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Dowry Divas
Talia, Layla, and Nadia are three friends that have made a pact in regards to picking the perfect spouse- don't settle for less! But will their materialistic view on marriage leave them emotionally bankrupt? Layla and Malik are newlywed attorneys with the image of the ultimate power couple. However, after an unexpected guest crashes their wedding, skeletons from Malik's past begin pouring out of their lavish walk-in closets. Talia's jealousy leads her to the non-traditional route of finding love- the internet. After a few staggers, she stumbles upon Amir and finds herself planning the wedding of a lifetime. The only thing is Amir may have some plans of his own. For the first time in Nadia's young life, she finds herself desiring to marry an already married man. Lateef is a handsome businessman with all the right things to say, he assures Nadia that she will have her fairy-tale marriage, as his other wife. Will Nadia be able to put her pride to the side to find true love and happiness?
228 pages, Paperback
First published January 31, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 20, 2015
Overall a good book, so refreshing to read a Muslim based fiction story.
April 30, 2018
As an avid reader with a special interest in Muslim fiction, I jump at the chance to read and review the newest books on the market, especially if they’re written by Muslim women authors. In the course of my Muslim-fiction-hunting, I came across a new name: Zara J, the author of Dowry Divas.
Described on Amazon as ‘The Muslim Sex and the City,’ Dowry Divas follows the complicated love lives of three Muslim women – Layla, Talia, Nadia – and the men they have either married, seek to marry, or are trying to marry them.
A hot-shot African-American lawyer who has just married the hottest Muslim attorney on the block, Layla finds herself completely unprepared to deal with an unwelcome guest at her glamorous wedding. Talia, a successful Latina entrepreneur, struggles with feelings of jealousy and loneliness, and decides to take the risk of seeking a soulmate on the Internet. Nadia tries to escape her father’s preferred candidate for marriage – and finds herself falling for Lateef, a man who already has one wife.
While the book is told from the perspectives of these three female characters, the men they’re involved with are equally fleshed out and dominate a great deal of attention.
Dowry Divas was very different from my usual reading material, which tend to revolve around women in difficult situations who face down their challenges with inspiring strength and courage. To be honest, I found it difficult to relate to the three women – if anything, I empathized with the male characters most, although I had issues with some of them as well. Despite being described as ‘smart and sassy,’ I found the women to come off as both slightly flat and unrelatable – one domineering characteristic they all shared was a rather concerning (to me) obsession with material things, with a particular emphasis on money, designer clothing, purses, and so on. They appeared to be unashamedly jealous and obsessed over marriage, desiring men who had 'swag', money, and who were religious but not 'extremely' religious.
I also found that many Islamic references (ayaat, ahadith, and fiqh rulings) were tossed around in a rather awkward manner in an attempt to explain aspects of ‘Muslim-ness’, such as polygamy. Perhaps the author’s intent was to include these things for the sake of da’wah to non-Muslim readers, but from a literary perspective, I found it a clumsy and unskillful way of getting the point across. I strongly felt that the quality of the writing overall was slightly weak – both the characters and the plot could have been improved with some editing and more development.
While my review appears to be quite negative, the truth is that this was my own personal reaction to a specific genre, which others may find enjoyable. While the characters in this book did not reflect the Muslim women or situations that I am acquainted with, it did make me aware of the fact that there are Muslim women out there for whom these circumstances are a reality, and therefore would be better able to relate the story.
At the very least, it is good to see more Muslim writers, especially women of colour, coming forth and contributing to the genre of Muslim fiction with their own unique perspectives. My only suggestion would be that instead of rushing to produce more books, whether self-published or otherwise, such authors should take the time to develop their skills and polish their work. It is important that the burgeoning genre of Muslim literature should reflect skill as well as talent, quality as well as quantity.
Dowry Divas is a book with a great deal of potential, and has an intriguing premise, though it will undoubtedly resonate with certain readers more than others.
Described on Amazon as ‘The Muslim Sex and the City,’ Dowry Divas follows the complicated love lives of three Muslim women – Layla, Talia, Nadia – and the men they have either married, seek to marry, or are trying to marry them.
A hot-shot African-American lawyer who has just married the hottest Muslim attorney on the block, Layla finds herself completely unprepared to deal with an unwelcome guest at her glamorous wedding. Talia, a successful Latina entrepreneur, struggles with feelings of jealousy and loneliness, and decides to take the risk of seeking a soulmate on the Internet. Nadia tries to escape her father’s preferred candidate for marriage – and finds herself falling for Lateef, a man who already has one wife.
While the book is told from the perspectives of these three female characters, the men they’re involved with are equally fleshed out and dominate a great deal of attention.
Dowry Divas was very different from my usual reading material, which tend to revolve around women in difficult situations who face down their challenges with inspiring strength and courage. To be honest, I found it difficult to relate to the three women – if anything, I empathized with the male characters most, although I had issues with some of them as well. Despite being described as ‘smart and sassy,’ I found the women to come off as both slightly flat and unrelatable – one domineering characteristic they all shared was a rather concerning (to me) obsession with material things, with a particular emphasis on money, designer clothing, purses, and so on. They appeared to be unashamedly jealous and obsessed over marriage, desiring men who had 'swag', money, and who were religious but not 'extremely' religious.
I also found that many Islamic references (ayaat, ahadith, and fiqh rulings) were tossed around in a rather awkward manner in an attempt to explain aspects of ‘Muslim-ness’, such as polygamy. Perhaps the author’s intent was to include these things for the sake of da’wah to non-Muslim readers, but from a literary perspective, I found it a clumsy and unskillful way of getting the point across. I strongly felt that the quality of the writing overall was slightly weak – both the characters and the plot could have been improved with some editing and more development.
While my review appears to be quite negative, the truth is that this was my own personal reaction to a specific genre, which others may find enjoyable. While the characters in this book did not reflect the Muslim women or situations that I am acquainted with, it did make me aware of the fact that there are Muslim women out there for whom these circumstances are a reality, and therefore would be better able to relate the story.
At the very least, it is good to see more Muslim writers, especially women of colour, coming forth and contributing to the genre of Muslim fiction with their own unique perspectives. My only suggestion would be that instead of rushing to produce more books, whether self-published or otherwise, such authors should take the time to develop their skills and polish their work. It is important that the burgeoning genre of Muslim literature should reflect skill as well as talent, quality as well as quantity.
Dowry Divas is a book with a great deal of potential, and has an intriguing premise, though it will undoubtedly resonate with certain readers more than others.
September 18, 2014
Dowry Divas is an entertaining novel which follows three young Muslim American women as each steers her way towards love. The novel focuses heavily on the desires of Layla, Talia, and Nadia to find spouses via halal means. The fact that all three women are successful in their careers not only provides a positive model for young Muslimahs to emulate, but also shows the world—Muslim and non-Muslim alike—that although family is a priority for Muslim women, they are also independent and are just as likely to have successful professional careers.
The novel gives an eye-opening (although true to life) portrayal of the myriad of Muslim Americans, from the “pit bull in a skirt,” to the convert Mexican business woman, to the divorced father of two, to the born Muslim who is rediscovering his faith, and so much more. The rainbow of believable characters is both a blessed testament to the American Muslim demographic as well as to the talent of Zara J.
Peeling through the layers of Dowry Divas, you will be so charmed by jealous best friends, secret-bearing ex-wives, and queenly co-wives that the novel will captivate your attention until the very end.
The novel gives an eye-opening (although true to life) portrayal of the myriad of Muslim Americans, from the “pit bull in a skirt,” to the convert Mexican business woman, to the divorced father of two, to the born Muslim who is rediscovering his faith, and so much more. The rainbow of believable characters is both a blessed testament to the American Muslim demographic as well as to the talent of Zara J.
Peeling through the layers of Dowry Divas, you will be so charmed by jealous best friends, secret-bearing ex-wives, and queenly co-wives that the novel will captivate your attention until the very end.
January 3, 2015
This is the first novel that I read that I could relate to almost 90% by either my own experiences or experiences of those I know. Dowry Divas lets other peep into the lives of Muslim women and the multiple approaches to getting married. It's a must read.
May 21, 2014
I loved this book! It's down loaded on my phone
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews