albeit few, still linger and are referred to by many. Her books are immemorial, holding a special place in the literary world. Therefore, reading the stories in an Austen-inspired style was refreshing, and a unique way to keep Austen’s legacy alive.
Every chapter in the story starts with a quote from Austen’s novels which I personally loved. It was like a clue to the story making the reader curious right from the start. The stories have a female protagonist who despite her struggles and shortcomings, eventually takes charge of her life, struggling yet getting back up, and maybe, finding her happily ever after or in this case finding a Mr.Darcy? The writing style of every writer is simple, easy to read and the stories are in no way conventional. The characters mirror the ones in Austen’s novels. From mothers who are worried about getting their daughters married off like Mrs.Benett in Pride and Prejudice to Lady Susan who comes out of her sadness, despair and mourning to once again start her life, Austenistan has effortlessly captured it all.
Although the novel is filled with humour, one can’t ignore the social message being sung in hushed but impactful voices. The heroines in Austenistan surpass social boundaries, break stereo-types and decide the course of their life. They’re not bogged down by societal pressures of marriage, and are not afraid of voicing their opinions. The themes in each story revolve around marital abuse, gay men being married off to straight women, and forced marriages, all of which are harsh realities in today’s society. Pointing out the double standards in a comical manner is one of the many plus points of this novel.
If you’re looking for a refreshing and light read and are an ardent Austen fan, Austenistan is a perfect choice.
Jane Austen’s works albeit few, still linger and are referred to by many. Her books are immemorial, holding a special place in the literary world. Therefore, reading the stories in an Austen-inspired style was refreshing, and a unique way to keep Austen’s legacy alive.
Every chapter in the story starts with a quote from Austen’s novels which I personally loved. It was like a clue to the story making the reader curious right from the start. The stories have a female protagonist who despite her struggles and shortcomings, eventually takes charge of her life, struggling yet getting back up, and maybe, finding her happily ever after or in this case finding a Mr.Darcy? The writing style of every writer is simple, easy to read and the stories are in no way conventional. The characters mirror the ones in Austen’s novels. From mothers who are worried about getting their daughters married off like Mrs.Benett in Pride and Prejudice to Lady Susan who comes out of her sadness, despair and mourning to once again start her life, Austenistan has effortlessly captured it all.
Although the novel is filled with humour, one can’t ignore the social message being sung in hushed but impactful voices. The heroines in Austenistan surpass social boundaries, break stereo-types and decide the course of their life. They’re not bogged down by societal pressures of marriage, and are not afraid of voicing their opinions. The themes in each story revolve around marital abuse, gay men being married off to straight women, and forced marriages, all of which are harsh realities in today’s society. Pointing out the double standards in a comical manner is one of the many plus points of this novel.
If you’re looking for a refreshing and light read and are an ardent Austen fan, Austenistan is a perfect choice.
January 26, 2018
Like every short story collection, this one too is a mixed bag.
The Fabulous Banker Boys by Mahlia S Lone: 2 Stars
This Pride and Prejudice inspired story started off well enough by setting up the BaigBennet family in Lahore but the "insta-connection" between Dar/Elisha the rest of the story for me. I hate that "I just met you but I can talk to you about everything??!" trope, especially when it hasn't been set up well.
Begum Saira Returns by Nida Elley: 4 Stars
This story is inspired by Lady Susan which I have never read before but I loved this one so I will be reading the original soon. It's set in 1989 and revolves around a socially ambitious, desirable and selfish recent widow and her machinations in a conservative South Asian society that doesn't know how to deal with women like her.
Emaan Ever After by Mishayl Naek: 2.5 Stars
This story is inspired by Emma and had an interesting start. Emaan is in her early 30s, divorced and trying to date in a society still keeping up its orthodox pretense, but only for the women of course. But Haroon paled in comparison to George Knightley. Also, trying to fit relationships established over the course of long books into a short story didn't work here or in the first story.
The Mughal Empire by Saniyya Gauhar: 4 Stars
I'm shocked that my favourite P&P love~ story in this collection is inspired by the younger Bingley sister. When a "former" high school mean girl reconnects with the school nerd at a wedding after her heart (ego?) has trampled over by the Darcy/Lizzy relationship.
The Autumn Ball by Gayathri Warnasuriya: 2.5 Stars
This seemed to be very, very loosely connected to the theme.I'm still not sure how. But I liked the depiction of someone from the Diaspora coming back to the native country as a foreign diplomat's wife and slow crumbling of a marriage. Meh otherwise.
Only the Deepest Love Sonya Rehman: 2.5 Stars
A lot of social issues were thrown into this short story. The stigma attached to LGBTQ individuals( gay men marrying straight women because society, "do you know who my father is??" type male students, violence against women, a single parent trying to date etc. I'm not sure if this was the right format to tell this complicated story.
On the Verge by Laaleen Sukhera: 2 Stars
An abundance of the description of rich people things and lifestyle and a girl who dumped a rich guy but met another rich guy and then another. Those historical-era dance balls were the only inspiration for the story I guess. Very Blah.
It wasn't as good as I was hoping it to be but still a nice read. If you are bored of America/UK centered chick-lit books, check it out.
The Fabulous Banker Boys by Mahlia S Lone: 2 Stars
This Pride and Prejudice inspired story started off well enough by setting up the Baig
Begum Saira Returns by Nida Elley: 4 Stars
This story is inspired by Lady Susan which I have never read before but I loved this one so I will be reading the original soon. It's set in 1989 and revolves around a socially ambitious, desirable and selfish recent widow and her machinations in a conservative South Asian society that doesn't know how to deal with women like her.
