Written in the Stars: A Novel

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From the critically acclaimed author of Something To Talk About comes a sharp and sexy rom-com about a college senior who accidentally hooks up with her best friend’s mom. Arranged marriages remain a worldwide concern, not only in less developed countries. As the author has put it, this problem presents itself as a silent epidemic. Firstly, weak emotions. In an emotional novel such as this, I expected to cry a river, as was the case in A Thousand Splendid Suns. Except for one instance, I was hardly touched and I hardly shed a tear. So I think, the emotions were a bit weak for such a strong story.

Written in the Stars is not an easy book to read, despite its rather vanilla start. Initially, Naila’s parents come across as unusually strict, but ultimately people who love their child. Naila’s story may seem unusual to people coming from those cultures where arranged marriage is virtually non-existent, but her parents’ behavior in the start, their feelings of “honor” and “reputation” and “shame” are so authentically portrayed. As a Pakistani myself, I felt like I was reading the life story of so many people I know. People who are free to do whatever they please, but cannot dream of falling in love and marrying who they are in love with. God, no, they couldn’t dream of dishonoring their families that way.

That’s not how it’s done,” she had said. “Just because we live in a different place doesn’t change how things should be.” With nods to Bridget Jones and Pride and Prejudice, a charming #ownvoices queer rom-com debut about a free-spirited social media astrologer who agrees to fake a relationship with an uptight actuary until New Year’s Eve—with results not even the stars could predict! Overall I did enjoy Darcy’s and Elle’s relationship and how it progressed throughout the book. After their initial terrible first date they do stay open minded about each other and their interests and build a good understanding of each other throughout.

It’s Nalia’s senior year and she’s months away, scratch that days away, from heading to college with her secret boyfriend, Saif and her best friend, Carla. Nalia’s family is very strict of Pakistani descent. They have their own expectations of their only daughter. What harm could one lie to get her to the prom be? I hate keeping secrets from her. But how can I explain that I see the world a little differently and my way of looking at the world isn’t bad, not if it means their daughter has found someone she loves, someone who makes her completely and unbelievably happy? I loved the two girls (Darcy and Elle) and they took the dynamic of Darcy and Elizabeth and transformed it in their own way that totally got me hooked.I only have two conclusion after I finished reading Written in the Stars . This is the book I would heartily shove in everyone’s throat. And this story would stay within me for a very long time, maybe even forever. It was all still an enjoyable read but I was expecting so much more from it. The strongest parts of the book were definitely more towards the beginning so it was a gradual let down and slowly getting more and more disinterested. All characters are drawn well. Naila, the central character, is a bird trapped in a golden cage. As a daughter, her character is obedient and respectful but as an individual, she is determined to make her choices. Naila's parents are the stereotypical parents who believe that as wise elders, they've the right to choose their daughter's better half and so they see their actions as justified. This book, I devoured it in only a little more than three hours. I didn’t do anything else once I started reading it. Moving on from the subject matter, I thought I’d talk a little about the portrayal of Pakistani culture. It’s a shame, but I’ve never read a YA novel revolving around Pakistani characters, and the familiarity was refreshing. Aisha Saeed, a Pakistan-American herself, steers clear from stereotypes while also refusing to cover up the darker parts of the culture. Her unapologetic use of cultural phrases, integrating Urdu language into her narrative and dialogue so effortlessly is something worth taking note of. Her vivid descriptions of scenery, of clothes and food, the things our characters say, their expressions and norms- everything is so spot-on.