As the story follows the classic Pride and Prejudice yet set in Pakistan we follow along as a family full of daughters goes through the trials of “marrying off” their girls. What an interesting look at Pakistani culture and the belief that marriage is the ultimate goal for a young lady.

The book was quite sweet yet a bit hard to get into at times. Take your time reading and I am sure you will find it enjoyable!

What an amazing look into the life of Pakistan. From the social customs to the country to the family structure. The story took many twists and turns, each page leading to the next. I couldn’t put it down.

3.5 I enjoyed this modern day retelling of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Kamal introduces us to Pakistani culture, and show us just how relevant Austen is in any setting.

The book opens with a reimagine of the opening lines of Austen’s famous work. I loved this! And it pushed me to reimagine those same lines as a reader! We find Alys as a school teacher and modern day feminist. Other highlights, the main characters get an update - Sherry has a bigger voice in this text, as do many of the other main characters. I loved the epilogue, as Kamal gives us her version on how the characters are fairing. This is a book for book lovers, lots of titles to add to my TBR, and so many great bookish references. Well done!

Some parts of the text I didn’t care so much for: pacing (wonderful start, slow middle, and rushed final few chapters); the storyline follows the original exactly — I would have loved to see more of an update, and I would have wished for more character development in Darcee.

All in all an interesting read!

Unmarriageable reminded me a little of Mona Lisa Smile and Pride and Prejudice in watching others getting married for money so they can improve the family name and fortune. I am a huge fan of Jane Austen and how her books have inspired love in the Victorian age and it has always been authentic and true. It is such a treat to be reminded of those masterpieces and sometimes the greatest love stories always happen to people that either

a) Do not believe in love

b) Never have found love and are close to giving up.

Thank you Netgalley and Ballatine Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. We will definitely consider this title for our Fiction collection at the library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I have always enjoyed reading Jane Austen retellings and reimaginings because it's fascinating to see how her thoughts and ideas translate into our modern world or how modern authors can interpret them. I have liked a few and been disappointed by others, so I knew not to have a lot of expectations from this one. But Pride and Prejudice set in 21st century Pakistan held too much appeal and I couldn't stop myself from requesting the ARC. And I am so glad to report that this book exceeded all my expectations in a delightful way.

There is not much I can say about the individual characters because the author stays pretty close to the original - in terms of both the plot and the characterization. However, making both Jena and Alys unmarried women in their 30s who take up the teaching profession to help their family make ends meet, and then thrive in their independence was a deft touch. The Binat family has also extensively traveled abroad and their kids educated in international schools before the downturn in their fortunes, hence it's quite easy to believe Alys as a modern well read woman who loves her country and culture, while also being very critical of a hypocritical society that puts undue pressure on young women to be virtuous and marry and serve their husbands but the men are never expected to respect or value their partners.

The whole book is full of social commentary about the class and societal prejudice that felt all too real. I've seen enough of the snobbery and gossip mongering and the too much importance given to people with money, both in the Indian media and in my real life; and even the belief that a woman's life is only fulfilled by getting married and bearing children and not by being a person of intellect and with a voice of her own - all of this hit too close to home and that's what makes this book so special. There were some great conversations in the book which resonated with me - about finding home and identity when you've grown up with foot in your culture and traditions and the other foot trying to adapt to more western sensibilities; about how we as a country can better celebrate our history while also putting the lasting effects of colonization into context; about trying to voice an opposing opinion regarding the place of women in a society that tries to cast them into a mould. 

The other strength of this book and one that I truly enjoyed was the very "desi" feel of it. I'm not a Muslim nor Pakistani, so I won't comment on how true that rep is but it did feel quite similar to some of the Pakistani TV dramas I've watched. But the culture, food and language are still very much similar to my own and it was such a delight to read about all of that in such glorious detail. All the wedding ceremonies and clothes that were described made me want to run to India and buy some nice extravagant clothes 🤩🤩 The narration about all the food in detail throughout the book is mouth watering and reading about everyone enjoying these delicacies made me want to join in all the fun. And I really adored the generous use of Urdu all through the book - it's nice to see some familiar words in conversations and especially the use of famous proverbs. The book also lots of nods to Austen's works, right from the first line to the last and some other prominent authors, so be ready for some nice recommendations.

Despite how much I enjoyed reading this one, it's not perfect. I really loved the few subplots that the author incorporated, but for the most part it's too close to the original. The romance between Alys and Darsee also felt very rushed and I would have liked to see them interact more and fall in love slowly. However, the society and world of P&P does translate well into the modern Pakistani setting and the characters felt very believable. The story is also very funny and entertaining and I couldn't put it down.

If you love Jane Austen and like reimagining her stories, then do give this one a try. And if you are from the subcontinent, then I definitely recommend this book. You will really really enjoy this desi Pride and Prejudice.

Thanks NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion review!
At my personal cross section of being a Pride & Prejudice fan and a woman of color, Soniah Kamal's Unmarriageable was everything I could have wanted! Alys takes Austen's Lizzie and makes her a modern, strong, competent Pakistani woman. Darsee is modern day, Pakistani world citizen woke bae who will have feminists swooning. The best part of this novel, though, is how much Kamal gave supporting characters to make them multifaceted people, you'll applaud Annie and her Nigerian boyfriend and finally get into Sherry Looclus's head. Fun, thoughtful, and exactly the kind of inclusion a brown book nerd would dream of.

Unmarriageable is a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in Pakistan. Alys Binat is a single schoolteacher living with her parents and four sisters in a small town. When a wedding brings strangers from out of town to the area, Alys must dodge her mother's obsession with getting her daughters married to them.

I enjoyed the glimpse into Pakistani culture while reading this book and the premise that Pride and Prejudice applies across the globe. With the premise of this being Pride and Prejudice in Pakistan, I understand the author wanting to closely follow the narrative structure Austen had laid out. It is a great concept and enjoyable story.

This was a fabulous retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I was impressed with how well it fit the modern-day Pakistani experience but also how the author explored different aspects of that society through the five sisters. I did think it was a little heavy on making Austen still a part of the world the characters inhibited (at one point, Alys (Lizzie) recommend P&P to Annie due to the character Anne de Bough (who Annie is in this retelling) due to their shared medical woes). Overall though, Alys as Lizzie was a delightful character and even in her flaws, always likable and that Lizzie we know and love. Darcee is a very nice update to our beloved Mr. Darcy (right down to his Buckingham Palace!). One of the better modern re-imagings of P&P into a different society that I have read. Bonus, I felt like I learned a lot about Pakistani culture particularly food and clothes. I was hungry a lot reading this book - so much good food mentioned!

In the novel Unmarriageable, the main character Alys discusses literature and authors with a friend: "O'Connor, Austen, Alcott, Wharton. Characters' emotions and situations are universally applicable across cultures, whether you're wearing an empire dress, shalwar kurta, or kimono." Kamal proves that point beautifully with this retelling of Pride and Prejudice.

The characters are familiar--Alys Binat and her older sister Jenna, along with younger siblings Lady, Qitty, and Mari and love interest Valentine Darsee--and their plot lines are straight out of Austen. Yet the refreshing change of scene (and time period--this story is contemporary, taking place in the early 2000s) makes for a fresh spin on the story. Alys is decidedly feminist, and her best friend, Sherry, views things with a more experience eye than Austen's Charlotte.

One of the things I enjoyed the most was that the character of Alys is an Austen fan herself--she assigns her students to write a different ending to the famous beginning of P&P ("It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife"). Alys is able to discuss the state of women and the social mores of Pakistan with a critical eye, especially in relation to Austen's time. And in doing so, she (and Kamal) doesn't shy away from more difficult subjects.

But forget all that. Forget what a clever update this is. Even if you've never read P&P, the story is simply fun. The Pakistani food (this novel will make you hungry) and parties and customs are not ones I've read much about, so it was a wonderful insight into another culture. The school life was so interesting (Alys and Jena are both teachers), and I learned a lot about what is expected of both the teachers and the students. The romance is sweet, and I was so sorry to leave the Binats' world when the story ended. A fantastic novel!

This is a really well done retelling of Pride and Prejudice. The update and localization of the book to 2000 Pakistan was seamless. There was a nice addition to have the Darcy and Elizabeth characters bond over reading. It created a nice base for a relationship later on. Time is put into developing the family so that they are not one dimensional characters. This might be the first time I've ever read someone develop Mrs. Bennet.

My only complaint is a person one. I hate when retellings refer to the story that they are retelling. Every time the book Pride and Prejudice gets mentioned I shudder.

I enjoyed reading this book purely on the idea that a popular book like Pride and Prejudice can be adapted to another region of the world, a different culture, and a different time.

Unmarriageable is a modern day retelling of Pride and Prejudice that takes place in Pakistan. I loved learning about the culture and marriage practices of a Pakistani family, and I would love to have more information about the accuracy of this novel. The cultural tidbits certainly kept me engaged in a story that I already knew.. I did find the characters a bit difficult to keep straight at times, but that may be due more to my barely passing knowledge of Pride and Prejudice than to the writing.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This is a retelling of Pride & Predjudice set in 2001 and in Pakistan. I am a sucker for any Pride & Prejudice retelling and was lucky enough to receive an eARC. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite story. I have loved (almost) all the retellings I have read. There is just something so fun about sassy Elizabeth Bennet, the lovable mess of the Bennet family, and of course the wonderful Mr. Darcy. Put them together and you (almost) always get great story. As a disclaimer, I am not Pakistani so I will not be commenting on the representation. I loved seeing a diverse retelling of this story, but I am not able to say if it is accurate.