Emaan Ever After by Mishayl Naek: 2.5 Stars
This story is inspired by Emma and had an interesting start. Emaan is in her early 30s, divorced and trying to date in a society still keeping up its orthodox pretense, but only for the women of course. But Haroon paled in comparison to George Knightley. Also, trying to fit relationships established over the course of long books into a short story didn't work here or in the first story.
The Mughal Empire by Saniyya Gauhar: 4 Stars
I'm shocked that my favourite P&P love~ story in this collection is inspired by the younger Bingley sister. When a "former" high school mean girl reconnects with the school nerd at a wedding after her heart (ego?) has trampled over by the Darcy/Lizzy relationship.
The Autumn Ball by Gayathri Warnasuriya: 2.5 Stars
This seemed to be very, very loosely connected to the theme.
Only the Deepest Love Sonya Rehman: 2.5 Stars
A lot of social issues were thrown into this short story. The stigma attached to LGBTQ individuals( gay men marrying straight women because society, "do you know who my father is??" type male students, violence against women, a single parent trying to date etc. I'm not sure if this was the right format to tell this complicated story.
On the Verge by Laaleen Sukhera: 2 Stars
An abundance of the description of rich people things and lifestyle and a girl who dumped a rich guy but met another rich guy and then another. Those historical-era dance balls were the only inspiration for the story I guess. Very Blah.
It wasn't as good as I was hoping it to be but still a nice read. If you are bored of America/UK centered chick-lit books, check it out.
March 10, 2021
Si tratta di un'antologia di racconti ispirati a Jane Austen. Alcuni sono dei brevi retelling (di Orgoglio e pregiudizio, di Emma e di Lady Susan[!]), altri sono ispirati da una citazione tratta da Orgoglio e pregiudizio, che fa riflettere sulla condizione della donna in Pakistan, la cui più grande ambizione resta il matrimonio, inteso spesso proprio come nozze, per poter festeggiare in stile Bollywood per almeno tre giorni prima di ricadere in una vita grama.
Qualcuna cerca di riscattarsi, ma la mentalità è ancora troppo vicina a quella dell'Inghilterra dell'Ottocento per poter cercare una vera indipendenza.
Ecco che nel primo racconto, The Fabulous Banker Boys di Mahlia S. Lone, il retelling di Orgoglio e pregiudizio che apre la raccolta, l'equivalente di Mr. Bennet dice alla moglie: "If only you were as interested in the girls doing well in their studies as you are in getting them married, they would not need to depend on finding a husband to provide for them..."
In Begum Saira Returns di Nida Elley, un retelling di Lady Susan, la protagonista, rimasta vedova, ruba il fidanzato storico alla sorella meno carina (del resto, lui era rimasto con lei solo nella speranza di poter ottenere qualcosa dalla bella cognata, non certo perché fosse davvero innamorato di Shahana) pur di non restare senza un uomo. E si tratta di un uomo che neanche le interessa.
Emaan Ever After di Mishayl Naek è un retelling di Emma in cui la protagonista potrebbe permettersi di non sposarsi, ma finisce con l'innamorarsi del suo amico d'infanzia e confidente, Haroon. E se ne accorge solo quando lui, per dovere verso la propria famiglia, si fidanza con un'altra donna.
In The Mughal Empire di Saniyya Gauhar, la protagonista è l'equivalente di Miss Bingley, che cerca di rassegnarsi dopo il matrimonio di Darcy e di fare buon viso a cattivo gioco, ma è molto dura, soprattutto quando a darle consigli per trovare marito è la neo suocera del fratello (Mrs. Bennet, in pratica). Kamila Mughal è proprietaria e direttrice di un giornale femminile, ma è pronta a rinunciare alla carriera pur di sposarsi!
The Autumn Ball di Gayathri Warnasuriya parte dalla frase To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love per parlare di un matrimonio in apparenza molto freddo, in cui il marito della protagonista non si lascia andare a divertirsi neanche quando lo fanno persino le persone più compassate, e sembra che lei debba accontentarsi di quel poco che lui è disposto a darle, perché svolge un lavoro di prestigio come diplomatico (a causa del quale, però, lei è stata costretta a rinunciare al proprio) e perché è un buon padre per il loro figlio. Nel limite dei compiti "leciti" per un padre, naturalmente...
Only The Deepest Love di Sonya Rehman parte dalla frase The more I see of the world, the more I am dissatisfied with it per farci vedere una protagonista, Samina, che ha scelto di lavorare come insegnante, ma che viene minacciata e poi aggredita da uno dei suoi allievi per un brutto voto solo perché lui è un figlio di un uomo importante. Non importa che il suo compito valesse davvero il voto che Samina gli ha messo. Il padre di Samina vive ricco e felice in Inghilterra con la seconda moglie, dopo aver lasciato lei e la madre all'improvviso e senza soldi. Il che, comunque, è stato una benedizione per la madre di Sam, che lui picchiava sistematicamente! Parallelamente, si affronta la questione del matrimonio di copertura. Sua cugina si è appena sposata, ma il marito non ha consumato il matrimonio. In principio la ragazza è delusa e sconsolata, ma poi sembra rassegnarsi a un matrimonio basato su una grande amicizia con il compagno gay.
On the Verge Laaleen Sukhera One cannot be always laughing at a man without now and then stumbling on something witty’ Raya, la protagonista, lascia il fidanzato durante i giorni precedenti alla celebrazione dei matrimonio (quelli in cui si fa comunque festa in stile Bollywood) perché scopre che lui è un donnaiolo impenitente.
