I was provided an e-ARC when I interviewed the author for the debut of this book and while I think it was a decent book that tackled important societal issues (like independence, body image and more) that South Asian Muslim American face (talk about hyphenated identities), there was no urgency in the plot; rather it was quite meandering. The urgency that was written into the end fell extremely flat.

Thankyou to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Ali's Mausumbe Road is a journey of a Pakistani girl as she deals with important social issues which have personal as well as wide-spread implications. This book talks about the need for independence and freedom as well as gender discrimination and even body shaming. I would go even as far as to say her writing style is similar to Jhumpa Lahiri in the way it invokes a certain nostalgia for a place or incident which is not really yours.
The book picks up momentum towards the latter half and has a pretty satisfying ending.
On the other hand, I do feel Ali could have been more descriptive about Pakistan as I believe it is a beautiful country and would have given the writing a more immersive and atmospheric feel.
Overall a fast and easy read and would definitely recommend!

Mausumbe Road details the life of Hena Shah, a Pakistani-American growing up in Orange County, California. She is an outspoken, independent person since childhood, and we get an insight into her life. The novel shines though, however, when Hena talks about visiting Pakistan growing up, and especially her dadi jaan – her grandmother – who she is very close to. Hena, feeling trapped and caged by her families’ and societies’ expectations, and what she perceives as her own shortcomings, travels alone to Pakistan to stay with relatives in Karachi, with the goal of setting up her own business.
A main plotline only really emerges nearer the latter half of the novel, when Hena meets some new characters, and embarks on figuring out her business plans. Before that, the novel is more like a meandering collection of vignettes from Hena’s life, where huge chunks of her growing up are omitted, and important life events are skipped or only very briefly explained. The pacing here is definitely odd and doesn’t always work.
The twist at the end of the novel, although I saw it coming from the hints Ali gave us, was still unexpected structurally and I wish some more time had been spent on the denouement, winding down from the sudden suspense that is never even properly resolved. There was not enough resolution before the ending. However, Ali writes some really beautiful prose with some breath-taking sentences that set the scene very well. The look, feel, taste, and sound of Pakistan in Karachi and then Balochistan come alive. It was easy to imagine the house Hena resided in, the streets she walked down, the bazaars she shopped in, and the food she ate. The smell of chai was wrapped up in this novel due to its constant mentions after every meal. Informative and educational for people not acquainted with Pakistan, despite my rudimentary knowledge of Pakistani culture and Islam, I came away with more of a picture of a Pakistani family, and knowledge of Urdu due to the words Ali mentions throughout.
Despite some shortcomings, I would still recommend this novel. Ali writes beautifully, with very lyrical prose that makes the words on the page come alive. Although hard to define by genre, due to the novel’s apparent inability to know itself, it was thought-provoking, at times beautifully written, and most of all a really interesting and captivating portrait of Pakistan.

"Mausumbe Road" by Subia J. Ali is the perfect coming of age tale that infuses diversity and challenges readers to explore themselves while following along on the journey of Hena. The author's writing is easy to read and understand while utilizing names and key words that are culturally relevant to the main character and her homeland of Pakistan. I loved that the book included a glossary which helped me to better understand these key phrases. That plot twist at the end left me reeling but I loved the way that it turned the story and it gave the story some zing although it was heartbreaking to read! Overall, I loved this journey and was rooting for Hena!

Mausumbe Road was thick with imagery and made me feel as though I were in Pakistan. My favorite part is the twist at the end because it threw me for a loop. I didn’t see it coming at all. I had so much sympathy for Hena. I loved being able to see into her life.

hena shah is a pakistani girl with a big heart. we first meet her when she is getting in trouble for telling children that santa isn’t real. we follow her on her journey to understand her identity and grow.

this is well written and a quick read, but it’s lacking urgency until the last quarter. hena has a strong voice, but ultimately feels meek and as if she cannot make any decisions for herself. i was expecting a more pivotal moment where hena takes control over her life, but it never came.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review!