A Woman on a Suitcase

by Shazaf Fatima Haider

Newly married Seema Hyderi is tired of being thrown out of her husband’s house. Now, sitting on her suitcase after a third eviction, she has a choice to obey her husband and submit, or listen to her instinct and leave forever.

The consequences of her decision will take Seema on a from a world of unloving mothers and manipulative matchmakers to new avenues filled with anxiety, exploration and pleasure. In delightful prose filled with wicked humour and immense pathos, Haider takes Seema and her suitcase on a rollercoaster ride from Karachi to London
and back again.

220 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 31, 2024

Reviews

[Rabia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shazaf Fatima Haider’s A Woman on a Suitcase is a quietly powerful novel that navigates the emotional terrain of a woman reclaiming herself from the grip of patriarchy and emotional abuse. The story follows Seema Hyderi, a recently married Pakistani woman who is thrown out of her husband’s home for the third time, not for any scandalous act, but simply for being herself—curious, outspoken, and unwilling to be subdued. With dark humour and gentle satire, Haider paints a vivid portrait of a woman sitting quite literally on her suitcase, contemplating the ruins of a marriage that promised freedom but delivered control. The novel moves fluidly between Karachi and London, exposing not only the misogyny embedded in familial structures but also the quiet strength it takes to untangle oneself from emotional manipulation and trauma bonding.

What sets this book apart is its refusal to sensationalize. There’s no explosive confrontation or dramatic rebellion—only the subtle, deeply human journey of a woman waking up to her own autonomy. Haider’s writing is minimalistic yet emotionally piercing, balancing heartbreak with wit, and leaving room for readers to reflect rather than be preached to. Seema is neither flawless nor defiant in any idealized sense; she’s complex, conflicted, and relatable, which makes her journey toward self-respect feel all the more authentic. The supporting characters—particularly the toxic in-laws and a few unexpectedly supportive figures—add texture to a world where silence often weighs heavier than words.

Though the pacing is slow and the ending ambiguous, these choices seem deliberate, reflecting the way real-life change unfolds—not in a single act of rebellion, but through many quiet, painful realizations. A Woman on a Suitcase is a novel for readers who appreciate emotional depth, social critique, and the radical courage of a woman choosing herself, finally and fully.

[Muhammad Samejo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Drama! The Emotion! The Heartbreak! And the brilliant Dark Humor! All these and more make ‘A Woman On A Suitcase’ a thoroughly enjoyable read. I’m not going to go over the description (you may find it in the previous post) but there’s so much more going on that the blurb suggests. In Seema, the author has created a remarkable character that personifies modern-day urban Pakistani women who are expected only to be prospective wives for the patriarchy’s spoiled next generation, or even the previous ones. At times headstrong and outspoken with clear rationale backing her every word, Seema still finds herself imprisoned by society’s lofty and rigid honor codes that entitle men to unquestioning and illogical authority over every decision of women’s lives.

Seema may be the focal point, but the author has portrayed each character with tremendous detail, exhibiting what life should be like according to their own diktats. The humorous but terrifying logic of men believing their superiority, the innocence and devotion with which wives believe everything happening to them is good when it could even threaten their lives, and the balancing of both escape and resilience as self-preservation is superbly done throughout the book. I found myself invested in every character as they are not made to be monoliths. Rather, they are products of complex circumstances that make it important to empathize with their situations.

Moreover, the events make readers feel that there are so many obvious solutions to the problems women face, but nothing is ever that simple. The situations answer the age-old questions of ‘why didn’t she leave’ or ‘why didn’t she speak out’ to elicit greater empathy among both men and women and also expose our own rigid world-views to help us understand just how complex people’s lives are, mainly those of women.

The book looks at everything that is wrong with the patriarchy and why. While it won’t provide readymade fixes to readers who are or have been in similar predicaments, it does offer an opportunity to pause and reflect on their choices in life and weigh the pros and cons of what to do next, whether it is liberation on one’s own terms or someone else’s.

Definitely a must-read!

[Ilsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always love Shazaf Haider's writing. This one is also well-written but I enjoyed her first two books more!

[Anahita Wassan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had not heard any noise around this book but the title and the setting intrigued me, and I picked it up.
The story revolves around Seema, a Pakistani girl, struggling with her marital life and the expectations the society has from a “woman”. How she breaks away from the shackles, and is ostracised by her own family and friends because divorce is unacceptable.
If you live in the Indian subcontinent you would have heard of numerous such stories. Yes it still happens and though it is much better , the stigma still exists. The need for the wife to be submissive to the husband and his family still persists and this book covers just that!
A quick read , covering a mirage of topics about the Pakistani domestic life.
.
P.s After some research about the book, I now know there are two editions to the book, Indian and Pakistani. I obviously have the Indian edition because the Main character is named Seema ( which is a very Hindu name ) as opposed to Sharmeen in the Pakistani edition!
I wonder why the change , when the setting is clearly Karachi and all the other characters have “muslim” names , why the change?

[Mona Malik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a fan of the story telling skills of Shazaf and i really love the way she unfolds her characters also she has that natural flow of writing , a skill that not every writer can have or mimic its totally natural….
Its a good read.
The good thing is that the writer did nt sugarcoat any realities or rough times or moments after the lead’s separation with her husband ….also heroine’s sister in law had some serious domestic abuse going on and it felt like the readers needed to know about her ending and what happened to her
And this book needs a 2nd part as i as a reader would love to know about what happened in seema’s life after
But amazinggggg book and it had a warm feeling throughout, the writer is majestic , i have always admired her work and this one also was amazing….

[Malika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This woman knows how to write
And how to engage her readers....
So bad that she does nt write often
Love hee style
The story is great and it grips the reader so well...
The expression of her lead character as always is so accurate and very real
Its a must read for every Pakistani woman
Only thing that i found that was not very necessary and did nothing for plot was the heroine's cousin Maliha's interest in s*x toys and also her accepting it so boldly in front of the heroine and later the heroine also tried it and i found these scenes very unusual and they were also not well written.....

[Maryam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel follows her journey from Karachi to London and back, exploring themes of autonomy and self-discovery. A simple story with complicated people.
My opinion:
I like the most about this particular novel is the use of amazing adjectives.
I enjoyed so much while reading that I ordered another book of the writer.

[Nayab · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this cover to cover in 3 hours. It was a HOOT. I haven't read many writers who can take serious topics and write about them with delicacy and wit. The satire was never mean-spirited (even when the situation called for it), the characters were fleshed out and the FMC was relatable, funny and kind. I'm recommending this book to every woman I know

[Ananya Amoli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read, easy to get riled up reading this, but so so true. it brings out the nuances of troubles while getting one's self out of a major bad episode of life. the constant contemplation of what to do next and slipping back in the hue of love is so apt. Glad Seema showed the strength she did and gave it back to Momin ten fold.

[MM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read about what keeps women tied to unhappy marriages. Set in Karachi and London, it’s well written. A good book for a short holiday or long flight. Loved the description of the paintings in Frere Hall which I saw when I was in Karachi.

[Awais Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most original books you'll read this year. Don't miss it for the world. Shazaf Fatima Haider is a master storyteller!

[Nadia Goodreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well-written and compelling read. Finished it in one sitting.

[Saniya Puri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This work is quite interesting and has many fun moments!

[Lareb Soomro]

Loved the writing style but the story felt incomplete

[Sara Naveed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book. Loved it!

[Malika · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this book. many cultural moments were triggering because they are too familiar, but I’m happy main character decided to be true to herself. will definitely read other books from this author

[myliteraryworld · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘A Woman on a Suitcase’ is a powerful exploration of a woman’s journey from oppression to self-discovery. Set in Karachi, the novel follows Seema, a young woman trapped in an abusive marriage where her worth is measured by her ability to conform to her husband’s and in-laws' expectations. After being evicted for the third time by her husband Momin, Seema decides to break the cycle of abuse and moves to London where she experiences newfound freedom. In London, she discovers her passion for painting and gains the strength to live on her own terms. Haider’s portrayal of Seema’s transformation is both moving and empowering, contrasting her choices with Momin’s sister Muneera who remains in an abusive marriage. The novel is a poignant critique of traditional gender roles and celebrates the courage it takes for women to pursue personal freedom and self-worth.

[PJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction to Pakistani literature. Although the book didn’t even have to be based in Karachi. It could easily belong to Delhi or Dubai or California. Domestic abuse is universal and vile. And women are its foremost flag-holders. And the book was written well enough to express this.