What do you think?
Rate this book
Haveli
Abandoned by her father, C. is brought up by her domineering, intractable grandmother, whom she privately refers to as ‘The Broad’. Raised in the closed environs of a haveli in Jalalabad, C. is rebellious, quick-witted and a self-proclaimed cynic.
So, when The Broad presents her with the ‘suitable’ Taimur as a possible husband, C. isn’t too happy with the arrangement, no matter how gorgeous ‘Alpha Male’ may be. As it happens, the feeling is mutual. Or is it?
And when C.’s long lost father enters the scene, things get really complicated…
So, when The Broad presents her with the ‘suitable’ Taimur as a possible husband, C. isn’t too happy with the arrangement, no matter how gorgeous ‘Alpha Male’ may be. As it happens, the feeling is mutual. Or is it?
And when C.’s long lost father enters the scene, things get really complicated…
93 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 12, 2013
30 people are currently reading
786 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
March 27, 2018
Was this a book? A joke? A prank on my brain cells? – Then not funny at all!
Therefore, it was that – I read blurb after reading the so-called “Book” and it was supposed to be – ROMANCE!
Funny part - No relevance between title and the story!
‘Good girls’ wore red lipstick only after they were married.
Concept: 1.0/5.0
Execution: 0.0/5.0
Characters Bespoken: 0.0 /5.0
Cover: 1.0/5.0
Overall: 0.5/5.0
So, the story begins with:
An orphan girl named Chandni(*who btw hates her name) – struggles to move forward in life – toughy exterior and soft interior(*shit stuff) – She thinks rebelling is solution to the life issues – so does stupid things – calls the opponent ones which Emily Bronte’s novel character names(*like that is supposed to be so mature and interesting) – and irritating Alpha Male - Taimur I mean male protagonist – girl does mistakes – boy kept correcting them – girl kept into getting troubles – boy saved her everytime.
Chandni was so excited and depressed(*imagine at the same times) when she found her father was cheating her though you could literally sense it from first page itself the way he behaves around her!
Worst part? Chandni was lusting after a 40-year-old idiot (*I am not trying to judgemental here but the way it is portrayed it's tacky!) I mean how far you can go to seduce or grab his attention!
P.S.: If I knew it was a love story – IF!
Therefore, it was that – I read blurb after reading the so-called “Book” and it was supposed to be – ROMANCE!
Funny part - No relevance between title and the story!
‘Good girls’ wore red lipstick only after they were married.
Concept: 1.0/5.0
Execution: 0.0/5.0
Characters Bespoken: 0.0 /5.0
Cover: 1.0/5.0
Overall: 0.5/5.0
So, the story begins with:
An orphan girl named Chandni(*who btw hates her name) – struggles to move forward in life – toughy exterior and soft interior(*shit stuff) – She thinks rebelling is solution to the life issues – so does stupid things – calls the opponent ones which Emily Bronte’s novel character names(*like that is supposed to be so mature and interesting) – and irritating Alpha Male - Taimur I mean male protagonist – girl does mistakes – boy kept correcting them – girl kept into getting troubles – boy saved her everytime.
Chandni was so excited and depressed(*imagine at the same times) when she found her father was cheating her though you could literally sense it from first page itself the way he behaves around her!
Worst part? Chandni was lusting after a 40-year-old idiot (*I am not trying to judgemental here but the way it is portrayed it's tacky!) I mean how far you can go to seduce or grab his attention!
P.S.: If I knew it was a love story – IF!
May 25, 2017
2.5 stars
A chiclit dealing with the angst of a beautiful, affluent 20 year old girl with green eyes, an orphan brought up by her Hitlerish maternal grandmother. She has a crush on an older widower, and then meets up with a handsome young, brash guy who rubs her the wrong way...
and then her long gone father makes an appearance with another young man.... and the comedy of suitors starts, with a sinister touch.
The first half was much better than the latter half.
Initially a 4 star material, the book soon deteriorated into 3, and then 2 stars.
Recommended only to hard-core romantics.
A chiclit dealing with the angst of a beautiful, affluent 20 year old girl with green eyes, an orphan brought up by her Hitlerish maternal grandmother. She has a crush on an older widower, and then meets up with a handsome young, brash guy who rubs her the wrong way...
and then her long gone father makes an appearance with another young man.... and the comedy of suitors starts, with a sinister touch.
The first half was much better than the latter half.
Initially a 4 star material, the book soon deteriorated into 3, and then 2 stars.
Recommended only to hard-core romantics.
June 18, 2014
I loved reading Haveli and that’s because of the witty, humorous and intelligent expression of the author. Zeenat’s style of writing is very engaging and lucid. Assigning nicknames to the various characters is an interesting approach. The 'literary' conversations between Chandni and Taimur are entertaining.
Haveli is a short breezy romance with charming characters, a fast paced storyline with funny and quick-witted dialogues. This is one novella, that I would love to re-read again!
Haveli is definitely a must read!
Detailed review @ http://shilpaagarg.com/2014/06/haveli...
Haveli is a short breezy romance with charming characters, a fast paced storyline with funny and quick-witted dialogues. This is one novella, that I would love to re-read again!
Haveli is definitely a must read!
Detailed review @ http://shilpaagarg.com/2014/06/haveli...
January 31, 2014
The first thing about ‘Haveli’ that intrigued me was its setting – Pakistan in the 1970s. I have never read a book by a Pakistani author and I know little or nothing about the culture next door so I was naturally curious. Zeenat describes the era with such flair that none of it seems strange or alien. But the high point of the story is the spunky C – she is witty, bratty, strong-willed, sarcastic but completely lovable. I have to admit, I have a thing for raw, roguish heroes too and Taimur fit the bill perfectly. Loved the fireworks between the two and the exchange of literary insults was quite an interesting addition. Zeenat comes across as a nuanced author with a unique voice that is both humorous and engaging. A charming, fast-paced romance with well-sketched characters and a tight storyline – definitely recommended.
June 21, 2023
Even though both Pakistan and India are experiencing a rapid change in terms of interest in South Asian English literature, the field stills remain sparse and dominated by only a few well-known names.
Haveli, one of the more popular ventures of Indireads, a Canada-based independent publishing company, is a novella set in a time period that appeals to both Pakistani and Indian readers. The location of the story, a mansion in Jalalabad, featuring in the book as a former princely state of Pakistan, employs the perfect tone for the readers to immerse themselves in the culture and traditions of the local population.
Set in the 1970s, Haveli’s story follows the life of a bright, vivacious 20-year-old girl named Chandni, who lives with her grandmother within the stately, opulent haveli. Chandni, who prefers to be called ‘C’ over her ‘filmy’ name, is abandoned at birth by her flighty father. After the death of her mother soon after, she is left in the care of her rather strict maternal grandmother, who Chandni secretly nicknames ‘The Broad’. One of the redeeming qualities of the story throughout remains its depiction of these two strong female characters, whose intentions and actions, and the consequences of the latter, help strengthen the plot.
The author, Zeenat Mahal, does a fairly good job of hooking the reader in with Chandni’s snarky, self-deprecating tone. The opening scene in which Chandni is being taught how to properly pour tea brings to mind famous costume dramas along the lines of Downton Abbey and Emma. The next few scenes seamlessly introduce us to the other side characters, but considering the limited length of the novella, one could say the author tries to cram in too much at first. However, the ease with which new characters are presented doesn’t let us get lost in the plot line.
Fairly early on in the story, Chandni’s personality is revealed through an incident that involves smuggling a ballet teacher, who is tormented by her intimidating grandmother, out of the country. If the reader is in doubt about whether to trust the young woman’s self-proclaimed fearlessness, this provides the evidence.
Unfortunately, the storyline doesn’t remain consistent throughout the narrative. With the exception of Chandni, every new character is introduced with a ready-made set of adjectives. Over the course of the story we do find out more about the various characters, but the stock sentences describing them lend no authenticity to their existence as three-dimensional characters. Some personality traits are reinforced later on, such as the kindness lurking beneath the hero Taimur’s bluster, the villainous intent behind Chandni’s returning father’s plans and the caring nature of her outwardly strict grandmother — but mostly we are forced to take at face value a number of character traits which remain unproven.
The story also falls victim to every cliché in the book when it comes to its main characters. We have the naive, virginal heroine pitted against the world-wise, smirking hero. We even have the blonde, good-looking foreigner who our heroine initially falls for, but whose glib charms are no match for our dashing desi hero. These clichés extend to physical traits as well. There is an abundance of broad shoulders, silky hair, and smouldering eyes for the men, and full lips, bright clothes, and thick hair for the women. However, an argument can be made for the clichés, which is, their existence depends on their demand. There is a reason writers like Judith McNaught and Danielle Steele repeatedly use these storylines and still manage to retain their loyal fan following. It’s because these clichés sell, and in a Pakistani reader market fairly young in the English-language romantic genre, I’d say we can forgive the author for indulging in these particular ones.
The story does manage to make a few interesting points in terms of social commentary and the representation of the time it is set in. Chandni, who has been home-schooled, understands that she is among the privileged few. There are dinner table conversations that revolve around the political turmoil in the country, which help the story maintain its historical perspective. There are even clever sentences about women and their sari-wearing habits, which help set the story solidly in the location’s culture.
Another aspect worthy of discussion is the complexity of the relationships Chandni has with the rest of the characters in the book. Abandoned at a young age by a father who returns later on to try and win her affections and take all her money, Chandni’s initial desire to please him and her later horror at his true intentions make her a more realistic character. Her relationships with her half-brother Zafar, with the charismatic but gullible Kunwar, and with the hero’s father Baba, who is a loving father figure in her life, help provide a complex psychological perspective to the story that makes it a very interesting read.
The story is also a very honest representation of the mindsets that prevail in South Asian culture, especially when it comes to the concept of adultery and intimacy before marriage. Chandni’s inner monologue helps us understand how tradition dictates the way young Pakistani girls think of romantic liaisons, even though the book does sometimes suffer from the stream-of-consciousness writing style. There is a way to properly portray thoughts in a manner that engages the reader, and the success of books like Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf attest to this. This book, however, fails to hit the mark in a number of places.
A reviewer could, perhaps, also question why a story which claims to cater to a South Asian audience makes so many references to celebrity figures such as American actress Ava Gardner, literary figures like Heathcliff and Moriarty, or even randomly insert currency values like the British Farthing. Much more apt would have been names like Rumi, Dev Anand, and the more locally understood paisa. However, the joy of reading about a funny, snarky heroine is a refreshing change from the majority of South Asian literature these days, which revolves more around politics, religion and death, and less on the fun, romantic concept of young love.
Well-attended literature events, a fast-paced social media market, and the advent of the e-book has meant that more and more people are now embracing writers who are venturing beyond their mother tongue to represent their traditions. But, there’s still a distinct lack of quantity to allow readers to sample everything that South Asian countries have to offer. So, while Haveli may falter in a number of places, it manages to both entertain and also simultaneously represent the culture and mindset of a young South Asian woman from the ’70s. It is hoped that publishers such as Indireads and novellas like Haveli will, over time, polish themselves into something that South Asians everywhere can be proud to be associated with.
**
This article was originally published in Newsline’s November 2014 issue under the heading “Romancing a Genre”.
**
I review Pakistani Fiction, and talk about Pakistani fiction, and want to talk to people who like to talk about fiction (Pakistani and otherwise, take your pick.) To read more reviews or just contact me so you can talk about books, check out my Blog or follow me on Twitter!
Haveli, one of the more popular ventures of Indireads, a Canada-based independent publishing company, is a novella set in a time period that appeals to both Pakistani and Indian readers. The location of the story, a mansion in Jalalabad, featuring in the book as a former princely state of Pakistan, employs the perfect tone for the readers to immerse themselves in the culture and traditions of the local population.
Set in the 1970s, Haveli’s story follows the life of a bright, vivacious 20-year-old girl named Chandni, who lives with her grandmother within the stately, opulent haveli. Chandni, who prefers to be called ‘C’ over her ‘filmy’ name, is abandoned at birth by her flighty father. After the death of her mother soon after, she is left in the care of her rather strict maternal grandmother, who Chandni secretly nicknames ‘The Broad’. One of the redeeming qualities of the story throughout remains its depiction of these two strong female characters, whose intentions and actions, and the consequences of the latter, help strengthen the plot.
The author, Zeenat Mahal, does a fairly good job of hooking the reader in with Chandni’s snarky, self-deprecating tone. The opening scene in which Chandni is being taught how to properly pour tea brings to mind famous costume dramas along the lines of Downton Abbey and Emma. The next few scenes seamlessly introduce us to the other side characters, but considering the limited length of the novella, one could say the author tries to cram in too much at first. However, the ease with which new characters are presented doesn’t let us get lost in the plot line.
Fairly early on in the story, Chandni’s personality is revealed through an incident that involves smuggling a ballet teacher, who is tormented by her intimidating grandmother, out of the country. If the reader is in doubt about whether to trust the young woman’s self-proclaimed fearlessness, this provides the evidence.
Unfortunately, the storyline doesn’t remain consistent throughout the narrative. With the exception of Chandni, every new character is introduced with a ready-made set of adjectives. Over the course of the story we do find out more about the various characters, but the stock sentences describing them lend no authenticity to their existence as three-dimensional characters. Some personality traits are reinforced later on, such as the kindness lurking beneath the hero Taimur’s bluster, the villainous intent behind Chandni’s returning father’s plans and the caring nature of her outwardly strict grandmother — but mostly we are forced to take at face value a number of character traits which remain unproven.
The story also falls victim to every cliché in the book when it comes to its main characters. We have the naive, virginal heroine pitted against the world-wise, smirking hero. We even have the blonde, good-looking foreigner who our heroine initially falls for, but whose glib charms are no match for our dashing desi hero. These clichés extend to physical traits as well. There is an abundance of broad shoulders, silky hair, and smouldering eyes for the men, and full lips, bright clothes, and thick hair for the women. However, an argument can be made for the clichés, which is, their existence depends on their demand. There is a reason writers like Judith McNaught and Danielle Steele repeatedly use these storylines and still manage to retain their loyal fan following. It’s because these clichés sell, and in a Pakistani reader market fairly young in the English-language romantic genre, I’d say we can forgive the author for indulging in these particular ones.
The story does manage to make a few interesting points in terms of social commentary and the representation of the time it is set in. Chandni, who has been home-schooled, understands that she is among the privileged few. There are dinner table conversations that revolve around the political turmoil in the country, which help the story maintain its historical perspective. There are even clever sentences about women and their sari-wearing habits, which help set the story solidly in the location’s culture.
Another aspect worthy of discussion is the complexity of the relationships Chandni has with the rest of the characters in the book. Abandoned at a young age by a father who returns later on to try and win her affections and take all her money, Chandni’s initial desire to please him and her later horror at his true intentions make her a more realistic character. Her relationships with her half-brother Zafar, with the charismatic but gullible Kunwar, and with the hero’s father Baba, who is a loving father figure in her life, help provide a complex psychological perspective to the story that makes it a very interesting read.
The story is also a very honest representation of the mindsets that prevail in South Asian culture, especially when it comes to the concept of adultery and intimacy before marriage. Chandni’s inner monologue helps us understand how tradition dictates the way young Pakistani girls think of romantic liaisons, even though the book does sometimes suffer from the stream-of-consciousness writing style. There is a way to properly portray thoughts in a manner that engages the reader, and the success of books like Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf attest to this. This book, however, fails to hit the mark in a number of places.
A reviewer could, perhaps, also question why a story which claims to cater to a South Asian audience makes so many references to celebrity figures such as American actress Ava Gardner, literary figures like Heathcliff and Moriarty, or even randomly insert currency values like the British Farthing. Much more apt would have been names like Rumi, Dev Anand, and the more locally understood paisa. However, the joy of reading about a funny, snarky heroine is a refreshing change from the majority of South Asian literature these days, which revolves more around politics, religion and death, and less on the fun, romantic concept of young love.
Well-attended literature events, a fast-paced social media market, and the advent of the e-book has meant that more and more people are now embracing writers who are venturing beyond their mother tongue to represent their traditions. But, there’s still a distinct lack of quantity to allow readers to sample everything that South Asian countries have to offer. So, while Haveli may falter in a number of places, it manages to both entertain and also simultaneously represent the culture and mindset of a young South Asian woman from the ’70s. It is hoped that publishers such as Indireads and novellas like Haveli will, over time, polish themselves into something that South Asians everywhere can be proud to be associated with.
**
This article was originally published in Newsline’s November 2014 issue under the heading “Romancing a Genre”.
**
I review Pakistani Fiction, and talk about Pakistani fiction, and want to talk to people who like to talk about fiction (Pakistani and otherwise, take your pick.) To read more reviews or just contact me so you can talk about books, check out my Blog or follow me on Twitter!
March 30, 2014
I loved this book. L.O.V.E.D it!
I wanted to be the one who had written it!
Zeenat Mahal, you are so irreverent; you have a naughty, cheeky, humorous voice. I kept grinning; even took my Kindle to work in case I got a minute during out-patients, just so I could get back to the sexy sparring between C. and Alpha-male. I didn't get time, sadly, but I did finish it this morning, and couldn't wait to tell you how much I loved C, what with all her name calling! And what an adorable rogue Heathcliff-turned-Darcy is, and how patient!
The punctuation was a bit off, but it didn't detract because of all the other plus-es.....
Must, MUST read!
I wanted to be the one who had written it!
Zeenat Mahal, you are so irreverent; you have a naughty, cheeky, humorous voice. I kept grinning; even took my Kindle to work in case I got a minute during out-patients, just so I could get back to the sexy sparring between C. and Alpha-male. I didn't get time, sadly, but I did finish it this morning, and couldn't wait to tell you how much I loved C, what with all her name calling! And what an adorable rogue Heathcliff-turned-Darcy is, and how patient!
The punctuation was a bit off, but it didn't detract because of all the other plus-es.....
Must, MUST read!
February 20, 2014
A charming little romance which is set in the recent past. Pakistan in the seventies, to be precise. Chandni has been somewhat over-protected by her maternal grandmother in the crumbling haveli (palace) which is their family’s ancestral home. They are, as you might have guessed, erstwhile Indo-Pak royalty. Young, beautiful and extremely well read and educated due to rigorous home tutoring, Chandni longs for the love and affection of the father she has never known. He seems, her father, to have been something of a heartbreaker, a life destroyer even. Even before Chandni’s late mother died when she was a baby, pining for the man she had loved and been abandoned by, the same man had already loved and left the mother of Chandni’s elder brother Zafar to a similar fate. Zafar’s mother had had the wherewithal to deposit her child in the home of her successor before succumbing to her fate.
Chandni’s overpowering grandmother has planned out her life and even chosen her husband, but Chandni, with the candid innocence (or is it ignorance?) that is the characteristic of the young and naive, fails to see that her grandmother works only out of love and concern for her granddaughter. The old lady doesn’t do less for Zafar either, although he’s not her grandson. So when Chandni’s father appears out of the blue, protesting his helplessness in the past and his true love for his daughter, Chandni is thoroughly charmed. It doesn’t seem to occur strange to her that her father shows absolutely no concern for her brother. As the reader and other members of Chandni’s circle look on helplessly, Chandni seems to be drawn to her father’s love, affection and approval as a moth is drawn to a flame. She even mindlessly accepts the rather shallow fiancé her father has produced for her, as a magician produces a rabbit out of a hat.
I enjoyed this unusual story, which kept me guessing right up to the end. A sweet romance with sparkling dialogue and a gallant hero. Just my favourite type of read. I look forward to more from this worthy author.
I received a review copy of this work in return for an honest review.
Published By Indireads
Chandni’s overpowering grandmother has planned out her life and even chosen her husband, but Chandni, with the candid innocence (or is it ignorance?) that is the characteristic of the young and naive, fails to see that her grandmother works only out of love and concern for her granddaughter. The old lady doesn’t do less for Zafar either, although he’s not her grandson. So when Chandni’s father appears out of the blue, protesting his helplessness in the past and his true love for his daughter, Chandni is thoroughly charmed. It doesn’t seem to occur strange to her that her father shows absolutely no concern for her brother. As the reader and other members of Chandni’s circle look on helplessly, Chandni seems to be drawn to her father’s love, affection and approval as a moth is drawn to a flame. She even mindlessly accepts the rather shallow fiancé her father has produced for her, as a magician produces a rabbit out of a hat.
I enjoyed this unusual story, which kept me guessing right up to the end. A sweet romance with sparkling dialogue and a gallant hero. Just my favourite type of read. I look forward to more from this worthy author.
I received a review copy of this work in return for an honest review.
Published By Indireads
July 26, 2013
Zeenat Mahal’s Haveli belongs to its protagonist C, a stunning, sassy 20- year- old with a strong mind of her own. She has a delicious Scarlet O’Hara bite to her that makes her absolutely unforgettable! As for Taimur- Alpha Male, sigh! The reader is clearly left gasping before his smouldering, roguish charm. Superb characterization aside, another stand out is Zeenat Mahal’s style-she uses the stream of consciousness narrative style with such flair and mastery that it takes this book to another level altogether. One thing is for certain-Zeenat’s book will thoroughly satisfy readers scoping for literary nuances as well as those looking for a charming, heady romance with refreshing, well etched characters. Overall an unputdownable and compelling read!
July 8, 2016
Er … What the actual hell?
I really thought this would be better than The Accidental Fiance. LOL, NAH! This was worse. I’ve read some really good books this past month so this feeling of absolute loathing and disgust is something fresh. I’m relishing it.
I had expectations. They’re making fun of me right now.
1.There is a thing called “trying too hard”. It was insufferably suffering from it. This is the crux of the matter. Everything, the protagonist, the love interest, the chemistry, the plot, the dialogue, the writing, the author, tried and spectacularly failed to be something they clearly weren’t, a.k.a, “good”. The result was a disjointed mess that was thoroughly unconvincing and downright pretentious.
3.I cannot, for the life of me, fathom what the **** was it between Chandni and Taimur. Was it love? NOPE. Was there any chemistry? NADA. Was it lust? BULLSEYE! That’s what it was. For all their “bickering”; misogynist sexual taunts on his part and incessant throwing of literary references and hiccupping on hers, I hated their guts and felt zero connection between them.
5.This was set in 1971. In Pakistan. When women wore ghagras and saris as their daily attire, people talked in Aadaabs and apparently, according to this book, were sex crazed and totally ignorant of their moral values.
I really thought this would be better than The Accidental Fiance. LOL, NAH! This was worse. I’ve read some really good books this past month so this feeling of absolute loathing and disgust is something fresh. I’m relishing it.
I had expectations. They’re making fun of me right now.
Reasons why this was mostly shit:
1.There is a thing called “trying too hard”. It was insufferably suffering from it. This is the crux of the matter. Everything, the protagonist, the love interest, the chemistry, the plot, the dialogue, the writing, the author, tried and spectacularly failed to be something they clearly weren’t, a.k.a, “good”. The result was a disjointed mess that was thoroughly unconvincing and downright pretentious.
2.Chandni was a TERRIBLE protagonist. She was overwhelmingly pompous and full of herself. One second she was harping on about being bold and sarcastic, the next she was practically hiccupping in front of his-royal-hotness and questioning his advances by thinking about her religious and cultural constraints. She wore sultry dresses to woo the object of her affections then declared that her life wasn’t all about a ‘man’. She repeatedly stated that her grandmother was a horrible person and I repeatedly found evidence to the contrary. Even when the entire situation was screaming CAUTION, YOUR RECENTLY MATERIALIZED FATHER IS AN A-HOLE, she closed her eyes to it and continued to believe it just to spite everybody. The girl lacked self-respect and some major mental and emotional development. 20 year olds DO NOT just accept their absentee fathers. They question them, show their anger and that it was wrong to abandon them. It takes some time for the actual reconciliation. Or so I thought.
3.I cannot, for the life of me, fathom what the **** was it between Chandni and Taimur. Was it love? NOPE. Was there any chemistry? NADA. Was it lust? BULLSEYE! That’s what it was. For all their “bickering”; misogynist sexual taunts on his part and incessant throwing of literary references and hiccupping on hers, I hated their guts and felt zero connection between them.
4.Is it a possible for a book centered on romance to become impossibly, unbearably so? Yes, yes it is. Everything, animate or inanimate, was written to hint at sex. It made my blood boil. There are other things that counteract this or rather make it pleasant and enjoyable, like a loveable protagonist, strong character relationships, a convincing plot, a moving dialogue. Since there was none of that, what was left was “his sexy eyes” (repeatedly), “I saw two birds at it”, “the marriage has to be consummated”, BLAH after effing BLAH. Right now, I’m extremely grateful for the fact that editors exist to cut short things like these.
5.This was set in 1971. In Pakistan. When women wore ghagras and saris as their daily attire, people talked in Aadaabs and apparently, according to this book, were sex crazed and totally ignorant of their moral values.
6.The Alpha Male or as I like to call him, the most unappealing and foul fictional love interest ever. It all sounds very hot and romantic when the hero makes passionate claims of "owning" the heroine and "making her his". Believe me, it does. But this guy managed to sound like a total uncultured assclown. I hated the dude. Period.
7.The plot wasn’t well thought out, that’s for sure. The second the characters got married and most importantly, kissed, the END. What about her jerk of a father? What about his co-conspirator? How was the family going to deal with them? Was Chandni even going to confront him about it? I’ll tell you. No, she was not because her life’s goal was achieved. Nothing else mattered. Not to her, not to the writer. So, in conclusion, it wasn’t even wrapped up satisfactorily. God. What did I just read?
My Feelings Summed-Up:
Whatever she was trying to sell, I didn’t buy it.
P.S: The Haveli in the story plays no significant part whatsoever so I cannot imagine why it was named after it in the first place.
December 31, 2016
Fast paced love story with lots of humour and an awesome heroine who will give Elizabeth Bennett a run for her money.
June 30, 2015
http://www.njkinnysblog.com/2015/06/b...
Having already read and loved The Contract by Zeenat Mahal, I already loved the author's writing style. The Contract had a strong and sensual romance more to do with strong feelings that any physical acts and this was what had me loving Zeenat Mahal's style.
But when I read Haveli, I realized that she has so much more to offer. I absolutely loved the romance, the feisty heroine, the struggles that she threw to make the story more appealing and the whole emotional play that had my heart soaring and then also wrenching as I happily followed the heroine, Chandni.
The cover is nice but I think it could have been more appealing to complement the stunning story. The blurb is interesting and will interest the readers.
The author's writing style is balanced. She writes simply sometimes and then suddenly throws in the flair to go along with the story which is noteworthy. She flawlessly recreates the Pakistani high society culture of the 1970's with all its pomp and show. There are royal descendants, big Palaces (Haveli), the royal etiquette and manners and then the clash of the old with the modern.
The characterization is admirable. I loved the bratty, spoilt but still naive with a heart of gold and a mouth so foul that it can singe you, heroine, Chandni. Her craving for love, belonging and acceptance had me teary eyed. She has created a wall of brattiness around her so she can hide her true soft and loving self. Taimur had me swooning and falling in love with him. His maturity and yet the knack of rubbing Chandni the wrong way put so much fun in the story. They bickered but still felt attracted towards each other and their chemistry is hot! Chandni's grandmother who she calls "The Broad" remained an enigma to me. She is strict but still one can see that she loves Chandni and although she never shows it but cares for her well being. The other characters are also a varied mix of personalities and very entertaining to watch. All the characters in this book are people I loved meeting and learning from. The author truly has the knowledge of human character which she shows here by creating a variety of characters with different personalities.
The story moves quickly and I loved the whole experience. C aka Chandni's journey of finding her true self is funny, thrilling, sad but very entertaining. The romance is hot, conflict filled with many memorable moments.
While I completely loved the book, I still felt that the ending left a few queries in my mind like
What happened to the absconding-but-then-returned Father?
What happened when everything came to light in front of him?
Were the differences between C and her brother resolved?
All in all, Haveli is an entertaining and a memorable book that I can re-read again. 4.5 out of 5 to it and strongly recommended to everyone. Had the end left me completely satisfied, I would have happily given it 5 stars. Zeenat is a talented author and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
Having already read and loved The Contract by Zeenat Mahal, I already loved the author's writing style. The Contract had a strong and sensual romance more to do with strong feelings that any physical acts and this was what had me loving Zeenat Mahal's style.
But when I read Haveli, I realized that she has so much more to offer. I absolutely loved the romance, the feisty heroine, the struggles that she threw to make the story more appealing and the whole emotional play that had my heart soaring and then also wrenching as I happily followed the heroine, Chandni.
The cover is nice but I think it could have been more appealing to complement the stunning story. The blurb is interesting and will interest the readers.
The author's writing style is balanced. She writes simply sometimes and then suddenly throws in the flair to go along with the story which is noteworthy. She flawlessly recreates the Pakistani high society culture of the 1970's with all its pomp and show. There are royal descendants, big Palaces (Haveli), the royal etiquette and manners and then the clash of the old with the modern.
The characterization is admirable. I loved the bratty, spoilt but still naive with a heart of gold and a mouth so foul that it can singe you, heroine, Chandni. Her craving for love, belonging and acceptance had me teary eyed. She has created a wall of brattiness around her so she can hide her true soft and loving self. Taimur had me swooning and falling in love with him. His maturity and yet the knack of rubbing Chandni the wrong way put so much fun in the story. They bickered but still felt attracted towards each other and their chemistry is hot! Chandni's grandmother who she calls "The Broad" remained an enigma to me. She is strict but still one can see that she loves Chandni and although she never shows it but cares for her well being. The other characters are also a varied mix of personalities and very entertaining to watch. All the characters in this book are people I loved meeting and learning from. The author truly has the knowledge of human character which she shows here by creating a variety of characters with different personalities.
The story moves quickly and I loved the whole experience. C aka Chandni's journey of finding her true self is funny, thrilling, sad but very entertaining. The romance is hot, conflict filled with many memorable moments.
While I completely loved the book, I still felt that the ending left a few queries in my mind like
What happened to the absconding-but-then-returned Father?
What happened when everything came to light in front of him?
Were the differences between C and her brother resolved?
All in all, Haveli is an entertaining and a memorable book that I can re-read again. 4.5 out of 5 to it and strongly recommended to everyone. Had the end left me completely satisfied, I would have happily given it 5 stars. Zeenat is a talented author and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
January 17, 2014
Originally posted on The Lemon Review
Lemon Reviewer: Lindsey
I’m always on the lookout for new fiction that pushes the boundaries of what I typically read. Recently, I had the opportunity to do just that with Haveli, by Zeenat Mahal. Haveli is a novella set in 1970’s Pakistan. This intrigued me because a) though I love learning about different cultures, I literally know next to nothing about Pakistan and b) most romance novels I come across have current, futuristic, or regency era time periods.
Haveli is about Chandni, an heiress, who has a modern way of thinking for her time and culture. She’s feisty, intelligent, and determined to get what she wants – even if what she wants is a man who’s about two-decades her senior. In her pursuit, however, she comes across Taimur, the son of a much loved friend of the family. Immediately, Chandni pegs him as an “Alpha Male” and frequently refers to him as such throughout the novella.
Taimur is apparently wealthy, obviously cocky, and, according to Chandni, “too perfect”. Taimur immediately picks up on Chandni’s pursuit of the older man, and find it amusing to no end. However, Taimur knows something that she doesn’t – their betrothal is imminent.
There are a lot of things to like about Haveli aside from the fact that it’s something different. There’s a decidedly Austen-esque tone to the novel where Chandni and Taimur are not unlike Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. The story is well written, colorful with fun dialogue, and even some intrigue once Chandni’s long-lost father comes into the plot.
There were, however, a few things I had some trouble with. Having little to no prior knowledge of the Pakistani culture, I would have really loved to see part of that embellished on. There were a few points in the novel where I had to remind myself that the culture there (and then) was different from anything I’m used to. Additionally, there were references to what I’m assuming are traditional Pakistani items or clothing that went right over my head – a glossary in the beginning or end would have been a great add.
Overall, I found it to be a very enjoyable read. Chandni, though at times a little frustrating in her naiveté, was a realistic character who’s occasional caustic but saucy dialogue makes you wonder just what she’ll say to Taimur next.
In terms of citrus, you’re looking at a very respectable orange. Though Austen might have taken pause with some of Chandni’s wardrobe options, I think she would whole-heartedly approve of the buildup to the romance between Chandni and Taimur (who turns out to be a respectable gentleman even Mr. Darcy would approve of).
Lemon Reviewer: Lindsey
I’m always on the lookout for new fiction that pushes the boundaries of what I typically read. Recently, I had the opportunity to do just that with Haveli, by Zeenat Mahal. Haveli is a novella set in 1970’s Pakistan. This intrigued me because a) though I love learning about different cultures, I literally know next to nothing about Pakistan and b) most romance novels I come across have current, futuristic, or regency era time periods.
Haveli is about Chandni, an heiress, who has a modern way of thinking for her time and culture. She’s feisty, intelligent, and determined to get what she wants – even if what she wants is a man who’s about two-decades her senior. In her pursuit, however, she comes across Taimur, the son of a much loved friend of the family. Immediately, Chandni pegs him as an “Alpha Male” and frequently refers to him as such throughout the novella.
Taimur is apparently wealthy, obviously cocky, and, according to Chandni, “too perfect”. Taimur immediately picks up on Chandni’s pursuit of the older man, and find it amusing to no end. However, Taimur knows something that she doesn’t – their betrothal is imminent.
There are a lot of things to like about Haveli aside from the fact that it’s something different. There’s a decidedly Austen-esque tone to the novel where Chandni and Taimur are not unlike Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. The story is well written, colorful with fun dialogue, and even some intrigue once Chandni’s long-lost father comes into the plot.
There were, however, a few things I had some trouble with. Having little to no prior knowledge of the Pakistani culture, I would have really loved to see part of that embellished on. There were a few points in the novel where I had to remind myself that the culture there (and then) was different from anything I’m used to. Additionally, there were references to what I’m assuming are traditional Pakistani items or clothing that went right over my head – a glossary in the beginning or end would have been a great add.
Overall, I found it to be a very enjoyable read. Chandni, though at times a little frustrating in her naiveté, was a realistic character who’s occasional caustic but saucy dialogue makes you wonder just what she’ll say to Taimur next.
In terms of citrus, you’re looking at a very respectable orange. Though Austen might have taken pause with some of Chandni’s wardrobe options, I think she would whole-heartedly approve of the buildup to the romance between Chandni and Taimur (who turns out to be a respectable gentleman even Mr. Darcy would approve of).
