Book Review: Ayesha at Last
by Jenn Seiler-Patrick, Five Points West Regional Branch Library
Ayesha at Last
Uzma Jalaluddin
“Because while it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single Muslim man must be in want of a wife, there's an even greater truth: To his Indian mother, his own inclinations are of secondary importance.”
For the April Birmingham Public Library Diversity Reading Challenge, I picked a few books to read that I thought would be fun—the first one being Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin. And while it’s described as a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice, the reader won’t be bored with a repeat of the original. There are definitely some unexpected twists and, more importantly, since Ayesha is a person of color with a Muslim heritage living in Canada (like the author herself!), we get a P&P retelling from a different perspective. Ayesha is a poet, teacher, and as her family likes to point out, a spinster, struggling with the expectations she has for herself and the ones that her family has for her. Many of the conflicts in this book touch on matters that women feel conflicted about in our modern world, which is why this retelling connects with me in a new way. While Khalid may not have surpassed the beloved Mr. Darcy, in my opinion, the characters are wonderfully created, and the story of love and growth in this novel is beautiful.
So, put a hold on this book that comes out on June 4 and check out these other retellings of classics while you wait! (Click on the image to be transported to the JCLC catalog.)
Uzma Jalaluddin
“Because while it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single Muslim man must be in want of a wife, there's an even greater truth: To his Indian mother, his own inclinations are of secondary importance.”
For the April Birmingham Public Library Diversity Reading Challenge, I picked a few books to read that I thought would be fun—the first one being Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin. And while it’s described as a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice, the reader won’t be bored with a repeat of the original. There are definitely some unexpected twists and, more importantly, since Ayesha is a person of color with a Muslim heritage living in Canada (like the author herself!), we get a P&P retelling from a different perspective. Ayesha is a poet, teacher, and as her family likes to point out, a spinster, struggling with the expectations she has for herself and the ones that her family has for her. Many of the conflicts in this book touch on matters that women feel conflicted about in our modern world, which is why this retelling connects with me in a new way. While Khalid may not have surpassed the beloved Mr. Darcy, in my opinion, the characters are wonderfully created, and the story of love and growth in this novel is beautiful.
So, put a hold on this book that comes out on June 4 and check out these other retellings of classics while you wait! (Click on the image to be transported to the JCLC catalog.)
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