La sorella della protagonista, Myra, viene guardata con compassione perché si è dedicata alla carriera e she had almost no patience for fools, which was the commodity largely on offer (oh, come ha ragione! Il guaio è che gli uomini credono che un uomo, anche se stupido, sia sempre meglio di nessun uomo. Illusi!)
Su invito di una zia, Raya va in Inghilterra alla festa di compleanno per i trent'anni di un ricco aristocratico che sembra essere interessato a lei, dicendosi che, se dovesse andare male, potrebbe comunque postare le foto sul suo blog, che languisce da quando non posta più i preparativi del suo matrimonio. Scott Tanvir è una vera delusione in quanto ad aspetto (ed è anche uno dei fools che la sorella di Raya non sposerebbe mai!) ma, quel che è peggio, è una vera piovra, e non solo con Raya.
Quando infine Raya decide di lasciar perdere gli uomini ricchi e di dedicarsi al lavoro, però, inciampa in qualcosa di interessante...
Qualcuna cerca di riscattarsi, ma la mentalità è ancora troppo vicina a quella dell'Inghilterra dell'Ottocento per poter cercare una vera indipendenza.
Ecco che nel primo racconto, The Fabulous Banker Boys di Mahlia S. Lone, il retelling di Orgoglio e pregiudizio che apre la raccolta, l'equivalente di Mr. Bennet dice alla moglie: "If only you were as interested in the girls doing well in their studies as you are in getting them married, they would not need to depend on finding a husband to provide for them..."
In Begum Saira Returns di Nida Elley, un retelling di Lady Susan, la protagonista, rimasta vedova, ruba il fidanzato storico alla sorella meno carina (del resto, lui era rimasto con lei solo nella speranza di poter ottenere qualcosa dalla bella cognata, non certo perché fosse davvero innamorato di Shahana) pur di non restare senza un uomo. E si tratta di un uomo che neanche le interessa.
Emaan Ever After di Mishayl Naek è un retelling di Emma in cui la protagonista potrebbe permettersi di non sposarsi, ma finisce con l'innamorarsi del suo amico d'infanzia e confidente, Haroon. E se ne accorge solo quando lui, per dovere verso la propria famiglia, si fidanza con un'altra donna.
In The Mughal Empire di Saniyya Gauhar, la protagonista è l'equivalente di Miss Bingley, che cerca di rassegnarsi dopo il matrimonio di Darcy e di fare buon viso a cattivo gioco, ma è molto dura, soprattutto quando a darle consigli per trovare marito è la neo suocera del fratello (Mrs. Bennet, in pratica). Kamila Mughal è proprietaria e direttrice di un giornale femminile, ma è pronta a rinunciare alla carriera pur di sposarsi!
The Autumn Ball di Gayathri Warnasuriya parte dalla frase To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love per parlare di un matrimonio in apparenza molto freddo, in cui il marito della protagonista non si lascia andare a divertirsi neanche quando lo fanno persino le persone più compassate, e sembra che lei debba accontentarsi di quel poco che lui è disposto a darle, perché svolge un lavoro di prestigio come diplomatico (a causa del quale, però, lei è stata costretta a rinunciare al proprio) e perché è un buon padre per il loro figlio. Nel limite dei compiti "leciti" per un padre, naturalmente...
Only The Deepest Love di Sonya Rehman parte dalla frase The more I see of the world, the more I am dissatisfied with it per farci vedere una protagonista, Samina, che ha scelto di lavorare come insegnante, ma che viene minacciata e poi aggredita da uno dei suoi allievi per un brutto voto solo perché lui è un figlio di un uomo importante. Non importa che il suo compito valesse davvero il voto che Samina gli ha messo. Il padre di Samina vive ricco e felice in Inghilterra con la seconda moglie, dopo aver lasciato lei e la madre all'improvviso e senza soldi. Il che, comunque, è stato una benedizione per la madre di Sam, che lui picchiava sistematicamente! Parallelamente, si affronta la questione del matrimonio di copertura. Sua cugina si è appena sposata, ma il marito non ha consumato il matrimonio. In principio la ragazza è delusa e sconsolata, ma poi sembra rassegnarsi a un matrimonio basato su una grande amicizia con il compagno gay.
On the Verge Laaleen Sukhera One cannot be always laughing at a man without now and then stumbling on something witty’ Raya, la protagonista, lascia il fidanzato durante i giorni precedenti alla celebrazione dei matrimonio (quelli in cui si fa comunque festa in stile Bollywood) perché scopre che lui è un donnaiolo impenitente.
La sorella della protagonista, Myra, viene guardata con compassione perché si è dedicata alla carriera e she had almost no patience for fools, which was the commodity largely on offer (oh, come ha ragione! Il guaio è che gli uomini credono che un uomo, anche se stupido, sia sempre meglio di nessun uomo. Illusi!)
Su invito di una zia, Raya va in Inghilterra alla festa di compleanno per i trent'anni di un ricco aristocratico che sembra essere interessato a lei, dicendosi che, se dovesse andare male, potrebbe comunque postare le foto sul suo blog, che languisce da quando non posta più i preparativi del suo matrimonio. Scott Tanvir è una vera delusione in quanto ad aspetto (ed è anche uno dei fools che la sorella di Raya non sposerebbe mai!) ma, quel che è peggio, è una vera piovra, e non solo con Raya.
