Unmarriageable: A Nove (PDF) (Print)

ÒThis inventive retelling of Pride and Prejudice charms.ÓÑPeople
 
ÒA fun, page-turning romp and a thought-provoking look at the class-obsessed strata of Pakistani society.ÓÑNPR

Alys Binat has sworn never to marryÑuntil an encounter with one Mr. Darsee at a wedding makes her reconsider.

A scandal and vicious rumor concerning the Binat family have destroyed their fortune and prospects for desirable marriages, but Alys, the second and most practical of the five Binat daughters, has found happiness teaching English literature to schoolgirls. Knowing that many of her students wonÕt make it to graduation before dropping out to marry and have children, Alys teaches them about Jane Austen and her other literary heroes and hopes to inspire the girls to dream of more.

When an invitation arrives to the biggest wedding their small town has seen in years, Mrs. Binat, certain that their luck is about to change, excitedly sets to work preparing her daughters to fish for rich, eligible bachelors. On the first night of the festivities, AlysÕs lovely older sister, Jena, catches the eye of Fahad ÒBunglesÓ Bingla, the wildly successfulÑand singleÑentrepreneur. But BunglesÕs friend Valentine Darsee is clearly unimpressed by the Binat family. Alys accidentally overhears his unflattering assessment of her and quickly dismisses him and his snobbish ways. As the days of lavish wedding parties unfold, the Binats wait breathlessly to see if Jena will land a proposalÑand Alys begins to realize that DarseeÕs brusque manner may be hiding a very different man from the one she saw at first glance.

Told with wry wit and colorful prose, Unmarriageable is a charming update on Jane AustenÕs beloved novel and an exhilarating exploration of love, marriage, class, and sisterhood.

Praise for Unmarriageable

ÒDelightful . . . Unmarriageable introduces readers to a rich Muslim culture. . . . [Kamal] observes family dramas with a satiric eye and treats readers to sparkling descriptions of a days-long wedding ceremony, with its high-fashion pageantry and higher social stakes.ÓÑStar Tribune

ÒThoroughly charming.ÓÑNew York Post

Ò[A] funny, sometimes romantic, often thought-provoking glimpse into Pakistani culture, one which adroitly illustrates the double standards women face when navigating sex, love, and marriage. This is a must-read for devout Austenites.ÓÑPublishers Weekly (starred review)