WHAT I LIKED:
I loved how Kamal was creative with the names, often in P&P retellings they either keep the names or just make up new ones.
How Alys and Darsee both loved books (they were book snobs quite a few times, but you know they are PRIDEFUL so I guess it is in character)
How feminist this is
Kamal made this her own, while still sticking to the original storyline. The Binat’s situation is a little different, but it works.
Mr. Binat was great (as always)


WHAT I DID NOT LIKE:
I did not like how Pride & Prejudice exists in the book. The novel starts with Alys teaching her students about Jane Austen and Pride & Prejudice. This was weird and I did not like it.
There are a lot of characters at times and since this is retelling I kept trying to figure out if I was supposed to recognize them.
I did not like how we saw other POV’s. Part of the joy of this novel is not knowing what Darcy (and others) are thinking.
There are a couple of one liners (made by the Mrs. Binat) that are not tasteful. I know she is inappropriate at times, but there was a one liner about “killing oneself” that did not sit well with me.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this retelling. It retained enough of the original story to satisfy me, while added enough twists to make it stand on it's own.

A Pakistani retelling of Pride and Prejudice? Sign me up!

3.75 stars. It's not perfect, and often it follows the original P&P plot a little too closely, especially with the characters' names and some famous lines and scenes from P&P that were a little too spot-on. Alysba (Alys) Binat as Elizabeth Bennet and Valentine Darsee are okay, but I draw the line at Jeorgeulla Wickaam and the "Looclus" (Lucas) clan. Humeria (Hammy) and Sumeria (Sammy) Bingla for the Bingley sisters was pretty funny, though. Mr. Collins is Farhat Kaleen, an older widower with three children; Charlotte Lucas is Sherry Looclus. The character makeovers of those last two were awesome, by the way.

I liked it best where it veered from P&P in some interesting ways; Sherry's point of view and subplot, for example, was really fascinating to me. The Elizabeth Bennet character, Alys, is strident in her feminism, enough so that the ultimate romantic wrap-up seems a little out of character. The traditional P&P plot is modernized in several ways, including her character (age 30, and fighting against some of the traditions of her country relating to marriage and the role of women), as well as a gay character and sympathetic discussion of abortion.

I really enjoyed the immersion into modern-day Pakistani culture. The moral quandaries transfer pretty well into current Pakistani culture, including the obsession with marrying well and the near-disaster that Lydia ("Lady") causes her family. The food sounded like it was to die for. And fairly frequently the novel was quite insightful into human relationships, in ways that aren't entirely owed to Jane Austen.

"I wanted to tell him about my kind and generous Jena, my fearless Alys, my artist Qitty, who holds her head up no matter what anyone says to her, and my Mari, who just wants everyone to go to heaven. Even my silly, selfish Lady, who doesn't know what is good for her and just wants to have a good time all the time. But I didn't tell him about any one of my daughters. He doesn't deserve to know a single thing about my precious girls."

Awww!

The writing is sometimes a bit clunky, especially when the author is making a social point. But it was still an interesting story, as long as you don't mind that it toes the P&P line pretty closely.

Content notes: a few F-bombs (4, to be exact). Some innuendos, but no other sexual content.

Ok, I have to admit, I loved this version of Pride and Prejudice.... Soniah Kamal writes with such precision and such care. She sticks pretty close to the original story in Unmarriageable. I loved the modern day Pakistan version as it really opened my eyes to some of the Pakistan customs and traditions. The sisters though, they won me over.... Jena (aka Jane in the original version) and Alys (Alice) are teachers. I like Alys free spirited independent heart and her loyalty to her family. She feels very much like she's the rescuer in so many ways.

Although the plot stays true to Pride and Prejudice, I think that Soniah Kamal modernizes the beloved romance stories with more depth on the issue of weight and being "fat" in a materialistic society. I love the way the character Qitty handles her weight and develops confidence in herself that isn't about her weight. This is an important issue very relevant today, even more so than when Jane Austen was writing Pride and Prejudice. There are other modern references and issues included too, which gives this classic tale a fresh look with new yet familiar faces.

