Many authors have rewritten Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. In this entertaining version by Sonia Kamal, the story takes place in Pakistan. The Binat family has five daughters, a father who would rather garden than confront issues and a mother who knows that marriage is a, maybe the, most important status for women.
The family has fallen on hard times so the oldest daughters are teaching English at a school in their town. Alys wants her students to have a wider view of their lives and to think of university, for example, but this is an uphill battle. Alys does not feel that she needs to marry but, of course, she meets the Darcy character, just as Jena meets the Bingley one.
The settings and descriptions are fun. As someone who has not traveled to Pakistan, I enjoyed reading about the clothing, foods and weddings.
This book will be enjoyed by fans of Pride and Prejudice and can also be a gateway for readers who will then go on to read the original.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book in return for an honest review.
I am a sucker for a P&P retelling. You don’t know how many horrible books I read because they claim to be retellings of P&P. And this one looks amazing, especially since it’s set in Pakistan. I love when classic stories are set in very different places (it’s one of the reasons I love Bride and Prejudice the movie because it was set in India).
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I know. I always try them and only like them sometimes. Despite its current cover, I enjoyed one called The Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice. I also read Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld when it came out.
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I’ll have to look those two up. Thank you for the recommendations!
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You’re welcome. Let me know what you think.
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