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The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R.
The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R. (previous title Better Days)
300 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2023
1 person is currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Moni Mohsin
10 books113 followersMohsin grew up in Lahore, and describes herself as being from a family of "educated, westernised people". When General Zia ul-Haq came to power in a coup in 1977, her family began to feel less comfortable in the new, religious Pakistan, where political repression against nonconformists became routine, but remained in Lahore. Mohsin left Pakistan at 16 to study at a boarding school in England, and later attended Cambridge University, where she studied anthropology and archaeology. Afterward she returned to Pakistan, where she founded the country's first nature magazine. After General Zia's death she moved more decisively into the public sphere, working for the independent "Friday Times", where she rose to the ranks of features editor.
Her books include "The End of Innocence", her debut novel '"Tender Hooks" AKA "Duty Free", and "The Diary of a Social Butterfly". Her writing has also appeared in "The Times", "The Guardian", the "Washington Post", "Prospect", "The Nation", and other publications.
She now divides her time between Lahore and London, where she lives with her husband and two children. Her sister, Jugnu Mohsin, is the publisher of "The Friday Times", an independent Pakistani weekly.[1]
Her books include "The End of Innocence", her debut novel '"Tender Hooks" AKA "Duty Free", and "The Diary of a Social Butterfly". Her writing has also appeared in "The Times", "The Guardian", the "Washington Post", "Prospect", "The Nation", and other publications.
She now divides her time between Lahore and London, where she lives with her husband and two children. Her sister, Jugnu Mohsin, is the publisher of "The Friday Times", an independent Pakistani weekly.[1]
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 20, 2021
Book Title: The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R.
Author: Moni Mohsin
Format: Kindle
My Review:
This is my first novel by Moni Mohsin, famous for her books like The Diary of a Social Butterfly, which is the musings of a society airhead whose life revolves around shopping, gossip and partying, it was a fun read. This book was highly acclaimed for its audacious contents. Here in this book with the character Ruby, author Moni has created an interesting tale that runs a serious subject related to politics in Pakistan and a young girl's dreams to see her country in better shape.
The story in ' The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R. ' is of a 23-year-old young Ruby Rauf, a student from London who prepares for her goal to study business and media and get a good job. One day, she hears a political speech by Saif Haq, a former movie actor and now turned into a politician. His speech about making the country great, a corruption-free country and many more such positive promises impress Ruby to the core. It so happens her admiration towards him lands her into a job as his party's social media admin. Not to forget Saif is an old man but with his own mindset.
Ruby is a feminist for herself. As the story progresses, the readers understand the real face of Saif as a sexist, abuser, ill-mannered and vile personality. In the story, when the readers get to see both the characters and their traits, there prevails a confusion and point of clarity that how did Ruby, a feminist fall for Saif being a misogynist. In another place, readers also see that Ruby is shown becoming the social media wig head though she knows the fact of how the funds flow, what kind of criminal activities are carried out in the name of the party, Ruby ignores. These two points created a buzz in my head. Hope someday Author Moni could explain this.
In the process of being close to Saif, a 23-year-old Ruby somewhere starts imagining the 60-year-old actor turned politician more than a confidant. Until she shows the traces of jealousy when Saif announces his marriage to a socialite, Ruby's character depleted in the impression. A dynamic young female who had a zeal to do something great in life behaves like a cliché female being, which is somewhat unacceptable to me.
To conclude, this story with many other characters that fail to impress, Moni Mohsin's story is a one-time read with a political backdrop.
Final Verdict
An interesting political satirical thriller!
Rating:
3/5
Author: Moni Mohsin
Format: Kindle
My Review:
This is my first novel by Moni Mohsin, famous for her books like The Diary of a Social Butterfly, which is the musings of a society airhead whose life revolves around shopping, gossip and partying, it was a fun read. This book was highly acclaimed for its audacious contents. Here in this book with the character Ruby, author Moni has created an interesting tale that runs a serious subject related to politics in Pakistan and a young girl's dreams to see her country in better shape.
The story in ' The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R. ' is of a 23-year-old young Ruby Rauf, a student from London who prepares for her goal to study business and media and get a good job. One day, she hears a political speech by Saif Haq, a former movie actor and now turned into a politician. His speech about making the country great, a corruption-free country and many more such positive promises impress Ruby to the core. It so happens her admiration towards him lands her into a job as his party's social media admin. Not to forget Saif is an old man but with his own mindset.
Ruby is a feminist for herself. As the story progresses, the readers understand the real face of Saif as a sexist, abuser, ill-mannered and vile personality. In the story, when the readers get to see both the characters and their traits, there prevails a confusion and point of clarity that how did Ruby, a feminist fall for Saif being a misogynist. In another place, readers also see that Ruby is shown becoming the social media wig head though she knows the fact of how the funds flow, what kind of criminal activities are carried out in the name of the party, Ruby ignores. These two points created a buzz in my head. Hope someday Author Moni could explain this.
In the process of being close to Saif, a 23-year-old Ruby somewhere starts imagining the 60-year-old actor turned politician more than a confidant. Until she shows the traces of jealousy when Saif announces his marriage to a socialite, Ruby's character depleted in the impression. A dynamic young female who had a zeal to do something great in life behaves like a cliché female being, which is somewhat unacceptable to me.
To conclude, this story with many other characters that fail to impress, Moni Mohsin's story is a one-time read with a political backdrop.
Final Verdict
An interesting political satirical thriller!
Rating:
3/5
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June 20, 2021Rich people the world over accorded each other the respect and consideration one gave to a member of one’s tribe, no matter how far from home."
I wasn't feeling my best and looking for a light, and frothy read. "The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R" turned out to be not so light a read, despite it's zany cover and Moni Mohsin's earlier work. A dive into Pakistani politics, class dynamics, and gender issues through the lens of a frustratingly naive young woman, the book is compelling. But let down by characterisation that isn't meaty enough. When I read a book, I want to feel for the character; not just in kinship but anger, joy, something. Here, the characters while fascinating on paper — a charismatic rising politician who isn't what he promises to be — don't emerge as flesh and blood characters. The thing is, I really wanted to.
I wasn't feeling my best and looking for a light, and frothy read. "The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R" turned out to be not so light a read, despite it's zany cover and Moni Mohsin's earlier work. A dive into Pakistani politics, class dynamics, and gender issues through the lens of a frustratingly naive young woman, the book is compelling. But let down by characterisation that isn't meaty enough. When I read a book, I want to feel for the character; not just in kinship but anger, joy, something. Here, the characters while fascinating on paper — a charismatic rising politician who isn't what he promises to be — don't emerge as flesh and blood characters. The thing is, I really wanted to.
July 10, 2023
A deliberately provocative, yet masterful satire on Pakistan's convoluted political and social mores. The narrative, though juvenile and simplistic at times, is also chilling in its accuracy.
December 5, 2021
“… her conscience was like a solid glass cube enclosed in a tight iron cylinder lodged inside her heart. The cube would rotate every time she knowingly wronged someone. In the beginning, every rotation would be agonising as the cube’s sharp edges smashed and splintered against the cylinder... Gradually, its sides would chip away… Then it would spin effortlessly, painlessly no matter how great her crime.”
Utterly enamoured with erstwhile superstar Saif Haq, twenty-three-year old Ruby gives up here scholarship in London and follows him back home to become a social media manager for his party that promises to change the political face of Pakistan. But even with someone as upright as Saif, politics is a moral minefield and Ruby struggles with the choices demanded of her.
Resented and admired by her colleagues, favoured by Saif, Ruby appears unstoppable until one day when Saif asks her to prove her loyalty by making the most painful sacrifice of all.
While this is written like a political satire, this novel, ultimately, is not a political thriller. This is a coming-of-age story of young Ruby whose choices and decisions, driven by her ambition, pave the way for her failure and fall from grace.
I am still undecided if I liked the predictability of this novel with its gut punch at the end. Or would I have preferred a little more mystery along the way. Then again, no matter where in the world we stand, women’s lives are hardly a mystery. We will continue to hashtag ‘feminism’ and ‘down with patriarchy’ but there will always be an innocent soul somewhere who will be preyed on by false promises.
We have a long, long way to go to end this evil but Mohsin’s wit in making this both strangely funny and acutely scary is what makes this stand out.
For complete review, visit https://aquamarineflavours.wordpress....
Find me on other platforms via https://linktr.ee/AshieJayn
Utterly enamoured with erstwhile superstar Saif Haq, twenty-three-year old Ruby gives up here scholarship in London and follows him back home to become a social media manager for his party that promises to change the political face of Pakistan. But even with someone as upright as Saif, politics is a moral minefield and Ruby struggles with the choices demanded of her.
Resented and admired by her colleagues, favoured by Saif, Ruby appears unstoppable until one day when Saif asks her to prove her loyalty by making the most painful sacrifice of all.
While this is written like a political satire, this novel, ultimately, is not a political thriller. This is a coming-of-age story of young Ruby whose choices and decisions, driven by her ambition, pave the way for her failure and fall from grace.
I am still undecided if I liked the predictability of this novel with its gut punch at the end. Or would I have preferred a little more mystery along the way. Then again, no matter where in the world we stand, women’s lives are hardly a mystery. We will continue to hashtag ‘feminism’ and ‘down with patriarchy’ but there will always be an innocent soul somewhere who will be preyed on by false promises.
We have a long, long way to go to end this evil but Mohsin’s wit in making this both strangely funny and acutely scary is what makes this stand out.
For complete review, visit https://aquamarineflavours.wordpress....
Find me on other platforms via https://linktr.ee/AshieJayn
March 21, 2021
One thing that I always noticed about Moni Mohsin's books were the subtle introduction of political events and lacing of them with satire. The Butterfly series were superficial episodes of Butterfly in her diary but were often linked to current affairs. Moni Mohsin's social media has been a commentary on politics, society and culture and being a journalist she has a finger on how political narrative works.
This book is a straight and outright political narrative. The story is about Saif an aging super star who wants to be the prime minister of Pakistan. He hires Ruby Rauf to shape the political narrative on the social media to recruit youngsters and women to vote for him. Whether Ruby’s ambition and aspirations are also realised, that remains a question to be answered. Read on.
This book is a straight and outright political narrative. The story is about Saif an aging super star who wants to be the prime minister of Pakistan. He hires Ruby Rauf to shape the political narrative on the social media to recruit youngsters and women to vote for him. Whether Ruby’s ambition and aspirations are also realised, that remains a question to be answered. Read on.
July 7, 2025
As this is my first book by Moni Mohsin, I was very curious about her style. I guess that choosing this book to be my first read was a mistake. Unfortunately, the cover and the back page do not indicate that this book is all about politics. Politics especially Pakistani politics are a difficult cup of tea, it's important to let the reader know that we are reading people's opinions and I think the author is trying to put her opinion in my throat. Why is sexist, if a character lets the ladies to sit first on the table around many men, since it has been indicated that everyone was hesitating. Poor puns against feminism, trying to provoke miscommunications. I do hope her other reads are better.
December 19, 2023
Mohsin never disappoints with her wit and subtlety of satirical metaphors. Unlike all the previous fun reads, this one offers something serious yet horrific; the heart wrenching truth of our seemingly modern society.
February 21, 2022
Masterpiece..it depicts all society issues...mind blowing text
January 6, 2023
Detailed review soon. I have to sort out my feelings for this book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews