Ayesha At Last (2018 original; edició 2019)

This is yet another a retelling of Pride and Prejudice, this time about Muslims living in Canada, but it definitely -- and deftly -- justifies its existence. I thought it was lovely.

When Ayesha’s best friend Clara attempts to introduce her to a work colleague, Khalid, Ayesha and Khalid make instant assumptions about each other. Khalid doesn’t approve of Muslims hanging out in bars; Ayesha resents his judgemental comment and judges his traditional “fundy” attire. But Ayesha and Khalid soon cross paths again because they are both involved with organising a youth conference at the local mosque.

I liked how Ayesha at Last just draws on bits and pieces of Pride and Prejudice. I couldn’t predict lots of things, like how Clara’s part of the story would unfold, or what Ayesha’s cousin Hafsa (the closest Ayesha has to a sister) would do next, or what had happened with Khalid’s sister.

It also meant that there was room in the story to explore Ayesha’s poetry, her relationship with her grandparents and her questions about her late father, and Khalid’s interactions with his new, Islamaphobic boss. In hindsight, that last one bears a slight similarity to the way people in the Bennet’s neighbourhood take an almost instant dislike to Darcy -- but Darcy’s wealth and position mean he’s minimally affected by what such people think of him, a privilege Khalid doesn’t have.

“The mosque executive board is meeting this morning and I plan to be there. I will get rid of this silly youth conference idea once and for all. Imagine, Khalid -- boys and girls mixing at the mosque. They should all stay home and listen to their parents. If they just stopped being so besharam and texting each other all the time, they wouldn’t have all these mental health issues, or wear leggings. It’s disgraceful.” (-- Khalid’s mother) ( )

This book was amazing. The year is barely half over but I'm certain this will be on my Top 10 Books of 2020. It was so well written. The characters were so well developed. The back of the book says it's "a modern day Muslim Pride and Prejudice." And I think that is a great way to describe the book. Throughout the book, there are characters are scenes that harken back to Jane Austen's novel, but there are also large portions of the book where Jalaluddin just makes this story her own. A lot of this is because she has her own beautiful writing style, but since all but a few characters are Muslim and Indian/second generation Canadians, this difference in perspective compared to 1800s England also has added to this refreshing retelling of a well known classic story.

Throughout the book, there are references to food, clothing, etc. that may not be familiar to those who aren't familiar with Muslim practices or Indian culture, however, with the way Jalaluddin writes, this does not feel like a barrier to being able to enjoy the book since the context makes things clear enough that readers unfamiliar can follow along without having to look anything up. At the same time, she doesn't stop to explain things in detail either, because how her characters live is natural and normal to them.

Even though this is retelling of "Pride and Prejudice," and thus I went into the book with an idea of how it might end, there were many pleasant surprises and twists in the story. Where you are a fan of Pride and Prejudice or just enjoy romanic comedies, I highly, highly recommend this amazing debut novel. I really hope this author writes more books because I am excited to read more of her writing. ( )

Watching Netflix feel-good series puts me in the mood for reading a romantic-comedy novel. I decided to read this one while celebrating Ramadan and put every current reading on hold. This is an enjoyable rom-com novel circling Muslim and South Asian culture. It's a book that you can finish in one sitting because the plot keeps feeding your curiosity. But I don't completely agree with the synopsis naming this as a Pride and Prejudice's retelling. There are some parallels, but it also has differences that make this not an exact copy. This book also highlights the theme of discrimination at work, arranged marriages (Rishta meetings), and religious intolerance. I find the two protagonists, Ayesha and Khalid, multidimensional that they can annoy me very much, but at the same time, I can empathize and root for them. Anyone who wants a light-read book should give this a try! ( )

Loved this! One of my favorite Pride & Prejudice adaptations. I adored the characters and felt very invested in the outcome, very much how I felt the first time I read Austen's classic. Highly recommend! ( )

An enjoyable, endearing and engaging book that cleverly adapts Austen's novel. I am excited to see more representations of diverse groups and remixes of white classics emerge and transform into new art. ( )