Quando infine Raya decide di lasciar perdere gli uomini ricchi e di dedicarsi al lavoro, però, inciampa in qualcosa di interessante...
December 28, 2020
Good stuff!
My favourite story was "The Mughal Empire" by Saniyya Gauhar, with its sympathetic take on Caroline Bingley, picking up her story after P&P's conclusion. Kamila (as she is named here) must take her turn to deal with her pride in order to earn a happy ending. All very on-point as an off-shoot of Austen's novel.
The other story I really liked was "The Autumn Ball" by Gayathri Warnasuriya. This was more "inspired by" Austen rather than picking up her existing characters. (Unless I completely missed the references. I mean, the character Maya has Mary Bennet's intelligence, but is elegant and self-assured rather than clumsy and clueless.) The story might not strike many as true to Austen's work, but I think it is - if one accepts that it deals with one of her secondary characters, rather than her main characters. The latter get their happy endings in Austen's novels, but the former need to learn to live with their choices and circumstances, and make the best of things. This explores that beautifully.
Each of the seven stories starts with an Austen quote, which links it to a novel or serves as a launchpad. Most of them, unsurprisingly, reference Pride and Prejudice - but I was delighted to find one inspired by Lady Susan.
Recommended.
My favourite story was "The Mughal Empire" by Saniyya Gauhar, with its sympathetic take on Caroline Bingley, picking up her story after P&P's conclusion. Kamila (as she is named here) must take her turn to deal with her pride in order to earn a happy ending. All very on-point as an off-shoot of Austen's novel.
The other story I really liked was "The Autumn Ball" by Gayathri Warnasuriya. This was more "inspired by" Austen rather than picking up her existing characters. (Unless I completely missed the references. I mean, the character Maya has Mary Bennet's intelligence, but is elegant and self-assured rather than clumsy and clueless.) The story might not strike many as true to Austen's work, but I think it is - if one accepts that it deals with one of her secondary characters, rather than her main characters. The latter get their happy endings in Austen's novels, but the former need to learn to live with their choices and circumstances, and make the best of things. This explores that beautifully.
Each of the seven stories starts with an Austen quote, which links it to a novel or serves as a launchpad. Most of them, unsurprisingly, reference Pride and Prejudice - but I was delighted to find one inspired by Lady Susan.
Recommended.
December 6, 2017
This book has short stories that you will love. I loved reading Emaan Ever after and on the verge. The stories are connecting and one can easily visualize. The author narrated Islamic culture very well. The plot that author set for each story was beautiful and connecting. Each and every story had its own charm. The book is a lot more about jealousy, fun, love, romance, hope and much more. The characters that author had in every story added charm to the story, each and every character was so connecting, the tempo was also good as it had suspense and twists at each point. The pace was also good, not too fast, not too slow. It was a quick and easy read discovering more about Lahore and Islamabad. The author used simple language and narrated each and every incident beautifully. The stories here are just mind-blowing. It's a light read with full of twists and turns. A witty read.
If you're looking for a quick read, this is the one!
Read more reviews at www.inmydiarybyvidhi.blogspot.in
If you're looking for a quick read, this is the one!
Read more reviews at www.inmydiarybyvidhi.blogspot.in
December 18, 2017
Actual Rating - 4.5 Stars
Disclaimer: A Huge Thanks to Bloomsbury India for providing me with a review copy. My thought, opinions and feelings expressed in this review are, however my own!
Honest Confession: I am not a big fan of Jane Austen; though I recognize the literary genius that she was.
So I went in blind with regards to which stories in this book were related to which ones of Jane Austen – but the writers were wonderful enough to leave clues at the start with quotes from jane Austen books!
Loved every freaking story in this – mostly because it resembled so closely with my own culture and traditions that it was like I was living the stories in my head!
So many different stories, but every single one of these stories were heartwarming in their efforts to show the colorful and wonderful traditions of Pakistan; something that closely resembles the one that I have grown up in India.
While some stories dealt with first love, starting again, and others dealt with the realities opf marriage, but each story left me with the feeling of warmth and comfort like a big tub of ice – cream after a crappy day!
For anyone who is interested in understanding the East Asian Culture, this is a wonderful way to introduce yourself to this colorful tradition - Jane Austen Style :D
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February 19, 2018
I was quite intrigued by the reviews of the book here on this website, but it was half way across the book when I realized I'll be disagreeing with at least half of them.
The book is nothing but the compilation of tales of rich, beautiful, blogger ladies who belonged to the upper status of the hierarchy and had no other intention but to find themselves a prince charming either in the random crowd or sometimes in their husband. Their lives revolved around dressing up in Versace, Givenchy and other namely brands and attend Islamabad's elite parties and wedding and even dance in them regardless of the fact that they weren't even closely acquainted.
Out of all the stories that the book contains, there were only two that appealed me. The rest were all a desperate attempt to be something of Jane Austen's masterpieces and failing miserably!
The book is nothing but the compilation of tales of rich, beautiful, blogger ladies who belonged to the upper status of the hierarchy and had no other intention but to find themselves a prince charming either in the random crowd or sometimes in their husband. Their lives revolved around dressing up in Versace, Givenchy and other namely brands and attend Islamabad's elite parties and wedding and even dance in them regardless of the fact that they weren't even closely acquainted.
Out of all the stories that the book contains, there were only two that appealed me. The rest were all a desperate attempt to be something of Jane Austen's masterpieces and failing miserably!
May 6, 2018
Stories written in the style of Jane Austen, with a twist. It's not set in 19th century, but now. And in the set of Pakistan, where the truths from Austen's times for women are still holding. Although I do not know much about the Pakistani society, the book's stories seem to represent only the economically upper middle class of the society. A fun read, although, I am afraid, only fans of Jane Austen's writing will be appreciating it more than others. Not recommended if you are looking for a masterpiece of literature in terms of anything. :)
October 29, 2018
DNF. How did this even get published!
December 20, 2017
Title: Austenistan
Edited by: Laleen Sukhera
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 180
ISBN: 9789386950260
BLURB
Heiress and society doyenne Kamila Mughal is humiliated when her brother’s best friend snubs her to marry a social climbing nobody from Islamabad. Jamila Baig’s cold, unenterprising husband hasn’t planned for the future and all she can think about is how to find suitable husbands for her daughters. Roya discovers that her fiancé has been cheating on her and ends up on a blind date on her wedding day. Beautiful young widow Saira has mourned her husband but feels she may finally be reading to start following her own desires.
COVER PAGE
The cover page of Austenistan is very attractive blue in colour with the name of the book written in shocking pink colour. The cover page has an image of a girl wearing goggles having image of monuments of Pakistan and is holding a cup in hand on which the editor name is written. Overall, the cover is very different and is eye catching. I loved it.
REVIEW
Austenistan made up of two words Austen and Pakistan. Austenistan is a collection of seven short stories written by the members of the Jane Austen Society of Pakistan. The book starts with a foreword by Caroline Jane Knight, The Founder and Chair of Jane Austen Literacy Foundation. The stories are romantic, witty and heart breaking which pay a homage to Austen. The stories are inspired by Jane Austen and are set in contemporary Pakistan. They are very well written and are a delight to read. Set in Pakistan, the stories reflect the culture, social life, fashion and a lot more about Pakistan. I belong to a refugee family and there are quite a few words which connected me a lot to the stories such as kanaal, dabka and various others. Each story starts with a quote by Jane Austen such as from Emma, Pride and Prejudice etc. All the stories have a female protagonist just like Austen's novels. The book is fast paced, written in a simple language. The events in the stories are very well described and are realistic. Let's dig into the stories a bit:
1. The Fabulous Banker Boys by Mahlia S Lone revolves around Elisha and Mr.Dar and is a mordern retelling ofJane Austen's famous book Pride and Prejudice.
2. Begum Saira Returns by Nida Elley revolves around Saira who is a widow and steps back into the society after her husband's death.
3. Emaan Ever After by Mishayl Naek is a story about Emaan who realizes that she loves her childhood best friend.
4.The Mughal Empire by Sanniya Gauhar is about Kamila who is dumped by her love and will she find love ?
5. The Autumn Ball by Gayathari Warnasuriya is story about a married couple and how their lives change after the birth of their baby boy.
6. Only The Deepest Love by Sonya Rehman is a story about Samina and her take on marriage.
7. On the Verge by Laaleen Sukhera revolves around Roya who finds her fiance cheating on her and decidesto go on a blind date on her wedding day.
Overall, Austenistan is one of most beautiful and and an amazing book that I read in 2017. The book is a treat for Austen lovers. I really enjoyed reading all the stories and it was a wonderful experience. This book is a 'Must Read' especially for all the women out there.
Edited by: Laleen Sukhera
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 180
ISBN: 9789386950260
BLURB
Heiress and society doyenne Kamila Mughal is humiliated when her brother’s best friend snubs her to marry a social climbing nobody from Islamabad. Jamila Baig’s cold, unenterprising husband hasn’t planned for the future and all she can think about is how to find suitable husbands for her daughters. Roya discovers that her fiancé has been cheating on her and ends up on a blind date on her wedding day. Beautiful young widow Saira has mourned her husband but feels she may finally be reading to start following her own desires.
COVER PAGE
The cover page of Austenistan is very attractive blue in colour with the name of the book written in shocking pink colour. The cover page has an image of a girl wearing goggles having image of monuments of Pakistan and is holding a cup in hand on which the editor name is written. Overall, the cover is very different and is eye catching. I loved it.
REVIEW
Austenistan made up of two words Austen and Pakistan. Austenistan is a collection of seven short stories written by the members of the Jane Austen Society of Pakistan. The book starts with a foreword by Caroline Jane Knight, The Founder and Chair of Jane Austen Literacy Foundation. The stories are romantic, witty and heart breaking which pay a homage to Austen. The stories are inspired by Jane Austen and are set in contemporary Pakistan. They are very well written and are a delight to read. Set in Pakistan, the stories reflect the culture, social life, fashion and a lot more about Pakistan. I belong to a refugee family and there are quite a few words which connected me a lot to the stories such as kanaal, dabka and various others. Each story starts with a quote by Jane Austen such as from Emma, Pride and Prejudice etc. All the stories have a female protagonist just like Austen's novels. The book is fast paced, written in a simple language. The events in the stories are very well described and are realistic. Let's dig into the stories a bit:
1. The Fabulous Banker Boys by Mahlia S Lone revolves around Elisha and Mr.Dar and is a mordern retelling ofJane Austen's famous book Pride and Prejudice.
2. Begum Saira Returns by Nida Elley revolves around Saira who is a widow and steps back into the society after her husband's death.
3. Emaan Ever After by Mishayl Naek is a story about Emaan who realizes that she loves her childhood best friend.
4.The Mughal Empire by Sanniya Gauhar is about Kamila who is dumped by her love and will she find love ?
5. The Autumn Ball by Gayathari Warnasuriya is story about a married couple and how their lives change after the birth of their baby boy.
6. Only The Deepest Love by Sonya Rehman is a story about Samina and her take on marriage.
7. On the Verge by Laaleen Sukhera revolves around Roya who finds her fiance cheating on her and decidesto go on a blind date on her wedding day.
Overall, Austenistan is one of most beautiful and and an amazing book that I read in 2017. The book is a treat for Austen lovers. I really enjoyed reading all the stories and it was a wonderful experience. This book is a 'Must Read' especially for all the women out there.
Read
June 30, 2018I was happy to win a copy of this book because I was intrigued by the idea of Austenesque stories set in Pakistan. My impression was that the culture and society there was more conservative, and therefore a better fit for the social mores of Regency England.
This collection of short stories rather surprised me in that respect, because they are all placed in Pakistani high society and feature nouveaux-riche Pakistanis, living in a snobbish, superficial, claustrophobic world. You do sense the tension between the younger generation and the expectations of the older "aunty" women who are like a Greek chorus of disapproval in the background.
It is a society in flux, where women struggle for autonomy and self-respect, and arranged marriages still happen.
Many of the stories take place during (as one protagonist puts it) Big Fat Pakistani weddings, or other big social gatherings. I enjoyed the sprinklings of Pakistani words, mostly relating to fashion, such as shalwar and dupatta and gharara, without stopping to look them up. And any description of the food at a buffet is always interesting to me.
As with any short story collection, I think it's best to read one story at a time and then put the book down, rather than go cover-to-cover. I liked the fact that a story that was cleverly based on Pride & Prejudice, ended just at the dawn of possibility for a romance. It left me free to continue the story in my head. I thought it was a daring choice for the author. The homage to Lady Susan, "Begum Saira Returns," also had an ending that invited musings about, "wow, what's gonna happen next?"
Kudos also to Gayathri Warnauriya for "The Autumn Ball," and her skilful portrayal of a marriage in trouble.
Other HEA endings tended to happen abruptly without a lot of character development but, after all, these are short stories, not three-volume novels.
I am not an expert on chick lit, but I think that this collection could be described as chick lit. Some of the heroines came across (to me anyway) as superficial, obsessed with fashion and staying slim. However, this may be an honest depiction of Pakistani society, and Austen certainly held up her own society to scrutiny and criticism.
It is delightful to think of a Jane Austen Society in Pakistan and the bond of enjoyment that Austenites share all over the world. The editor of Austenistan is working to establish a chapter of the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation, as well, another wonderful Austen legacy.
This collection of short stories rather surprised me in that respect, because they are all placed in Pakistani high society and feature nouveaux-riche Pakistanis, living in a snobbish, superficial, claustrophobic world. You do sense the tension between the younger generation and the expectations of the older "aunty" women who are like a Greek chorus of disapproval in the background.
It is a society in flux, where women struggle for autonomy and self-respect, and arranged marriages still happen.
Many of the stories take place during (as one protagonist puts it) Big Fat Pakistani weddings, or other big social gatherings. I enjoyed the sprinklings of Pakistani words, mostly relating to fashion, such as shalwar and dupatta and gharara, without stopping to look them up. And any description of the food at a buffet is always interesting to me.
As with any short story collection, I think it's best to read one story at a time and then put the book down, rather than go cover-to-cover. I liked the fact that a story that was cleverly based on Pride & Prejudice, ended just at the dawn of possibility for a romance. It left me free to continue the story in my head. I thought it was a daring choice for the author. The homage to Lady Susan, "Begum Saira Returns," also had an ending that invited musings about, "wow, what's gonna happen next?"
Kudos also to Gayathri Warnauriya for "The Autumn Ball," and her skilful portrayal of a marriage in trouble.
Other HEA endings tended to happen abruptly without a lot of character development but, after all, these are short stories, not three-volume novels.
I am not an expert on chick lit, but I think that this collection could be described as chick lit. Some of the heroines came across (to me anyway) as superficial, obsessed with fashion and staying slim. However, this may be an honest depiction of Pakistani society, and Austen certainly held up her own society to scrutiny and criticism.
It is delightful to think of a Jane Austen Society in Pakistan and the bond of enjoyment that Austenites share all over the world. The editor of Austenistan is working to establish a chapter of the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation, as well, another wonderful Austen legacy.
December 25, 2017
I would recommend this book very highly, it updates Austen brilliantly to the 21st Century, and most importantly, to a subcontinent setting. The stories stay very close to Austen's spirit-Austen's works have never been mere romances with a 'happily ever after' ending, they're also trenchant commentaries on social mores and hypocrisy. 'Austenistan', in my opinion, gets that absolutely right. It's a really sad fact that for a lot of women in the subcontinent ( at least India and Pakistan, from these stories, I can't speak for Sri Lanka and Bangladesh ), the situation hasn't changed much-we might be financially independent now, but a lot of our concerns are the same when we're looking for companionship-respect, love, loyalty, and so on; in patriarchal misogynistic countries where casual dating is still frowned on, even in supposedly liberal cities. There are sentences that are heartbreaking in their realism, because we've made progress but there are so many things we take in our stride because we've accepted that that's the way things will be be, with women regarded as subservient beings whose main function is to look pretty and keep house, and any independence of thought is met with disapproval, divorce is still fairly taboo, though that's improving and casual sex-absolutely verboten, only for women though. This book really resonated with me because it perfectly captures all the double standards that women are subjected to, parts of it felt like a conversation I would have with my friends! The characters are all vivid and memorable-I really liked the interesting narrative choices, with one story narrated from the POV of Mrs.Bennet, while another was about 'Mean Girl Vamp' Miss Bingley. I felt the short stories updated setting very well too-for instance (and this isn't too much of a spoiler), the Bennet family stand-ins' straitened financial circumstances arise from the patriarch being the only earning member, and being an honest bureaucrat( with the low salaries, but upscale lifestyle due to government perquisites), so things obviously change once he's retired. For me personally, I could relate to that because my family background's very similar too, so it really struck a chord. I could go on about everything I really liked about this book, so I should end my review with this-in my opinion, a very worthy addition to the books paying homage to Jane Austen!
June 1, 2018
I had just finished reading this book and India was swamped with the Bollywood upcoming release of "Veere di wedding" and it got me into a tangle of sorts. Was this a gimmick or is everyone heading towards dissecting women and marriage in various ways? So, coming back to the book that finds the world's famous author in Pakistan - Austenistan - this novel has 7 stories edited by Laaleen Sukhera and is published by Bloomsbury.
If you are a fan of Jane Austen novels and love the big fat weddings, you can't miss this novel. Peppered with feminist perspectives, family values, women struggles and the issues related to marriage and romance are dealt with great pomposity or what we call in India - masala (spice).
What I liked about this novel is the fact that I knew well there aren't much of cultural differences between India and Pakistan and yet there are subtle ways in which the novel shows certain peculiarities of people in Pakistan. The blending of Jane Austen's novel characterization with the stories in this book is seamless and for the time being you forget you are reading certain parallels to her works. What got me hooked is understanding these people especially women and the urge to know whether they thought differently from us. And the answer is .... read the book to know! :D
What does this novel talk about?
If you are looking for feminism, you wont get that
If you are looking for ideal love.... what is that?
If you are looking for head strong viewpoints, you will be disappointed
If you are looking for moralizing, you got it all wrong in first place.
So what is this book about?
It is a beautiful take on women, men , relationships, marriage and life meandering between uber rich class and the middle class without getting heavy on the language. It is simple and each situation or story gives you something to ponder on once the book is finished.
The verdict is to go for it! Whether you like YA or romcom, you can relate to the stories well.
If you are a fan of Jane Austen novels and love the big fat weddings, you can't miss this novel. Peppered with feminist perspectives, family values, women struggles and the issues related to marriage and romance are dealt with great pomposity or what we call in India - masala (spice).
What I liked about this novel is the fact that I knew well there aren't much of cultural differences between India and Pakistan and yet there are subtle ways in which the novel shows certain peculiarities of people in Pakistan. The blending of Jane Austen's novel characterization with the stories in this book is seamless and for the time being you forget you are reading certain parallels to her works. What got me hooked is understanding these people especially women and the urge to know whether they thought differently from us. And the answer is .... read the book to know! :D
What does this novel talk about?
If you are looking for feminism, you wont get that
If you are looking for ideal love.... what is that?
If you are looking for head strong viewpoints, you will be disappointed
If you are looking for moralizing, you got it all wrong in first place.
So what is this book about?
It is a beautiful take on women, men , relationships, marriage and life meandering between uber rich class and the middle class without getting heavy on the language. It is simple and each situation or story gives you something to ponder on once the book is finished.
The verdict is to go for it! Whether you like YA or romcom, you can relate to the stories well.
December 12, 2017
The fans of Jane Austen have kept the love teeming and rekindled it through this book. Coming from different walks of life, the authors, have given us slice of life stories inspired by Jane Austen. The works replicate the love for Austen from the word go.
The book consists of 7 short stories set across the border, in modern day Pakistan. Laaleen Sukhera, the founder of the Jane Austen Society Of Pakistan has put together and edited this book. Within the read of 179 pages, Austenistan, gives us hope, romance, humour, leaves us teary eyed even. All in all we get to taste multiple emotions in a short read that it is, alongside enjoying the modern sub-continental setup for a Jane Austen story. To be precise it is Jane Austen with desi tadka.
With hardly any glitches and many raw feelings that greeted me I zapped through the book only wanting more as I reached the last story. I had begun to warm up to the words and blanket myself in every story while also revisiting the Austenland. I found myself recalling a particular scene from one of the Austen's book or a film based on the book. That Austen created a world depicting the social setup of her times, and that that setup may have been altered but hasn't changed still, rings true when you read these stories.
The characters were lively and stayed with me for long. Be it Emaan, Roya or Elisha, they were definitive and whole.
The stories I fell in love with are Emaan Ever After by Mishayl Naek, The Autumn Ball by Gayathri Warnasuriya and On The Verge by Laaleen Sukhera.
The writing was witty, fresh and very engaging. It sure revived my mood.
This one is a treat for Austen fans, a page turner and a book that you ought not to miss out on.
Planning your winter TBR? Don't forget to include this book in your list. Pre-order your copy here.
The book deserves 4 on 5 stars. And on the scale of readability it sure is 9 on 10.
The book consists of 7 short stories set across the border, in modern day Pakistan. Laaleen Sukhera, the founder of the Jane Austen Society Of Pakistan has put together and edited this book. Within the read of 179 pages, Austenistan, gives us hope, romance, humour, leaves us teary eyed even. All in all we get to taste multiple emotions in a short read that it is, alongside enjoying the modern sub-continental setup for a Jane Austen story. To be precise it is Jane Austen with desi tadka.