January 18, 2014
Haveli is the tale of a twenty year old Pakistani girl, Chandni, born into an Nawabi family. Desserted by her father and left by her heart broken mother in the care of her grandmother Zaitoon Begum, the widow of the last Nawab of Jalalabad, she grew up home-schooled just as a princess would have. With romantic and dreamy notions of the happily every after she fell in love with a man twice her age Kunwar Rohail Khanzada. But then came into her life a man who didn't seem to be left in awe of her charm. It was the first time a man had seen right through her. He told her things about herself that she hadn't even spoken out loud or even thought about. Taimur was not like any other man she had met, he challenged her mentally and more often than not got on her nerves. She hated the fact that he was right about her or that he saw how she was throwing herself at Kunwar. While she battled Taimur whom she named Alpha Male, suddenly the unexpected occured. Her father walked back into her life. While everyone that loved her warned her of his motives, she was overjoyed. But what was he back for? Was it for his daughter truly or did he have some sinister motives? Did Chandni finally make Kunwar fall in love with her or did Alpha Male finally capture her fancy? Read to find out.
I began reading Haveli in office on a day when I had absolutely no work. And I finished it in a matter of 4 hours, it was such a pacey read. If you start with it there's no way you can stop without reaching the last page.
Pacey read!
There are several facets of Haveli that I liked, one being the generous use of characters from literature by the protagonists to get back at each other. While Chandni used names likes Heathcliff, Moriarty or Uriah Heep; Taimur got back at her with Medussa.
The setting of the tale in the 1970s seemed real with the author being able to take you back in time. And any book that helps me time-travel occupies a special place in my heart. Also, the flow is smooth for I moved from one page to the other unaware of the surroundings near me. Zeenat Mahal has the knack of keeping the reader engaged till the very end.
Un-put-downable!
All the characters in the book are well developed which is a really great assest for a yarn. Trust me it isn't easy to do so which makes Haveli gain a few more points in my view.
As a reader I was completely satisfied by the tale set in the 1970s. So I would definitely recommend it. I assure you Haveli will leave you wanting for the tale to go on forever. So go grab your copy soon!
I began reading Haveli in office on a day when I had absolutely no work. And I finished it in a matter of 4 hours, it was such a pacey read. If you start with it there's no way you can stop without reaching the last page.
Pacey read!
There are several facets of Haveli that I liked, one being the generous use of characters from literature by the protagonists to get back at each other. While Chandni used names likes Heathcliff, Moriarty or Uriah Heep; Taimur got back at her with Medussa.
The setting of the tale in the 1970s seemed real with the author being able to take you back in time. And any book that helps me time-travel occupies a special place in my heart. Also, the flow is smooth for I moved from one page to the other unaware of the surroundings near me. Zeenat Mahal has the knack of keeping the reader engaged till the very end.
Un-put-downable!
All the characters in the book are well developed which is a really great assest for a yarn. Trust me it isn't easy to do so which makes Haveli gain a few more points in my view.
As a reader I was completely satisfied by the tale set in the 1970s. So I would definitely recommend it. I assure you Haveli will leave you wanting for the tale to go on forever. So go grab your copy soon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2014
This is the second book I've read by Zeenat Mahal. In "Haveli" (which is set in 1971).
We are introduced to a twenty year old, green-eyed Chandni ;or as she prefers herself to be called "C".
"I hated my name. It made me sound like some prostitute from Pakeezah"
She lives in Gulaab Mahal with her grandmother - "The Broad" (Zaitoon Begum, the widow of the last Nawab of Jalalabad) who wants to see her become a "lady" and marry someone respectable.
"I was convinced she was born from Satan’s rib"
"She was always watching, like God."
"The Broad would be so embarrassed if I was in Hell too. Three’s a crowd and she’d much rather be alone with Satan."
C is a rebel and larger than life.
She is well versed in French(other languages as well) and all the works of great philosophers.She can perform kathak and ballet -so mainly she's far better than you or I'll ever be.
But, saying so doesn't make her less lovable.
She has her eyes set on Kunwar (the man of her dreams since she was 9) and will do anything to get him to fall in love with her.
"The more he procrastinated, the more determined I became. I had saris with tiny blouses lined up as my next sensual attack on him. I really couldn't figure out what else to do. The tiny blouses were my last resort"
Sadly The Broad has other plans.
She wants her to marry the handsome Taimur (a.k.a Alpha male-also referred to as Heathcliff, Moriarty and Uriah heep etc.) The man with the dark-good looks.
Trying to fight off her growing feelings for him she is faced with another emotional challenge-"Nameless"(the father who abandoned her and her sick mother)returns.
She craves love and acceptance from him and goes to lengths to make him happy.
What follows was thrilling,amusing and had me saying "awnnnn" a couple of times. Though full of clichés this book stood out and became one of my favorites.
Definitely recommended for people who want a quick, fun read.
*this was a free copy provided to me by indireads for an honest review*
We are introduced to a twenty year old, green-eyed Chandni ;or as she prefers herself to be called "C".
"I hated my name. It made me sound like some prostitute from Pakeezah"
She lives in Gulaab Mahal with her grandmother - "The Broad" (Zaitoon Begum, the widow of the last Nawab of Jalalabad) who wants to see her become a "lady" and marry someone respectable.
"I was convinced she was born from Satan’s rib"
"She was always watching, like God."
"The Broad would be so embarrassed if I was in Hell too. Three’s a crowd and she’d much rather be alone with Satan."
C is a rebel and larger than life.
She is well versed in French(other languages as well) and all the works of great philosophers.She can perform kathak and ballet -so mainly she's far better than you or I'll ever be.
But, saying so doesn't make her less lovable.
She has her eyes set on Kunwar (the man of her dreams since she was 9) and will do anything to get him to fall in love with her.
"The more he procrastinated, the more determined I became. I had saris with tiny blouses lined up as my next sensual attack on him. I really couldn't figure out what else to do. The tiny blouses were my last resort"
Sadly The Broad has other plans.
She wants her to marry the handsome Taimur (a.k.a Alpha male-also referred to as Heathcliff, Moriarty and Uriah heep etc.) The man with the dark-good looks.
Trying to fight off her growing feelings for him she is faced with another emotional challenge-"Nameless"(the father who abandoned her and her sick mother)returns.
She craves love and acceptance from him and goes to lengths to make him happy.
What follows was thrilling,amusing and had me saying "awnnnn" a couple of times. Though full of clichés this book stood out and became one of my favorites.
Definitely recommended for people who want a quick, fun read.
*this was a free copy provided to me by indireads for an honest review*
February 2, 2014
This was a short and sweet novella that I would ask everyone to take an hour off to read.
Set in an older era of 1970s, we are provided with an outlook on the many facets of a strong-willed Pakistani woman’s life.I was expecting a rather conservative and a more serious story based on the backdrop of the novella, but what I got absolutely left me giddy with delight.
I really liked the sassy and spunky heroine; her headstrong and impulsive nature might make her appear a little bratty, but her sensitive side makes her all the more endearing. And the sexy, hot and devilish Taimur, a.k.a. Alpha Male, serves as a perfect foil to the saucy-mouthed Chandni.
Their incessant sparring with the ‘literary insults’ keep the entertaining factor high. I loved that the heroine keeps referring to the hero as Evil Moriarty (me being an overzealous Sherlock fan), Heathcliff, Mr.Darcy, and so on. In fact, the repeated references to various movies and books keep the story quite enjoyable and mighty hilarious at times.
The ending was happy obviously, but felt a bit abrupt as I really wanted to know the father’s reaction when the heroine thwarts his machinations. All the same, it was an entertaining read to the very end.
My thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
Set in an older era of 1970s, we are provided with an outlook on the many facets of a strong-willed Pakistani woman’s life.I was expecting a rather conservative and a more serious story based on the backdrop of the novella, but what I got absolutely left me giddy with delight.
I really liked the sassy and spunky heroine; her headstrong and impulsive nature might make her appear a little bratty, but her sensitive side makes her all the more endearing. And the sexy, hot and devilish Taimur, a.k.a. Alpha Male, serves as a perfect foil to the saucy-mouthed Chandni.
Their incessant sparring with the ‘literary insults’ keep the entertaining factor high. I loved that the heroine keeps referring to the hero as Evil Moriarty (me being an overzealous Sherlock fan), Heathcliff, Mr.Darcy, and so on. In fact, the repeated references to various movies and books keep the story quite enjoyable and mighty hilarious at times.
The ending was happy obviously, but felt a bit abrupt as I really wanted to know the father’s reaction when the heroine thwarts his machinations. All the same, it was an entertaining read to the very end.
My thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
December 30, 2015
I've tried to gather a range of different types of books for my first ever official 'reading challenge'. One day, I decided I want to include something by an author from my homeland... after days and days of searching, I stumbled upon Haveli... there was something about the name that intrigued me so, I bought it immediately... and I'm so glad I did!
My first ever anything by a Pakistani author! When I found it, I was ecstatic.. when I read it, I couldn't put it down... when it ended, I was like 'nooooooo!'. Although this is her debut novella, Zeenat Mahal writes like a seasoned author. Her writing makes you feel like YOU are Chandni... When C cried, I cried with her; when she laughed, I laughed with her... and when she was nervous, I felt butterflies in my stomach.
Haveli is unputdownable from the word go! Mahal's ability to pack so much, so beautifully in this charming little novella, is amazing. It's a fast-paced, romantic story laced with laugh-out-loud humour, butterflies-inducing moments, a whole lot of emotion (I cried three or four times) with well-etched characters! Loved very bit! ♥
Haveli
My first ever anything by a Pakistani author! When I found it, I was ecstatic.. when I read it, I couldn't put it down... when it ended, I was like 'nooooooo!'. Although this is her debut novella, Zeenat Mahal writes like a seasoned author. Her writing makes you feel like YOU are Chandni... When C cried, I cried with her; when she laughed, I laughed with her... and when she was nervous, I felt butterflies in my stomach.
Haveli is unputdownable from the word go! Mahal's ability to pack so much, so beautifully in this charming little novella, is amazing. It's a fast-paced, romantic story laced with laugh-out-loud humour, butterflies-inducing moments, a whole lot of emotion (I cried three or four times) with well-etched characters! Loved very bit! ♥
Haveli
November 10, 2013
Check out this review at http://rubinaramesh.blogspot.com/
The story starts with the relationship between Chandni and her grandmother, whom she lovingly calls –The Broad. This is enough to hook the readers till the end of the story. It's hilarious how the author brings out the humor, as well as the conflicting emotion, between the granddaughter and the grandmother. Chandni is an orphan, whose mother had died while waiting for her husband to return. She is brought up by her grandmother and turns out to be a saucy young woman.
Chandni calls her father The Nameless. She shares the same love and hate relationship with her father. She wants her father to come and beg for forgiveness and declare his love for her. And he does come. But was his motives as pious as he led them to believe? Or does he have a hidden agenda?
While the father-daughter relationship is a part of the short story, there is another thread to this which is cute and full of hidden love and passion, the naughty love story between Chandni, [or shall I call her C?] and Taimur. Taimur is someone whom she hates because he could see through her acts. She herself couldn’t understand her true feelings for him until circumstances forces her to acknowledge what her heart desires? Will Taimur make the stubborn Chandni admit her love for him or will Chandni fall prey to her father’s schemes?
I love the way a saucy woman introduces the readers to the Pakistani culture. Where as it should have been a history lesson, if not written properly, but Zeenat Mahal makes you see the culture and the backdrop of the story through Chandni’s eyes. Whether it is defying her grandmother with her dressing style or accepting the wedding proposal out of the duty of a daughter, all portray the social and cultural nuances of the Pakistani society. In such a short story [99 pages approx..] to bring out two upheavals in the life of the protagonist is commendable.
The chats between Taimur and Chandni could not help but make a reader smile. I loved the scene [Sorry Zeenat but I have to mention this] where Chandni talks about knowing all about sex to Taimur and in the end he finds out where she got her lesson from. Hilarious.
The only problem I faced with this story is the number of pseudonyms given to the characters. The grandmother was The Board, Taimur was the Alpha Male, father was The Nameless and so on. Even Chandni is ‘C’. In such a short novella, with so many names flying by, makes it a bit confusing. I won’t say that they did not add humor to the story but they did confuse me at certain parts.
Would I recommend this book to my readers? Most Definitely. In fact there are many threads which surround the Indian Pakistani culture. With such stories in every household of both the countries, maybe one day we won’t need to put on the television and hear about some border fights. Kudos for writing such stories.
The story starts with the relationship between Chandni and her grandmother, whom she lovingly calls –The Broad. This is enough to hook the readers till the end of the story. It's hilarious how the author brings out the humor, as well as the conflicting emotion, between the granddaughter and the grandmother. Chandni is an orphan, whose mother had died while waiting for her husband to return. She is brought up by her grandmother and turns out to be a saucy young woman.
Chandni calls her father The Nameless. She shares the same love and hate relationship with her father. She wants her father to come and beg for forgiveness and declare his love for her. And he does come. But was his motives as pious as he led them to believe? Or does he have a hidden agenda?
While the father-daughter relationship is a part of the short story, there is another thread to this which is cute and full of hidden love and passion, the naughty love story between Chandni, [or shall I call her C?] and Taimur. Taimur is someone whom she hates because he could see through her acts. She herself couldn’t understand her true feelings for him until circumstances forces her to acknowledge what her heart desires? Will Taimur make the stubborn Chandni admit her love for him or will Chandni fall prey to her father’s schemes?
I love the way a saucy woman introduces the readers to the Pakistani culture. Where as it should have been a history lesson, if not written properly, but Zeenat Mahal makes you see the culture and the backdrop of the story through Chandni’s eyes. Whether it is defying her grandmother with her dressing style or accepting the wedding proposal out of the duty of a daughter, all portray the social and cultural nuances of the Pakistani society. In such a short story [99 pages approx..] to bring out two upheavals in the life of the protagonist is commendable.
The chats between Taimur and Chandni could not help but make a reader smile. I loved the scene [Sorry Zeenat but I have to mention this] where Chandni talks about knowing all about sex to Taimur and in the end he finds out where she got her lesson from. Hilarious.
The only problem I faced with this story is the number of pseudonyms given to the characters. The grandmother was The Board, Taimur was the Alpha Male, father was The Nameless and so on. Even Chandni is ‘C’. In such a short novella, with so many names flying by, makes it a bit confusing. I won’t say that they did not add humor to the story but they did confuse me at certain parts.
Would I recommend this book to my readers? Most Definitely. In fact there are many threads which surround the Indian Pakistani culture. With such stories in every household of both the countries, maybe one day we won’t need to put on the television and hear about some border fights. Kudos for writing such stories.
December 18, 2016
I read 'Accidental fiance' and 'The contract' by Zeenat Mahal . But this is way too good . I was grinning throughout the book .
This is just fantastic , Not only the plot , characters butalso the writing style is different . *good different*
Chandni aka C' is abandoned by her father and hence is brought by her strict grandmother whom Chandni fondly calls 'The broad' - 'Bride of Satan' . She is secretly in love with a Man , 20 years his senior and wants to get married to him eventually , ONLY .
Then comes Alpha male-Taimoor whom her grandmother announces as Chandni's prospective bridegroom , Chandi rejects him though . But of course he is the ONE for her , and he is not the oneto give up easily . Then enters Chandni's father the nameless .
Why is her father back ? What does he want now ? Will Chandni ever know that Taimoor loves her beyond all that wicked Heathcliff mask ?
Read and enjoy this super fun , short , wicked , beautiful tale of Medusa and Alpha-male ;)
Zeenat Mahal is a terrific writer .
This is just fantastic , Not only the plot , characters butalso the writing style is different . *good different*
Chandni aka C' is abandoned by her father and hence is brought by her strict grandmother whom Chandni fondly calls 'The broad' - 'Bride of Satan' . She is secretly in love with a Man , 20 years his senior and wants to get married to him eventually , ONLY .
Then comes Alpha male-Taimoor whom her grandmother announces as Chandni's prospective bridegroom , Chandi rejects him though . But of course he is the ONE for her , and he is not the oneto give up easily . Then enters Chandni's father the nameless .
Why is her father back ? What does he want now ? Will Chandni ever know that Taimoor loves her beyond all that wicked Heathcliff mask ?
Read and enjoy this super fun , short , wicked , beautiful tale of Medusa and Alpha-male ;)
Zeenat Mahal is a terrific writer .
June 30, 2013
I was hooked on to the book right from the line ‘the Broad’ makes an appearance. Chandini who prefers to be called C is a beautiful wilful child abandoned by her father. She wants to marry Kunwar, on whom she has a big crush but her grandmother’s choice of groom is Taimur, whom she loves to hate. Too add to her confusion, her long absent father makes an appearance and not alone. He too has a groom for her.
I love the descriptive style of Zeenat Mahal’s writing. It is so lucid that I felt as if I was watching a movie, instead of reading it on my phone. I fell in love with C. She is such a lovable character. And Taimur is my dream hero come true. The ending was so perfect that I read through the last chapter again. I truly wish someone could make a movie out of this.
I love the descriptive style of Zeenat Mahal’s writing. It is so lucid that I felt as if I was watching a movie, instead of reading it on my phone. I fell in love with C. She is such a lovable character. And Taimur is my dream hero come true. The ending was so perfect that I read through the last chapter again. I truly wish someone could make a movie out of this.
July 7, 2013
Zeenat Mahal is the name to watch out for, that is a given. The attitude in the narration is just... juicy! It breaks a lot of stereotypes, about the people, about the era and about writing itself. I loved the way literary characters moved in and out of Zeenat's world. And the sheer command over the language that Zeenat exhibits is in itself a treat. I commend Zeenat for having created a masterpiece.
December 29, 2013
I really liked the setting, but I didn't really buy the romance. And the hero was way too overbearing. I mean, I wanted to read the book to add to my understanding of a different culture, but I hope the hero ISN'T representative of the men of that culture (any more than the alpha-hole heroes in some western romances are representative of our men).
So, high marks for the setting, medium marks for the heroine, low marks for the hero.
So, high marks for the setting, medium marks for the heroine, low marks for the hero.
January 19, 2015
Set in the 1970’s in the town of Jalalabad, Pakistan, ‘Haveli’ is a witty humorous contemporary novella by Zeenat Mahal. It narrates Chandini’s story from her point of view- her childhood and upbringing at her strict influential maternal grandmother Zaitoon Begum, the widow of the last Nawab of Jalalabad; her romantic fantasies for Kunwar Rohail who is almost twice her age; her war of words with Taimur, the guy she’s attracted to; the return of her estranged father after 20 long years and the change of all her beliefs, values and events. It’s a roller coaster journey as Chandini eventually realizes who’s her own, who actually cares for her and where she belongs.
Chandini’s mother had secretly married and fled with her lover who abandoned her when she was pregnant with Chandini. She died after Chandini was born, leaving her under the care of the grandmother, Bi Amma. Being from the upper class society she received home schooling, learned a couple of languages, read every piece of good literature and grew up to be a beauty with brains. Her green eyes mesmerized many a visitors and merchants, and Bi Amma received and rejected rather too many proposals for the 20 year old. Baba and Bua took care of her as their own children. Zafar, her half brother was her closest in the family and the secret keeper with whom she shared her fairy tale like romantic dreams of being with Kunwar Rohail and taking care of his 13 year old daughter, Manhal. All till Taimur entered the family scene. Let’s leave the rest a mystery. It’s ridiculous, hilarious, very interesting, and unputdownable.
The character ensemble in ‘Haveli’ is one of my favorite. I disliked the father Shen Jahan so much from the very beginning. Faisal was just a gold digger. Zafar’s brotherly love for C and their mutual hate for their father Nameless proves challenging for her decisions in the later part of the novella. Chandini called herself C, her grandmother-The Board, her father- Nameless, and Taimur- Alpha Male. Comic and witty conversations and the game of tit for tat between her and Taimur are my favorite. She’s a brat, but he’d take no nonsense. Taimur is her perfect husband to be. (Laughs!!)
Zeenat Mahal is a very good narrator. Though this is the first work of hers’ that I read, I’m already a fan. I loved the plot, and the backdrop- Pakistan of the 1970’s. The novella is easy to read and follow, quite engaging, never dragging or boring. Since Indireads novellas are available only in ebook format, the font is adjustable. I’d recommend this book to all romance and contemporary readers who love good humor.
Chandini’s mother had secretly married and fled with her lover who abandoned her when she was pregnant with Chandini. She died after Chandini was born, leaving her under the care of the grandmother, Bi Amma. Being from the upper class society she received home schooling, learned a couple of languages, read every piece of good literature and grew up to be a beauty with brains. Her green eyes mesmerized many a visitors and merchants, and Bi Amma received and rejected rather too many proposals for the 20 year old. Baba and Bua took care of her as their own children. Zafar, her half brother was her closest in the family and the secret keeper with whom she shared her fairy tale like romantic dreams of being with Kunwar Rohail and taking care of his 13 year old daughter, Manhal. All till Taimur entered the family scene. Let’s leave the rest a mystery. It’s ridiculous, hilarious, very interesting, and unputdownable.
The character ensemble in ‘Haveli’ is one of my favorite. I disliked the father Shen Jahan so much from the very beginning. Faisal was just a gold digger. Zafar’s brotherly love for C and their mutual hate for their father Nameless proves challenging for her decisions in the later part of the novella. Chandini called herself C, her grandmother-The Board, her father- Nameless, and Taimur- Alpha Male. Comic and witty conversations and the game of tit for tat between her and Taimur are my favorite. She’s a brat, but he’d take no nonsense. Taimur is her perfect husband to be. (Laughs!!)
Zeenat Mahal is a very good narrator. Though this is the first work of hers’ that I read, I’m already a fan. I loved the plot, and the backdrop- Pakistan of the 1970’s. The novella is easy to read and follow, quite engaging, never dragging or boring. Since Indireads novellas are available only in ebook format, the font is adjustable. I’d recommend this book to all romance and contemporary readers who love good humor.
June 3, 2014
‘Haveli’ is a story about the heir of a Haveli of Nawabs in Pakistan. It is about a girl ‘Chandini’ (a.k.a C) who has a sanctified lineage.
The story starts as we experience a sweet and salty rapport between a culturally rich grandmother – Zaitoon Beigum (a.k.a Broad) and a saucy granddaughter – Chandini. Moving a little back to the times of yore, her father abandoned Chandini and later she lost her mother also, both during her infancy and since then felt the agony of being a forsaken kid. She wants to marry ‘Kunwar’, who is twice her age but bumps into son of a family friend (Baba and Bua) and who is also grandmother’s choice – Taimur (a.k.a ‘Alpha Male’).
The plot progresses with naughty love story between Taimur and Chandini. She could not herself comprehend her strong feelings towards him until circumstances compel her to consider him as an approaching life-partner. The story takes an attention-grabbing twirl as her father returns making her dream (to reunite with him), a reality. Circumstances twist as he too has a groom’s proposal for his dear daughter. After all, why everybody is after her to get married? This question leads way to several correlated ones.
This novella is blustery-fable woven with endearing characters and well-crafted dialogues. Zeenat wins accolades for describing the glamorous 1970s era with ease and yet perfectly managing the historic essence much required in the story. Her writing skills are best displayed in her ability to present such a heavy loaded story in the form of a short and succinct novella. Her writing style is engaging and exhibits her excellent command over language.
Read complete review at: http://booksnewsindia.wordpress.com/2...
The story starts as we experience a sweet and salty rapport between a culturally rich grandmother – Zaitoon Beigum (a.k.a Broad) and a saucy granddaughter – Chandini. Moving a little back to the times of yore, her father abandoned Chandini and later she lost her mother also, both during her infancy and since then felt the agony of being a forsaken kid. She wants to marry ‘Kunwar’, who is twice her age but bumps into son of a family friend (Baba and Bua) and who is also grandmother’s choice – Taimur (a.k.a ‘Alpha Male’).
The plot progresses with naughty love story between Taimur and Chandini. She could not herself comprehend her strong feelings towards him until circumstances compel her to consider him as an approaching life-partner. The story takes an attention-grabbing twirl as her father returns making her dream (to reunite with him), a reality. Circumstances twist as he too has a groom’s proposal for his dear daughter. After all, why everybody is after her to get married? This question leads way to several correlated ones.
This novella is blustery-fable woven with endearing characters and well-crafted dialogues. Zeenat wins accolades for describing the glamorous 1970s era with ease and yet perfectly managing the historic essence much required in the story. Her writing skills are best displayed in her ability to present such a heavy loaded story in the form of a short and succinct novella. Her writing style is engaging and exhibits her excellent command over language.
Read complete review at: http://booksnewsindia.wordpress.com/2...
June 23, 2016
Haveli (though the name sounds spooky) is a beautiful tale of a smart and witty Pakistani Punjabi girl who finds herself in odd situation almost all the times. I am not sure you could use “cute” as an adjective for books, but that is exactly what comes to mind when I think about Haveli. After reading murder mysteries and war stories for a long time now, this entertaining story with Bollywood style twists felt refreshing.
Chandani or C., as she likes to call herself, is a teen-aged girl brought up in a respected Pakistani family. She has been brought up by her grandmother in an extended family after her mother dies heartbroken over a husband who chose to leave them both. The grandmother or The Broad is a stickler for manners and etiquettes well-suited for a royalty which makes C’s life difficult. She has a crush over Kunwar, who is way too old for her. Just when she was dreaming about having a married life with Kunwar, Alpha Male or Taimur comes into picture and is projected as C’s would be husband. At almost the same time, C’s long lost father makes an appearance with a handsome hunk, Nameless. C is caught in turbulence over her forced alliance with Alpha Male, her father’s overt display of affection and Nameless’s flirtatious behavior.
You will absolutely immediately fall in love with C. Rebellious, witty and smart, she is full of life. The names that C has given the characters are so well-defined that you end up drawing mental caricatures of them. The story is pretty predictable but moves fast and treatment of every situation word-wise makes up for the predictability. The only drawback- it’s too short. I wish there were more of Chandani’s clever conversations. I am certainly going in for more of Zeenat Mahal’s books.
Chandani or C., as she likes to call herself, is a teen-aged girl brought up in a respected Pakistani family. She has been brought up by her grandmother in an extended family after her mother dies heartbroken over a husband who chose to leave them both. The grandmother or The Broad is a stickler for manners and etiquettes well-suited for a royalty which makes C’s life difficult. She has a crush over Kunwar, who is way too old for her. Just when she was dreaming about having a married life with Kunwar, Alpha Male or Taimur comes into picture and is projected as C’s would be husband. At almost the same time, C’s long lost father makes an appearance with a handsome hunk, Nameless. C is caught in turbulence over her forced alliance with Alpha Male, her father’s overt display of affection and Nameless’s flirtatious behavior.
You will absolutely immediately fall in love with C. Rebellious, witty and smart, she is full of life. The names that C has given the characters are so well-defined that you end up drawing mental caricatures of them. The story is pretty predictable but moves fast and treatment of every situation word-wise makes up for the predictability. The only drawback- it’s too short. I wish there were more of Chandani’s clever conversations. I am certainly going in for more of Zeenat Mahal’s books.
July 25, 2014
Haveli transports you to the world of the privileged class in 1970’s Pakistan.
Etiquette and excellence are the cornerstones of the widow of the last Nawab of Jalalabad - Bi Amma’s life. Her home-schooled grandchild Chandni aka C struggles with the demands of her elitist society. Abandoned by her father – Nameless, motherless C finds affection in her half-brother Zafar (another of her father’s castaways) but it’s never quite enough. The green eyed beauty has her share of admirers but sets her sight on an older, distant relative Kunwar.
The arrival of much loved family friends Baba and Bua brings a catalytic element into her life. Their son Taimur threatens to rock her cocooned world of books and solitude. It’s contempt at first sight for both, or is it? She rejects his marriage proposal, earns the wrath of the Broad and alienates herself from loved ones, especially Zafar.
To spice up the heated atmosphere, Nameless turns up in her life with a charming guest in tow. What does this bode for C and the rest of the family? Will she find the father she has yearned for all her life? Is the handsome guest the man of her dreams? Read the book to find out.
Haveli is a breezy romance with endearing characters, a fast paced story-line and well crafted dialogues. I will revisit it whenever I want to read a modern, Asian version of Jane Austen books.
Detailed review - http://tiny.cc/ReviewHaveli
Etiquette and excellence are the cornerstones of the widow of the last Nawab of Jalalabad - Bi Amma’s life. Her home-schooled grandchild Chandni aka C struggles with the demands of her elitist society. Abandoned by her father – Nameless, motherless C finds affection in her half-brother Zafar (another of her father’s castaways) but it’s never quite enough. The green eyed beauty has her share of admirers but sets her sight on an older, distant relative Kunwar.
The arrival of much loved family friends Baba and Bua brings a catalytic element into her life. Their son Taimur threatens to rock her cocooned world of books and solitude. It’s contempt at first sight for both, or is it? She rejects his marriage proposal, earns the wrath of the Broad and alienates herself from loved ones, especially Zafar.
To spice up the heated atmosphere, Nameless turns up in her life with a charming guest in tow. What does this bode for C and the rest of the family? Will she find the father she has yearned for all her life? Is the handsome guest the man of her dreams? Read the book to find out.
Haveli is a breezy romance with endearing characters, a fast paced story-line and well crafted dialogues. I will revisit it whenever I want to read a modern, Asian version of Jane Austen books.
Detailed review - http://tiny.cc/ReviewHaveli
October 10, 2014
What comes to mind with a setting of 1971, nawabs and haveli? Iridescent chandeliers, flowing gharara, shimmering dupattas, tinkling bangles, and an intense, magnetic hero, each of these things came alive for me from the first page when ‘C’ starts to pour tea under the watchful eyes of ‘The Broad’.
Intrigued? Well...it's a must read.
Chandni, our well-read protagonist, is an innocent girl abandoned by her father, who tries to handle life on her own terms. But is she able to understand the wicked ways of the world? Taimur, handsome and emancipated, complements Chandni’s innocence with his intelligence so well that it is beyond words.
Zeenat Mahal has managed to capture the essence of all the characters magnificently and I so loved Bi Amma and her affection (read helplessness) with Chandni. The story is utterly engrossing right from Chandni’s habit of re-christening every thought and everyone who went against her to ‘kalank ka tika’ (hilarious) to the twist at the end.
I read the story once, then read it again the same day, this time slowly savoring the sparring between C and Alpha Male, which is humorous yet poignant and romantic. And would read it again when I want to read a heart touching romance, where the settings move like a movie in front of my eyes and characters giving their Oscar performances.
Highly recommended for all romance lovers!
Intrigued? Well...it's a must read.
Chandni, our well-read protagonist, is an innocent girl abandoned by her father, who tries to handle life on her own terms. But is she able to understand the wicked ways of the world? Taimur, handsome and emancipated, complements Chandni’s innocence with his intelligence so well that it is beyond words.
Zeenat Mahal has managed to capture the essence of all the characters magnificently and I so loved Bi Amma and her affection (read helplessness) with Chandni. The story is utterly engrossing right from Chandni’s habit of re-christening every thought and everyone who went against her to ‘kalank ka tika’ (hilarious) to the twist at the end.
I read the story once, then read it again the same day, this time slowly savoring the sparring between C and Alpha Male, which is humorous yet poignant and romantic. And would read it again when I want to read a heart touching romance, where the settings move like a movie in front of my eyes and characters giving their Oscar performances.
Highly recommended for all romance lovers!
October 14, 2016
I know a lot about Indian/Pakistani/Punjabi/Muslim culture (also i have a bird named Chandni, but that's another story) and i have to say that this book set in the Pakistan from the 70' does NOT match the content.
To have this sort of character - who acts like an occidental millennial - in that 70' Pakistani setting should put this character in the fantasy/paranormal category.
Author should have added a time-traveling arc, or maybe she should have wrote the character in a modern context, having to chose between tradition or freedom, which perfectly represent a lot of 20something occidentals from indian/pakistani descent.
So yeah, i really don't get the setting. Was it to show that Chandni was ahead of her time in her wit and untamed behavior?
Also the dynamic between Taimur and Chandni was too forced. It read like a competition that would determine who, of the two, was the most insulting and bratty.
To sum up, this is somewhat poorly written desi chicklit with annoying characters, no conflict whatsoever and a predictable ending.
Would MAYBE recommend to 10-14 yo heterosexual girls living in India/Pakistan.
To have this sort of character - who acts like an occidental millennial - in that 70' Pakistani setting should put this character in the fantasy/paranormal category.
Author should have added a time-traveling arc, or maybe she should have wrote the character in a modern context, having to chose between tradition or freedom, which perfectly represent a lot of 20something occidentals from indian/pakistani descent.
So yeah, i really don't get the setting. Was it to show that Chandni was ahead of her time in her wit and untamed behavior?
Also the dynamic between Taimur and Chandni was too forced. It read like a competition that would determine who, of the two, was the most insulting and bratty.
To sum up, this is somewhat poorly written desi chicklit with annoying characters, no conflict whatsoever and a predictable ending.
Would MAYBE recommend to 10-14 yo heterosexual girls living in India/Pakistan.
January 19, 2015
The first thing which attracted me to Haveli was its cheeky blur.I could not wait to find out more about Chandni and the choice she makes.Who could resist a story set in 1970's and that too amid all those nawabs.So I dived in and enjoyed every moment.
Chandni is a strong,independent heroine who is full of spunk.She is sarcastic when the situation calls and so full of life.I loved her wit and not a single moment with her was even close to dull.She has her moments of uncertainty and confusion as she struggles to make sense of her circumstances. Taimur,as rightly described in the blur is 'The Alpha Man' who is smitten by Chandni but hides his feelings well.The romance was full of humor and some really sweet moments.My favorite part was the setting which made the story stand out and different.Pakistan in the 70's with a touch of royalty was indeed captivating.
Overall,this one was a well written sweet romance which will not disappoint readers looking for a short sweet romance with a wonderful setting.
Chandni is a strong,independent heroine who is full of spunk.She is sarcastic when the situation calls and so full of life.I loved her wit and not a single moment with her was even close to dull.She has her moments of uncertainty and confusion as she struggles to make sense of her circumstances. Taimur,as rightly described in the blur is 'The Alpha Man' who is smitten by Chandni but hides his feelings well.The romance was full of humor and some really sweet moments.My favorite part was the setting which made the story stand out and different.Pakistan in the 70's with a touch of royalty was indeed captivating.
Overall,this one was a well written sweet romance which will not disappoint readers looking for a short sweet romance with a wonderful setting.
June 29, 2013
Zeenat Mahal’s Haveli is all about old-world charm and romance in the truest sense of the word. Despite the setting and the era though, the heroine of Haveli, C is a firebrand – a lovable, fiercely stubborn and outspoken girl. Mistaking the throes of her first crush as true love, she fails to recognize the actual thing when it stares at her in the face from another set of piercing eyes.
So beautifully written, I could see the entire story story play out in my mind’s eye with one of my favourite Indian actors Sreedevi in the lead role. I could see it being made into a movie like Lamhe and leaving its mark in the hearts of romance lovers everywhere.
So beautifully written, I could see the entire story story play out in my mind’s eye with one of my favourite Indian actors Sreedevi in the lead role. I could see it being made into a movie like Lamhe and leaving its mark in the hearts of romance lovers everywhere.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews