Sofia Khan is Not Obliged by Ayisha Malik, 2016

I heard about Sofia Khan is Not Obliged from a newspaper for expats that I was reading while traveling through Saudi Arabia on my way home from London.  The blurb talked about a Muslim author and a book she had written about a young Muslim woman living in London.

Sofia is a Pakistani Muslim young woman living outside of London with her family who ends an engagement because her betrothed Imran has no intentions of moving out of his parents' home.

As with most Eastern cultures, including Chinese, a wife is expected to move into her husband's family's home.  Even today in 2017, in Western cities.

A book publicist and blogger, Sofia halfheartedly pitches a book idea about Muslim dating that her bosses love and decide that she should write.

As part of her research, she joins Muslim dating site www.shaadi.com (which I had never heard of), a real site referred to as Shady.com.

Initially, it was tough to understand the tone and rhythm of the book with references to Muslim culture (and even distinguishing the names of her girl friends), but once I picked up an ear for it, the characters became really engaging.

Despite her traditional friends, family & headgear, Sofia interacts with very western co-workers and neighbors, including the very Irish Conall.

Witty, and even bringing tears to my eyes at one point, Sofia Khan is Not Obliged is a story of every young women - her friends being her world, family conflicts, pressures of marriage - with Muslim twists, but in essence, the same stories we all have.

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles, 2011

Critically acclaimed, Rules of Civility made it to my library reserve list a few years back, but I could not get enough interest to read it.

Having just read Amor Towles' A Gentleman in Moscow, I knew I wanted to read this book.  However, same struggle to begin the novel for some reason.

Once I did start the book though, I was transfixed and was transported to another world, as told from the self-aware, wry voice of Katey Kontent.

Set in the year 1938 in Manhattan, Katey and her friend Eve Ross are boardinghouse friends who meet banker Tinker Grey on New Year's Eve.

Tinker proves to be Katey's and Eve's entree into the moneyed and privileged society of Manhattan, where all is not as it seems.

Like A Gentleman in Moscow, Rules of Civility is filled with inventive story lines, snappy dialog and great sentences like:  "...in moments of high emotion - whether they're triggered by anger or envy, humiliation or resentment - if the next thing you're going to say makes you feel better, then it's probably the wrong thing to say."

Memorable and surprising characters who Katey encounters include Anne Grandyn (Tinker's "god-mother"), Wallace Wolcott, Dicky Vanderwhile and Hank Grey.  Through chance encounters and a little proactiveness, Katey powers through her 20s to happily settle into a career and marriage.

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid, 2015

A what-if/choose your own adventure story based on whether protagonist Hannah Martin stays out late with her high school sweetheart Ethan or return home, Maybe in Another Life kicks off with Hannah returning home to Los Angeles at the age of 29 after a few years in New York.

We watch how Hannah's life unfolds based on a seemingly trivial decision.

By staying out with Ethan, Hannah & Ethan rekindle their romance and she soon discovers that she is pregnant, a result of her affair with a married man, one of the reasons she fled New York.

Alternatively, by returning home early with her best friend Gabby, Hannah ends up in a car accident that causes her to lose her baby and realize that she needs to focus on making mature, adult decisions as she gets better.

In both versions of Hannah's life, she ends up doing what she is meant to do, becoming a nurse; while whom she ends up "happily ever with" differs. 

It's an interesting statement that there is not necessarily one person whom one is meant to be.  While for Gabby, there is one person with whom she is meant to be. 

This idea of a trivial decision in your 20s shaping the rest of your life is further explored in the next book I read, Amor Towles' Rules of Civility.

My (not so) Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella, 2017

Sofie Kinsella books are so enjoyable.  Perfect weekend or beach read.  Funny, interesting enough characters and enough plot bends (not necessary twists) to make the books not utterly tedious & predictable.

Cat Brenner is a Somerset farm girl who reinvents herself upon moving to London. 

Her dream has always been to make it in London and although her entry level research associate job & shared flat outside of London is not exactly "making it," Cat is determined to stick it out.

She does not have the Instagram perfect life she portrays, but is intent on impressing office director Demeter Farlowe, who does have the perfect life - impeccable style, gorgeous family & invited to all the social events. 

Upon returning to her Somerset home, where she has helped her father and step-mom Biddy open a glamping grounds with yurts, Cat becomes Katie again and realizes that no one has the perfect life, no matter what photos they post on social media.

While reading the novel, imagined Anna Kendrick as Katie/Cat.

Invincible Summer & Victoria

Pre-India trip books.


Victoria by Daisy Goodwin, 2016

Inspired by the TV series The Crown about Elizabeth II's early reign, I was looking forward to reading about another young queen, Victoria. 

Interesting to find out about her close relationship with Prime Minister Lord Melbourne, fractious relationship with her mother & her mother's advisor Sir John Conway & agreement to marry Prince Albert.

What intrigued me was Victoria's absolute belief in herself, to carry herself as a Queen at the tender age of 18.  Sadly, even in my 40s, I wouldn't have the confidence to lead a nation.  Something I need to change.

A bit too melodramatic, I would like to read a more serious, fact-based biography about Queen Victoria.

  

Invincible Summer by Alice Adams, 2016
Story of four friends from university and their journey into middle-age.  Eva grows up middle class and is intent on becoming financially secure and does so by becoming a trader.

Her best friend Sylvie is the type of girl that has always had it easy as a pretty and a talented artist, while Sylvie's brother Lucien ends up DJ'ing and organizing events, with a lucrative side business dealing drugs.

Benedict follows his love of science and pursues a Ph.D. 

After university, Eva, Lucien & Benedict pursue their careers while Sylvie is left behind, struggling as an artist. 

Eva achieves the most success but her over-reaching comes crashing down.  Benedict impregnates his girlfriend, whom he marries and becomes a young father. 

The next wave of life happens during their late thirties to early forties, where mistakes reach the breaking point and everyone struggle to start over.

Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella, 2008

Sophie Kinsella books are so readable.  They are funny and although seemingly predictable, manage to avoid (most of) the cliches.

I also enjoy the English-ness and stumbling across terms or sayings that I need my husband to translate.  

Lexi Smart is a struggling young professional with bad clothes & bad hair, dating someone known as Loser Dave.

When she gets into an accident and wakes up three years later, she has become a glamorous, designer clothes wearing executive married to handsome millionaire Eric, advocate of loft-style living.

Life in this seemingly perfect worlds ends up stifling, filled with detailed manuals and invoicing for breaking glass leopards.

Lexi has also become an executive at Deller Carpets, she has isolated herself from her friends Fi, Carolyn & Debs.

I read Remember Me? in one weekend, even with an 18 month running around.  So light reading but very entertaining & pleasant.

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, 2011

Afghanistan - a beautiful country wrecked by years of war and Taliban rule.

Afghan women are forced to wear chandri, burqua-like coverings that include covering the face with only narrow slits for women to see through, and only allowed to go out with a male member of the family escorting them.

They are beaten if they are not properly covered or found interacting with a man who is not a relative.

Kamila, the second oldest sister, is responsible for her sisters and younger brother when her parents flee the city & decide it would be too dangerous to travel with so many young children.

Her older sister Malika soon moves back home with two young children as Malika's husband is also forced to flee Kabul. Even after the Taliban is driven out of Afghanistan in 2001, one of the sister wears a chandri for years after, afraid of the return of Taliban recrimination.

Kamila ventures to the market with her younger brother as her chaperone and boldly approaches shop keepers with her dress and clothing samples to sell.  An expert salesperson who is intent on producing quality products & meeting deadlines, Kamila grows her clothing business to over thirty girls and women.

When the supply of workers become too great, Kamila decides to start a school to teach girls how to sew.   Girls would not be paid (nor need to pay) for the training, and would start getting paid once their skills improved so that they could produce garments.

This training program not only allowed Kamila to help so many more of her countrywomen survive and feed their families, but also ensured that she would be able to meet any orders with her increased work force.

They create jobs for other women who find themselves the sole breadwinner as men flee to Iran, Pakistan to escape the Taliban, who hang, punish and murder.

It is heartening to read about the years of invasion and war ravaging Afghanistan, a beautiful country with such kind, generous people.  And, inspiring to read about such a strong woman like Kamila who unselfishly works to make the world better for others risking her own personal safety and comfort.

If only I could have even an ounce of the compassion, unselfishness & drive Kamila haves to give back to the community.