With hardly any glitches and many raw feelings that greeted me I zapped through the book only wanting more as I reached the last story. I had begun to warm up to the words and blanket myself in every story while also revisiting the Austenland. I found myself recalling a particular scene from one of the Austen's book or a film based on the book. That Austen created a world depicting the social setup of her times, and that that setup may have been altered but hasn't changed still, rings true when you read these stories.
The characters were lively and stayed with me for long. Be it Emaan, Roya or Elisha, they were definitive and whole.
The stories I fell in love with are Emaan Ever After by Mishayl Naek, The Autumn Ball by Gayathri Warnasuriya and On The Verge by Laaleen Sukhera.
The writing was witty, fresh and very engaging. It sure revived my mood.
This one is a treat for Austen fans, a page turner and a book that you ought not to miss out on.
Planning your winter TBR? Don't forget to include this book in your list. Pre-order your copy here.
The book deserves 4 on 5 stars. And on the scale of readability it sure is 9 on 10.
January 8, 2019
This new short story collection has received international press because it was written by seven members of Jane Austen Society of Pakistan. The short stories parallel Austen’s nineteenth-century society’s mores within twenty-first century life for Muslim women. I applaud the editor and the authors for their poignant, entertaining and enlightening excursion. I will leave it the reader to determine if they are envious or startled that life in Pakistan mirrors Jane Austen’s era of two hundred years ago.
One of my favorite books of 2018.
One of my favorite books of 2018.
December 18, 2017
Austenistan is a collection of short stories by the Jane Austen Society of Pakistan edited by Laaleen Sukhera. The stories are set in Pakistan and give you an insight of the lives of seven main characters in each story. I am an absolute Jane Austen fan and I thoroughly loved these stories. Every story begins with a quote from Jane Austen's works which gives the reader a hint of what the story could be about.
Let's dig a little deeper , shall we?
The Fabulous Banker Boys by Mahila S Lone
Jameela Baig is a middle aged woman who is blessed with four daughters and is married to Javed Baig. The thought of settling her four daughters troubles her. She keeps looking for marital prospects for them. Upon hearing about the Mirza wedding and knowing that many eligible bachelors would be attending it , Jameela starts pondering about the thought of getting her daughters in an alliance. But will she succeed ?
Begum Saira Returns by Nida Elley
Begum Saira , a forty plus widow is done mourning and wants to live again. She tries to go back to her social-life but is stared by other women. Saira falls in love again , despite knowing how society will judge her but what's the hardest thing? She falls in love with her sister's fiance.
Emaan Ever After by Mishayl Naek
Emaan is an editor of a lifestyle magazine and betrayed in love. Her best friend tries to link her up with all the eligible bachelors and in town but Emaan just doesn't feels right. The news of her childhood bestfriend getting hitched creates an uneasy feeling inside her. Is she is love with him?
The Mughal Empire by Saniyya Gauhar
Kamila is betrayed in love - her love interest chooses a social nobody over her and shatters her heart , or her ego? Will she find love again?
The Autumn Ball by Gayathri Warnasuriya
Maya and Hugo, a married couple are blessed with a baby boy. But they see their spark going away. Will they retain the spark or their marriage will fall apart? Will the Autumn Ball help them?
Only The Deepest Love by Sonya Rehman
A story which deals with hushed reality of a "happily married" tag - domestic violence. This ought to be my personal favorite and i'll leave it to you to dig deeper.
On The Verge by Laaleen Sukhera
Roya discovers that her fiance has been cheating on her. She takes a step and goes on a blind date on her wedding day. Will the date change her life altogether? Will she find the love of her life?
Jane Austan fan or not , pick this up for sure!
Highly Recommended.
Let's dig a little deeper , shall we?
The Fabulous Banker Boys by Mahila S Lone
Jameela Baig is a middle aged woman who is blessed with four daughters and is married to Javed Baig. The thought of settling her four daughters troubles her. She keeps looking for marital prospects for them. Upon hearing about the Mirza wedding and knowing that many eligible bachelors would be attending it , Jameela starts pondering about the thought of getting her daughters in an alliance. But will she succeed ?
Begum Saira Returns by Nida Elley
Begum Saira , a forty plus widow is done mourning and wants to live again. She tries to go back to her social-life but is stared by other women. Saira falls in love again , despite knowing how society will judge her but what's the hardest thing? She falls in love with her sister's fiance.
Emaan Ever After by Mishayl Naek
Emaan is an editor of a lifestyle magazine and betrayed in love. Her best friend tries to link her up with all the eligible bachelors and in town but Emaan just doesn't feels right. The news of her childhood bestfriend getting hitched creates an uneasy feeling inside her. Is she is love with him?
The Mughal Empire by Saniyya Gauhar
Kamila is betrayed in love - her love interest chooses a social nobody over her and shatters her heart , or her ego? Will she find love again?
The Autumn Ball by Gayathri Warnasuriya
Maya and Hugo, a married couple are blessed with a baby boy. But they see their spark going away. Will they retain the spark or their marriage will fall apart? Will the Autumn Ball help them?
Only The Deepest Love by Sonya Rehman
A story which deals with hushed reality of a "happily married" tag - domestic violence. This ought to be my personal favorite and i'll leave it to you to dig deeper.
On The Verge by Laaleen Sukhera
Roya discovers that her fiance has been cheating on her. She takes a step and goes on a blind date on her wedding day. Will the date change her life altogether? Will she find the love of her life?
Jane Austan fan or not , pick this up for sure!
Highly Recommended.
March 28, 2018
Loved it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews