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Revision as of 12:41, 30 December 2010
, 12:41, 30 December 2010Created page with '{{infobox |title=My Bollywood Wedding |sort=My Bollywood Wedding |author=Rekha Waheed |reviewer=Sue Magee |genre=Women's Fiction |summary=Maya Malik wants a glamorous wedding but…'
{{infobox
|title=My Bollywood Wedding
|sort=My Bollywood Wedding
|author=Rekha Waheed
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=Women's Fiction
|summary=Maya Malik wants a glamorous wedding but as things go wrong will there be any wedding at all? An entertaining and enlightening read.
|rating=3.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|paperback=0755356144
|hardback=
|audiobook=
|ebook=
|pages=352
|publisher=Little Black Dress
|date=December 2010
|isbn=978-0755356140
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755356144</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0755356144</amazonus>
}}
Maya Malik set her heart on a big, glamorous wedding to Jhanghir Khan but organising it was difficult as the groom-to-be was working as a doctor in New York and Maya was arranging the wedding in London. Maya's family are rich, but Jhanghir's family are – seriously so – and this is only part of the tensions which looked to be on track to derail the wedding. There's a sister-in-law who's determined to take over all the arrangements – without disguising her dislike of Maya – and a George-Clooney-lookalike cousin whom Maya finds far too attractive for her own good. And Jhanghir? Well, he's a man. He's busy and he's not that good at communicating. Is there any wonder that Maya begins to wonder if she's doing the right thing?
When I began this book I was concerned that I wasn't going to enjoy it. I'm never that impressed by stories based on misunderstandings but the joy of this story is that Maya and Jhanghir are from a traditional Bengali community and it's brilliant to see the effect that this has on their actions and way of thinking. When she has a problem Maya goes to the mosque to think it through. The book's sexy but there's no sex – if that doesn't sound like a contradiction in terms – and Maya's emphasis is always on doing the right thing by her family and her beliefs. I've read several books about Moslems – but this is the one that really pointed up to me what it's like to live the life.
That might make the book sound very virtuous and unexciting. Yes – there is virtue there but there's also a plot which simply wouldn't let me put the book down until I found out what happened. The cover might lead you to think you're buying chick-lit – and if that's what you're after you'll get a good story – but there's also an intelligent and thoughtful story in there. I was particularly interested in the racism within the Bengali community – the upset which is caused when one of the women decides to marry a ''coloured'' man. The shame of it. He's from the West Indies.
I read the book in a couple of sittings and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.
Bengali weddings, we're told, are about food. If you'd like to know more about the food we can recommend [[India with Passion by Manju Malhi]]. We're sure that you'll also enjoy [[Saris and the City by Rekha Waheed|Saris and the City]] also by Rekha Waheed.
{{amazontext|amazon=0755356144}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=7794373}}
{{commenthead}}
|title=My Bollywood Wedding
|sort=My Bollywood Wedding
|author=Rekha Waheed
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=Women's Fiction
|summary=Maya Malik wants a glamorous wedding but as things go wrong will there be any wedding at all? An entertaining and enlightening read.
|rating=3.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|paperback=0755356144
|hardback=
|audiobook=
|ebook=
|pages=352
|publisher=Little Black Dress
|date=December 2010
|isbn=978-0755356140
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755356144</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0755356144</amazonus>
}}
Maya Malik set her heart on a big, glamorous wedding to Jhanghir Khan but organising it was difficult as the groom-to-be was working as a doctor in New York and Maya was arranging the wedding in London. Maya's family are rich, but Jhanghir's family are – seriously so – and this is only part of the tensions which looked to be on track to derail the wedding. There's a sister-in-law who's determined to take over all the arrangements – without disguising her dislike of Maya – and a George-Clooney-lookalike cousin whom Maya finds far too attractive for her own good. And Jhanghir? Well, he's a man. He's busy and he's not that good at communicating. Is there any wonder that Maya begins to wonder if she's doing the right thing?
When I began this book I was concerned that I wasn't going to enjoy it. I'm never that impressed by stories based on misunderstandings but the joy of this story is that Maya and Jhanghir are from a traditional Bengali community and it's brilliant to see the effect that this has on their actions and way of thinking. When she has a problem Maya goes to the mosque to think it through. The book's sexy but there's no sex – if that doesn't sound like a contradiction in terms – and Maya's emphasis is always on doing the right thing by her family and her beliefs. I've read several books about Moslems – but this is the one that really pointed up to me what it's like to live the life.
That might make the book sound very virtuous and unexciting. Yes – there is virtue there but there's also a plot which simply wouldn't let me put the book down until I found out what happened. The cover might lead you to think you're buying chick-lit – and if that's what you're after you'll get a good story – but there's also an intelligent and thoughtful story in there. I was particularly interested in the racism within the Bengali community – the upset which is caused when one of the women decides to marry a ''coloured'' man. The shame of it. He's from the West Indies.
I read the book in a couple of sittings and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.
Bengali weddings, we're told, are about food. If you'd like to know more about the food we can recommend [[India with Passion by Manju Malhi]]. We're sure that you'll also enjoy [[Saris and the City by Rekha Waheed|Saris and the City]] also by Rekha Waheed.
{{amazontext|amazon=0755356144}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=7794373}}
{{commenthead}}