The dynamics between the sisters are true to life how we can love and support each other while still tormenting each other at the same time. Lady, Alys' sister is a trainwreck but read Unmariageable to find out how she transforms her life into something good. The chemistry between Darsee and Alys is good... I can see their behavior slowly changing as they open up to the idea of romance between them.

The writing in Unmarriageable is good... I felt like I was there when Alys and her best friend Sherry were sneaking cigarettes in a hidden area of the local cemetery. The conversation flows, the settings are realistically written, and the characters have depth. Definitely worth the read!

Thanks to NetGalley, Soniah Kamal, and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced reader copy for me to enjoy and review. As always my opinions are my own!!

I really enjoyed this book. The writing was very good, and kept me very engaged from the beginning! It was at times hard to feel connected to the characters, but otherwise this was a good story.

I loved this modern-day take on Pride and Prejudice, set in Pakistan. While it’s been a very long time since I’ve read Jane Austen, the parallels in the characters ‘ names and overall life situation are obvious and very cleverly done.

I suspect every mother in every culture at some time or another in history has felt it her personal mission to get her daughters married off to suitable husbands, regardless of how much the daughters want a marriage based on love and with the freedom to remain an independent woman within the relationship. So read this book and see how successful Mrs. Binat is in her hilarious efforts at matchmaking. Will Jena (Jane, in Pride and Prejudice) marry Bungles? Will Alys/ Alice marry Mr. Darsee/Darsy? All will be.revealed in this very satisfying romp .

The author has an exceptional ability to bring her characters to life on the page, from the characters with the smallest, background, roles, to the main characters.

Highly recommended!

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.

Alys is the spelling of our heroines name but it’s pronunciation is Alice! Her sister Jena is a teacher like her. But Alys feels that she is the only one consistently championing her students to finish high school even if they are married! And to consider high school education just a stepping stone to their futures, maybe even college!

Mrs Binat is a materialistic woman who married for money ended up sort of in love who had been reduced to a single house and shop for income, while her husband gardens.

In the year 2000 (as the book is set) can anyone really imagine a mother telling her daughters that marriage is the only thing that will make them happy? And her bank account bigger?

It is set in Pakistan. Which I struggled with immensely as I am an American through and through and cannot imagine the rules Pakistan society places on women and how they are basically just a parents to give away in marriage.

Darcy is now spelled Darsee and is still a bit of an asshole until you truly see his kindness shine through. And Wickham is still despicable and a cad and Lady a bloody fool thanks to her mother not properly parenting her to think of anything but marriage.

A 16 year old married to a 26 year old????! A little much in present day America but in 2000 and Pakistan I could believe it.

Darsee and Alys belong together but don’t find love until the end. And Mrs Binat is thrilled about her purse strings getting bigger! Go money!

A decent retelling but I had to look up many things and many words which weren’t explained as well. And honestly the book is a little too wordy, full of different names for everything in Pakistan.

I still enjoyed it but not as much as P and P original or even P and P zombies. I did enjoy learning bout another culture but had never heard of any of the books debated in this novel. Perhaps those could’ve been explained a bit better. Otherwise a decent retelling, solid 3/5.

A modern day take on Pride and Prejudice set in Pakistan. It’s the year 2000 in the novel but the situation is still the same: a mother is trying to marrying off her daughters.

Alys (pronounced like Alice) and Jena are teachers. Sometimes Alys is frustrated to feel that she is only teaching the students until they leave to get married.

I think Alys gives this retelling a great feminist spin. I know P&P was feminist too but it’s interesting to see this modern take. Because it’s harder to picture thus scenario in our current time, it’s harder to understand a mother treating her daughters like they can’t be happy unless they catch a husband.
Mrs Binat is a materialistic but mainly because she thinks the only way her daughters can be ok is if the find rich husbands.
Can you picture your mom actually insisting that a guy will propose to you the second time you see him?

But that’s the cool thing about setting this story in Pakistan. It’s modern day but the rules are different. And if Pakistan is like the author wrote it, it’s incredibly rough to be a single woman there. The Pakistan of this story compares more to Jane Austen’s England than it does to present day America.

So, picture all of that, and then picture a fiesty Alys encouraging women to get an education. Picture her insisting to her mom that she’s happy.

And then of course picture Darsee because this is still a bit of a love story.
It’s a big, modern day, feminist, Pakistani take on P&P. I enjoyed it. I thought there were some slow spots in the story but I enjoyed it over all. I’ve tried to cut back on P&P retellings but I ultimately can’t resist.

Thanks to NetGalley for an early edition ebook of this novel.

Pride and Prejudice translated into the modern day Pakistani culture.Reall a fun read Jane Austen in modern time new traditions love though is love no matter time or place.A really fun read.Thanks#netgalley #randomhouse