Last updated on March 11, 2021
Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal is a modern day retelling of Pride & Prejudice. She sets the story in Pakistan, in a fictional place called Dilipabad, with visits to Lahore and Islamabad. While the retelling closely parallels Austen’s book, Kamal sets the stage with her own beginning:
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a girl can go from pauper to princess or princess to pauper in the mere seconds it takes for her to accept a proposal.
The two oldest of five sisters in the Bilat family are on the shelf at 31 and 33. Although they have a prestigious last name, the family has been disgraced and their wealth stolen from them. Due to this, the eldest children, Alysba and Jena accepted jobs at the local “international school” teaching English Literature.
The fact that her daughters are unmarried with no prospects is a condition that Pinkie Binat is anxious to remedy. She wants them to marry rich men so that their social status can improve along with their marital status. The issue is that the current offers are from “absurdities” and “abroads”, neither of which will offer this elevation. Pinkie’s plan is for them to highlight their beauty so that a rich men will be too awestruck to worry about any rumors concerning the family.
Alys and Darsee share satisfying banter as they meet, fall in love and get married. We know how the story ends but their path to that happy ending is entertaining. And better yet, they pay direct homage to Jane Austen on their honeymoon.
Final Verdict on Unmarriageable
Unmarriageable serves as social commentary as it explores many elements of Pakistani culture, following Austen’s tradition. This retelling is a smart one, using the elements of Pakistani society to show the universal themes between cultures and people. We learn about the competition between the social classes and get a look at love marriage and arranged marriage.
In a conversation about empires and tradition, Alys’ ponders how countries might contend with colonization. In the case of Pakistan, how should English be used and how can it’s history be framed with consideration of the lasting effects of the British empire?
In another conversation, with Darsee, Alys shares one of my favorite quotes in the book, giving Darsee a chance to observe that cultural appreciation is often one sided and could use some reciprocity, particularly when it comes to Britain and the countries that formerly made up its empire
“Reading widely can lead to an appreciation of the universalities across cultures.”
Alys Binat, Unmarriageable
Kamal uses a smart combination of sound and meaning to make the names of the characters sound Pakistani while also portraying their character.
I immensely enjoyed Unmarriageable. It’s been many years since I read Pride & Prejudice so I can’t compare all the minute details. However, my impression is that Kamal stays true to Austen’s ideas while putting her own captivating stamp on the story. She also shares many books through the banter between Alys and Darsee, Alys’ reading choices and gifts that she bought for her sisters. I look forward to reading those books as well to broaden my exposure to both the classics and international books.
Explore class, identity, family relations including betrayal, the different forms of love, marriage in Unmarriageable. This is an entertaining and interesting read.
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