Cover Image: Unmarriageable

Unmarriageable

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Member Reviews

Wonderful Book! Of course I am a fan of Pride and Prejudice, so that may be coloring my feelings. The story is set in Pakistan, and our characters are just as entertaining as the Great Jane Austen wrote in her rendition.

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I can not recommend this book highly enough. If you love Pride & Prejudice you will love this rendition set in modern day Pakistan. This is one of those books I just want to hold close to my heart and never let go.
An absolute delight, but also insightful and educational.

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Ehhh, not really the best P&P retelling. It didn't have the charm of other P&P retellings, I don't know if it's because it was set on contemporary times or because it was set in Pakistan. It was cute but it could've stood better on its own, once a few things were changed. The problem with a retelling is that it will always be compared to the source material and other retellings.

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Pride and Prejudice was one of my favorite books and this retelling with a Pakistani twist was a very entertaining read.

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I really enjoyed this modern-day Eastern take on "Pride and Prejudice." The characterization and setting were just so well done. Thank you to Soniah Kamal, the publisher Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy to review.

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It is no surprise that this a retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. The unique aspect of this version is that it is from a Pakistani culture and viewpoint. I found that a unique and interesting twist to the story. For me, it wasn't a favorite and was a bit slow in the beginning. I would recommend this for a book club who also maybe reads the original and then this retelling for good discussion.

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One of the best Pride and Prejudice parallel stories I have ever read. Soniah goes above and beyond, and she's so incredibly generous with her time with the Austen community and readers. Patiently waiting for this to be acquired for an adaptation.

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I can not get over that pride and prejudice the book exists in this reimagining of pride and prejudice - it is honestly deeply upsetting to me. That said, this book was fun!

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A wonderful retelling of Pride and Prejudice that kind of makes fun of the fact that it is a retelling. The main character Alys, has studied P and P and constantly is wondering what Austen would think of her situation. Never stepping back to see that she in fact is Elizabeth Bennett. What made this so enjoyable for me was the insight into Pakistan and the culture.

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Sorry it took me so long to read and review this novel. I'm a huge Jane Austen fan and I wasn't sure I wanted to read a re-telling of P&P in another culture; it seemed like it would be boring because I know the plot so well, BUT. I found Unmarriageable to be a compelling modern-day retelling of Pride and Prejudice and I enjoyed reading about the cultural dynamics and vibrant details of the Pakistani setting.

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This retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in 21st century Pakistan turned out to be one of my favorite reads of 2019. Heroine Alys is the second daughter of a respectable family that is in reduced circumstances, so all five daughters are unmarried although this is very embarrassing for her mother. Instead, she and her older sister have become teachers at a local school for the elite and this suits Alys' independent spirit, even if she is a shameful 30 years old! The Darcy-like character is a perfect blend of arrogance and appeal. Kamal brings the story to life with convincing dialogue, great supporting characters, and Pakistan as the backdrop. It is not necessary to have read Pride and Prejudice to enjoy this book but purists will be enthusiastic as well. The incorporation of a different culture added a fascinating aspect to the story. Highly recommended!

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I'm a huge Jane Austin fan, and I lived in India (not Pakistan) for four years, so the merging of these two things in "Unmarriageable" by Soniah Kamal was a match made in heaven for me. The story of "Pride and Prejudice" fit rather neatly into present-day Pakistani culture. I loved seeing life in a colorful place through the author's eyes, and even though it was a familiar plot to me, I enjoyed the author's unwinding of the familiar tale. Like a few have mentioned, the almost-torturous twists to provide similarity in the character's names to those in the original Pride and Prejudice gave me a couple of eye rolls, and wasn't really necessary, but that's a small quibble. I found this to be a charmingly told story--a familiar tale--but with a new cast of characters.

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A wonderful current day version of Prise and Predjudice. This one taking place in Pakistan. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book to get the true feel of the story. Beautiful accents and fun descriptions of the ball and wedding. Discrimination and class issues run rampant. Sadly, even today we continue to suffer situations that took place centuries ago.

