ARC Review: “Unmarriageable” by Soniah Kamal

“Unmarriageable” by Soniah Kamal

Publication Date: January 22, 2019

Genre: Romance, Fiction, Retelling

Page Length: 352 pages (electronice review copy)

Synopsis:

A scandal and vicious rumor concerning the Binat family have destroyed their fortune and prospects for desirable marriages, but Alys, the second and most practical of the five Binat daughters, has found happiness teaching English literature to schoolgirls. Knowing that many of her students won’t make it to graduation before dropping out to marry and have children, Alys teaches them about Jane Austen and her other literary heroes and hopes to inspire the girls to dream of more.

When an invitation arrives to the biggest wedding their small town has seen in years, Mrs. Binat, certain that their luck is about to change, excitedly sets to work preparing her daughters to fish for rich, eligible bachelors. On the first night of the festivities, Alys’s lovely older sister, Jena, catches the eye of Fahad “Bungles” Bingla, the wildly successful—and single—entrepreneur. But Bungles’s friend Valentine Darsee is clearly unimpressed by the Binat family. Alys accidentally overhears his unflattering assessment of her and quickly dismisses him and his snobbish ways. As the days of lavish wedding parties unfold, the Binats wait breathlessly to see if Jena will land a proposal—and Alys begins to realize that Darsee’s brusque manner may be hiding a very different man from the one she saw at first glance.

Told with wry wit and colorful prose, Unmarriageable is a charming update on Jane Austen’s beloved novel and an exhilarating exploration of love, marriage, class, and sisterhood.

Review:

Unmarriageable is a fun and charming modern take on the classic, Pride & Prejudice. In the course of 300 pages, the reader is introduced to the eccentric, but tight-knit Binat family and Pinkie Binat’s (the mother) quest to marry off her daughters.

I’ll admit that the first few chapters of the novel were unbearably slow for me, almost to the point where I wanted to DNF the book, but I stuck with it. Though I don’t like the original story that the book is based on of, I love new retellings in different settings. What attracted me to pick up the book in the first place was its multicultural focus and that its set in Pakistan. However, I was a bit disappointed that this retelling mirrors a lot of the original subject material and I wanted it to branch out and do something new with the plot.

As for the characters, they were written very well! The Binat family was entertaining and I loved all of their vibrant personalities. Except I was uncomfortable about they bully Quitty about her weight. Lady and Quitty got on my last nerves, with their constant bickers, but the eldest sisters Alys and Jena’s calm personality. Alys is definitely modern-day replica of Lizzie Bennett. She has spunk, is headstrong and is very vocal about her beliefs.

Final Verdict:

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.