#BookReview: The Wedding Wallah - Farahad Zama

Mr. Ali of The Marriage Bureau for Rich People is still up to his usual antics.  As we saw in The Many Conditions of Love, the follow up to Marriage Bureau, the marriage bureau has taken on yet again a smaller role.  Though it was the focus of the first book in the series, it now only serves as a point of reference to tie the various characters together.

Aruna, who we initially met in Marriage Bureau, is happily married.  Even though her husband is a doctor and she can afford to be a housewife, she continues to work at the bureau and sends her salary to help support her parents and younger sister.

Rehman, the son of Mr. Ali, is heartbroken following his broken engagement to Usha.  Her family would have preferred a son-in-law with a safe profession.  Rehman tried to stay on the engineering path, but with so much unrest going on in the countryside, he feels that his talents would be put to better use by helping those less fortunate than himself.

Pari, the Ali's niece, who we met in Many Conditions is a recent widow with an adopted son.  She knows that her status as a widow limits the number of men that may be willing to marry her, but she's in no rush to remarry.  She agrees to think about a proposal from the handsome Dilawar, but he seems to be harboring a few secrets that could potentially end any thoughts of engagement.

When several characters in the book are kidnapped by a group of Naxalites, everyone is forced to come to grip with truths and consequences.  Moving more slowly than Many Conditions, which moved much slower than Marriage Bureau, I have to wonder if Zama is running out of steam.  While I can appreciate him using the books to bring awareness to social issues, I  think it's time for him to explore either another series of books or different characters to get his point across.  Although Marriage Bureau was hilarious, The Wedding Wallah falls painfully short.

352pp
Published: April 2011

 

Theme: Mauja Hi Mauja from the Jab We Met soundtrack

#BookReview: The Many Conditions of Love - Farahad Zama

The author of The Marriage Bureau for Rich People is back with, what I would consider, a little less funny but certainly as well thought out sequel.  Unlike some other authors, Farahad Zama does not spend a lot of time refreshing reader's memories about what happened in his previous book.  Nonetheless, it's quite easy to bring yourself up to speed or trudge forth without knowing a great deal of the character's history.

The Many Conditions of Love, unlike The Marriage Bureau, focuses less on Mr. Ali and his customers and more on Aruna and Ram.  Aruna's marriage to the handsome doctor she met when he walked into the marriage bureau has been an adjustment, but she's adapted well.  That is, until her sister-in-law  shows up.  Aruna finds herself being mistreated by, not only her in-laws, but her husband as well.

Readers will also be delighted to find that more attention is given to the Ali's son, Rehman.  In the first book, he was a fringe character and was only briefly touched upon as it related to political unrest in India.  This go round there is more focus on his love life.  Only, it is unfortunate for him, as a Muslim, that he's fallen in love with Usha, a Hindu journalist.

Keeping in line with The Marriage Bureau, attention is still paid to societal issues and the struggle of the older generation to keep pace with the ever changing, modernized world.  As with The Marriage Bureau, the limitations of ones caste and socioeconomic status are again brought to the forefront in The Many Conditions.  Overall this is a delightful and insightful read.

What did you like about this book?
I loved getting reacquainted with the characters and being introduced to new ones.  The author could have potentially limited the series by focusing on existing characters.  I'm appreciative of these new characters, not only because they truly serve a purpose and not just there as fillers or fringe characters, because their story lines give the author the option to continue the series for much longer than he may have been able to had the focus just stayed on his initial characters.

What didn't you like about this book?
It ended far too soon.  Readers are left with a cliffhanger.  Normally this would not frustrate me, but because the books are published outside of the states, it takes longer for them to become available in this market.

What could the author do to improve this book?
The humor from the first book seemed to be missing.  Although I still enjoyed the book, it was something I looking forward to and it was quite noticeable that it wasn't there.

336pp
Published 2009

#BookReview: The Marriage Bureau for Rich People - Farahad Zama

What's a man to do when he retires?  When his puttering around the house starts to drive his wife crazy, Mr. Ali comes up with the perfect plan.  He starts The Marriage Bureau for Rich People.  

In India, a country where arranged marriages are still traditional for an overwhelming majority, author Farahad Zama has found the perfect setting for his story.  The criteria for picking a bride or groom can be extensive, so it's no wonder that families turn to Mr. Ali and his trusty assistant, Aruna for help.

The following factors are generally considered in Indian marriages to search for compatibility:

• Values and personal expectations: should match
• Age and height: girl should generally be younger and shorter
• Looks: should be acceptable to the other
• Religion: should be same, preferably same sect
• Mother tongue, caste: should be preferably same
• Diet (veg/non-veg/alcohol/smoking): may differ only if acceptable to the other
• Education: comparable educational levels or the boy should be more educated than the girl
• Profession: the profession should be acceptable to the other
• Financial: The boy's current and future financial situation should be acceptable to the girl.
• Astrological signs/attributes: should be compatible, if the two families believe in it.

From the attractive divorcee disowned by her family for choosing her career over a husband to the lonely valve salesman that can't seem to find a bride, each person that walks through the door of the marriage bureau has a story to tell in this hilarious tale.

What did you like about this book?
I loved the fact that in between the laughter, the author weaves in background information about Indian customs and castes.  It makes for a much richer reading experience, especially for readers unfamiliar with the culture.

What did you dislike about this book?
There were a few sections that moved slowly, but it did nothing to take away from the overall story.

What could the author do to improve this book?
No improvements needed.  I'd love to see a series based on these characters.

304pp
Published June 2009

Theme: We Belong Together by Dianne Reeves