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Such a delightful retelling of Pride and Prejudice! I look forward to many more novels by Soniah Kamal.

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A Jane Austen retelling thrills me. Especially, a modernized retelling. However, man authors struggle to modernize the story of Darcy and Elizabeth because women today are not faced with the same incentives for marriage as they once were. Unmarriageable places the narrative in Pakistan, and brings a new element into the modern age by shifting the cultural lens. I really enjoyed glimpsing the different cultural values that overlap with the beloved story of Pride and Prejudice, and the way the family dynamic with annoying younger sisters transcends 19th century English gentry to 21st century Pakistan middle class.

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Unmarriageable is a Pakistani update of Pride and Prejudice, telling the story of Alys Binat and her sisters as their mother encourages them to "grab" husbands. Overall, the story is engaging, and of course Ms. Kamal has one of the greatest novels ever to work from. I haven't read Pride and Prejudice in way too long, but of course I still knew how most of our characters' stories would go. Nevertheless, it was fun to read along to see what happened to Alys, Jenna, Qitty, Mari, and Lady.

I think the payoff is way too quick in both books. I'd love a little more time to bask in the various characters' romances. And while the update is clever and fun to read, the writing isn't perfect. Some of the dialogue, in particular, is tedious and awkwardly written. I soldiered through because the characters and story were so delightful. Some of the modern twists also felt like attempts at Crazy Rich Pakistanis that just didn't quite work for me. (Kevin Kwan is masterful and QaziCreations and breathless descriptions of Manolo Blahniks paired with salwar kameez just felt lacking by comparison.) Still, I absolutely recommend this book for anyone looking for a fun and fluffy read. It comes out next spring, but I was lucky enough to get an ARC on Netgalley. Take a look if you're interested!

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I adore retellings and own voices stories, but this one didn’t really work for me. I don’t think I read it at the right time and I remember it falling flat for the expectations I had. I DNF at 42%, but I would try the authors future books.

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This was a fun, quick read. I would recommend it to anyone who likes light-hearted romantic comedies.

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What is it about revisiting our favorite story?
Be it movie, book, fairy tale, particular episode of The West Wing or Scrubs.
There is something so wonderful about rereading/watching something you love.

I’ve mentioned before that I love retellings of stories when they are done well.
Clueless is Emma, She’s the Man is Twelfth Night, The Lion King and Sons of Anarchy are Hamlet, 10 Things I Hate About You is Taming of the Shrew, Easy A is The Scarlet Letter, and there are so many more.

Unmarriageable is one of those retellings done exceptionally well.

With retellings, I thoroughly enjoy the game of identifying the new characters that correspond with the characters I know. It’s not just the matching and aligning; I also love when an author makes those well-known characters his or her own. Ms. Kamal does this very well. The characters are modernized and set in a new culture and still retain the importance of the known and the adaptation. This is not just Colin Firth’s Mr. Darcy plunked down in Lahore, Pakistan; this is a Pakistani Darsee who still exudes the pride, prejudices, misunderstandings, and character growth that we know, expect, and truly love. Alys’ Elizabeth is outspoken, incredibly smart, fiercely loyal, stubborn, prejudiced, and also grows throughout the book – just as she should.

Nothing about this book is boring, though it is a familiar story. Ms. Kamal’s infusion of all things Pakistani – food, clothing, cultural norms – make this book an amazing read by immersing the reader into her culture and never lightening up. She does not let us feel like these are English characters set in Pakistan. No. These are truly Pakistani characters going about their lives, which happen to coincide with a story written by an Englishwoman.

Stars - 4.5
Would I Recommend? Yes

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This was so good! Pakistani culture, even in the 2000s, lends itself well to the similar types of tropes in the original Pride and Prejudice. It was a pleasure to read, all the while knowing what to expect and wondering how it would play out. Kamal does a fantastic job creating the world where Alys Binat teaches at a British school in Dilipabad, "Bungles" sisters are as terrifically horrid as Jena is sweet and Mrs. Binat will never tire of worrying over the future of her five daughters while Mr. Binat tends to his garden.

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