ronica.wahi

Review by Ronica Wahi Aliens in My Garden By Jude Gwynaire First published: October 9, 2018, Prodigy Gold Books. Pages: 280. ISBN: 9781939665720 This book is one of those kinds that run like a film in the reader’s mind’s eye - the description so vivid that the reader as if watches the action taking place in the book. If a cinematic reproduction were to be taken up for this one and justice done to it, it sure would make for an enjoyable piece. Jude Gwynaire, a musician and a writer whose writing combines elements from nature and folklore, besides other things, creates a novel, beautiful, thriving wonderland, full of magic and adventure in his young adult fiction Aliens in My Garden. “The Garden”, as the said wonderland in referred to within the narrative, is located within a garden like any other we know. But the Garden – as mentioned - is like no other we know. The Garden has sentient beings of all sorts; among them are Old Tom who is a “potato farmer” – both a potato...

Review by Ronica Wahi Unmarriageable: Pride and Prejudice in Pakistan By Soniah Kamal First published: January 15, 2019, Allison & Busby. Pages: 384. ISBN: 9780749025151 “…Characters’ emotions and situations are universally applicable across cultures, whether you’re wearing an empire dress, shalwar kurta , or kimono.” (p. 262) So says Alys – Alysba Binat, the female protagonist of Soniah Kamal’s Unmarriageable: Pride and Prejudice in Pakistan. Since this is a retelling/adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel, Alys is clearly the counterpart to Elizabeth Bennet. Even though the main plot and the characters are well-known, Unmarriageable has much newness to offer. The novel shows what Alys says in the comment quoted above – the emotions and situations presented by Austen are picked up for they are as valid in Pakistan of 2000-01. But with the similarities, there are differences too. In this postcolonial tale, the culture and the vibe of the subcontinent comes throug...