Book Review: My Brother's Wedding by Andaleeb Wajid

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Is there a thing like pre-script? Anyway much excited to share that the author announced on Istagram that she has started the sequel to this book. The first three chapters are available on Wattpad for free.
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 I finished reading My Brother's Wedding by @andaleebwajid a few days ago. The book is a peek into what all goes behind a Muslim wedding written from the POV of the groom's youngest sister who starts an anonymous blog to describe it. What you get on all those pages though is more than just that!
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Saba is the youngest sibling among three having been largely unseen and ignored by her elder brother Zohaib and taunted and traumatised by her very beautiful sister Rabia.
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The blog starts as a rant about her brother's wedding but gives a sneak peek into her life, love and interests as well. She is a college goer with not much aspiration in life. Her friend Ria is a great character helps her realise the need to recognise her talent and give herself a chance to make something of it. The other thread in the book (a narrative) takes the story further and keeps you engrossed through Saba's emotional journey and her journey of discovery of the self. She discovers her affections for her cousin brother as does he. The magnetic pull that the two feel and are unable to act upon is a cute part of the story that builds the tension in this sweet little book. Adding to the drama of her teenage life is Rabia who discovers her pregnancy and is shaken. She comes to her parents' house blaming her husband for her condition. Zohaib takes an overseas assignment to avoid getting caught up in the aftermath of a office romance gone bad and this also stresses saba's parents and makes the climate in the household warm.  
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Wajid's My Brother's Wedding made for a nice, little read after I had tackled Michel Bussi's After the Crash. I liked the pace and the setting of the story (In Bengaluru, in a Muslim set up) as well as the writing (contemporary and flowy). I have a personal thing against whimpering (figuratively speaking) heroines in any conditions but given Saba's age and circumstances towards the end of the story, I am willing to overlook the teeny tiny episodes of that. Everything falls in place by the end of the book or let me just say that Sabka dimaag thikaane aa jata hai- and I wish this was the way with real life as well.

 Read it if you are looking for a respite from the heat or are hole up in your room because of the monsoon. The book is uplifting in a way and I assure you that this author's way with the words will not let you down.


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