The Return of the Butterfly

Social Butterfly #3

by Moni Mohsin

I tell you the halaats are so bad, so bad that don’t even ask. The Talibans sitting on top of our heads, bombs bursting left, right and centre, drones droning away, load-shedding a hundred hours a day, servants answering back, in-laws trying to upstage you, friends throwing you out of their kitties and on top of that elections ka tamasha. Janoo tau is coming closer and closer to a nervous brake out while Mummy is getting sterile dementia. As for Kulchoo, bhai, don’t even ask.

But I’ve decided, come what may, I tau am not going to let anyone clamp my style. I’m going to live just as I like—watching my Turkish soaps, going to GTs and weddings, throwing kitty parties, telling everyone everything saaf-saaf and, of course, doing summers in London—voh tau must hai na. And I’m going to do it in my Jimmy Choo ki heels and my sleeveless designer shirts, and my streaked hair and my Prada ki sunglasses. This much I’m telling you all from now only. So tighten your seat belts, okay?

Genres: Satire, Womens Fiction, Humor

206 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Mohsin 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]

Reviews

[Ipshita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so funny, so funny keh poochhon hi mat! Butter Fly is from a khaata-peeta khandani types family in Lahore, and she is writing in her dairy. Hau, but why she writes only ones a month, haan? Maybe it is because her English is so bad, so bad keh she writes slow slow. Between you and me and the four walls, two lines in the shuruwaat of every month in her dairy I like - first one telling about the halaats in her country and seconds about the halaats in her life. Her shohar and son thinks about the first one only. She eats her dimag to understand, but she is too seedha-saadha to know politicks. She is busy with her summers in London and Dubai, her GTs (arre, get-togethers!), and her costly shoppings in Channel and Brada. It is like a mix-and-match of two worlds na, but she is always living in her sophisty world only - full of paisa and property and servants vaghera. The bombs are bombing in Isloo, and peoples are dying, and Imran Khan is fighting with Nawaz Sharif to safen the country, but they are only worsing things. I said na, it is funny and very lighting to read, so you also read. But the story is also little sad. Just like a sad tyre.

PS. My shohar said it is not sad tyre, but satire (He only bought the book, so have to give him credential). Sunne mein toh same hi lagta hai na?

[Poonam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had great fun reading this book; I giggled poring over its pages. Tho I was running the serious risk of forgetting English language, since there are lot of puns and 'misuse' of language. Also, it is Hinglish, actually Punjlish - a mix of Punjabi and English as north-Indians speak.

However, butterfly as we know is a dimwit, rich Pakistani woman who lives with her husband Janoo and son Kulchoo. In her world view, being khandanni, khaata peeta (rich) and being good looking is virtue. Her stupidity and shallowness often baffles people around her including her oxford-educated Janoo (who she calls 'oxen' for this reason). Butterfly is not malicious, just superficial.

Moni Mohsin's accomplishment lies not in creating an entertaining dimwit character but the fact that she is able to comment about crucial political issues that are happening in the country through the eyes of this character. She is able to call out cruelty of fundamentalists, hypocrisy of Pak politicians. There are a couple of digs at Imran Khan for supporting Taliban. A queer coincidence is that the day I finished reading this book, Taliban slaughtered 132 kids and world was baying for Imran's blood (only for a day tho).

Between you, me and four walls, I toh loved this book ki pucho hi mat. ;) (As Moni Mohsin would say.)

[Mah-i-kan Kurd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the synopsis and came across many spelling mistakes which I brushed off as typos. It wasn't until few pages in that I realized that this was the writing style. Suchay novelty.

A compilation of short stories of sorts. No plot line, just descriptive events. Felt like I was reading a text or a blogpost with someone ranting about multitudes of things. I know so many people who think like the protagonist and her friends. It's so sad. Janoo was my fave character. Definitely continuing the series and starting with its predecessor. Sure it was funny but few puns were a little over the top and there was a lot of repetition. Liked the Girly cover. 3.5 stars.

[Tooba Amin · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is so hilarious, so hilarious that don't even ask... matlab total tabahi!
haw, hai you haven't read it yet?
tau go and read it now baba.. and if will not, then you are tau crack :p

[Rubab Mirza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bhai, I tou just love the butterfly itna Kay poucho hi nahi. A wonderful book. Amazing. Bravo.

[Neha Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

The return of the butterfly

Author: Moni Mohsin
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

India and Pakistan World Cup
Butterfly reads a book

Finally I Broke my book fast with what a lovely book. You Toh know how much I love books. For past 6 months I had been struggling to finish even one. Each book I started ending up being half read taunting me from the shelf. So in these tough times I returned to my old friend, dear butterfly. Hai! Don't you know butterfly? Apni shweetu si Moni!

She has written two books earlier on butterfly escapades - 'the diary of a social butterfly' and 'tender hooks'. You must be wondering why I am talking like this. Well this is called "Punglish" a mix of Punjabi and English, most widely spoken in and around Punjab on both sides of the border, from Delhi to Lahore. This type of Punglish is spoken and understood amongst the Punjabis across the world from London to Canada, India to Pakistan. And I just love Moni's style - intelligent writing from the eyes of an innocent unaware BTM protagonist.

The book is a satire, a touch of ignorance and arrogance, looking at the world from the rose tinted glasses of butterfly. Her world starts from ghairat ness and khandani ness, and ends at show offers and rich ness. From the world of flashy weddings, to GTs (get togethers), to London and Dubai summer trips, to page 3 parties, to beauty parlours and soothsayers.

She depicts the dilemma of upper class housewife in a country in political and religious turmoil. It wants everything but gives nothing. It lives in a glass palace with inside tints. Doing nothing about it means it's not happening. Underlying the humour of upper class society, family drama, and kitty parties there is a strong current of geopolitics and conflicting ideologies.

Somewhere we all have a butterfly in us who pushes the negative thoughts and opinions on politics and strifes across the world to live a comfy colourful life flickering from one day to another.

[Nishita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is the third book in Moni Mohsin’s social butterfly series. The first two books are – The Diary of a Social Butterfly and Duty Free.

However, you don’t have to read the earlier books to enjoy this one, it reads pretty well standalone.

A book depicting a lifestyle such as this would normally be quite abhorrent for me, but Moni Mohsin has a wonderful humorous writing style. She uses malapropisms and a broken Urdu-English vocabulary to really paint a hilarious picture of Butterfly and her friends and family. When I started reading, I was a bit turned off by the rampant spelling mistakes and wrong word usage, but after reading a couple of chapters, I realized just how deliberate and funny these mistakes are.

However, what I felt was a drawback in this book is the lack of any overarching story. Even in an epistolary novel, I expect there to be some sort of a plot, with a logical start and finish, and that is completely missing in this novel. And this lack of plot made me feel like I was reading a satirical column in a magazine (in fact I wouldn’t be surprised if this book is merely a compilation of the author’s columns in a publication).

[Vikas Datta · Rating 5 out of 5]

As uproariously funny as the previous installments... takes a special skill to maintain the unique vocabulary of the Malika of Malapropisms but Ms Mohsin pulls it off most adroitly, and in the process, provides us one of the most penetrating but humourous satires ever penned in the subcontinent....

[Gayathri · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the cool GT's in London to the Gup-shup in Isloo, Butterfly is an active member in all of this. This book is awesome! Moni Mohsin has written a fab book based on the lives of the rich in Pakistan....

[Ayisha Aslam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between you, me and the four walls, this book is Amazing. Mujhay to itni pasand i k poucho hi mat :-)
(A short review in Moni Mohsin style)

[Hira Zunair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious!

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh! Blah! Whatever! Enough said!

[Nida M · Rating 3 out of 5]

a quick and light read.really liked how the writer has discussed serious matters in a funny tone!

[Gayathri PG]

So I picked up Moni Mohsin because it came highly recommended as pick-me-ups by a book blogger. Well, I didnt exactly fall in love with her writings, but I learned a whole lot. About Pakistani high society; and more relevantly, how we are all essentially the same.

[Awantika Singh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didnot like the sequels after reading the first book.

[Annie Fatemah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book with lots of neologisms.

[bookssheread · Rating 4 out of 5]

The things i would give to be at one of her GT's

[booksloverslayed · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very funny book for a desi modern

[Sobia Nawab · Rating 1 out of 5]

First page of a new book is very important for me, it determines if I'm going to read that book or not. This book's first few pages did catch my attention; it was different and entertaining.... but only for the first few pages. Once I got over the urdu/english dialogues, I realized that it had absolutely no story line or point! After reading a few chapters I just had to put it away. Not many books, no matter how terrible I found them, was I unable to finish... this was one of them, hence the lonely star!

[Samra Muslim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trust Butterfly to say anything and everything that is wrong with the Pakistan we live in - keeping it sarcastic, funny, honest and yet disturbing!!

Her journey this time around revolves around the Pakistani elections, rising Talibanism, Salman Taseer's murder and the Malala factor ... All wrapped around the fluff, the madness and the insanity of unreal our lives in Pakistan ... Enjoy the rants!!

[Geeti Priya · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always a perfect read - Butterfly in her own way is a social commentator and has an opinion from Fundos to Global warming, from Malala to the color of Musharraf's hair dye, from Imran Khan's political foray to s(m)ooth Sayers! Moni Mohsin masterfully uses her special brand of English which can make you giggle for ages but at the same time has sharp insight into topics that matter - absolutely a good read!

[Huma Adnan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I felt sorry for buying all three parts of this book before giving a read to the first one. It's just monotonous and at the end you question yourself, Why did I ever read it?
Yes it is filled with sarcasm and humor but one can't take the same notes everyday. There isn't any progress or something thought provoking, except how elites lead their lives. Not my type. I hope I'll touch the third book. but not now. not sooner. It's not my type.

[Zara · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I started reading it,i found it hilarious but after like 100 pages it was kind of bore.I left the book unfinished and picked it up again after 4 days to giv it an end.Not a bad read I actually laughed at some points and I could relate butterfly to some real people in my life.
A good piece of work.

[Jem Sparkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love it! Have never laughed so hard before. It really is like Bridget Jones diary but even more funny and relatable.The tongue in cheek humor and poking fun at the current trends and social + political situation is tied up nicely, showing how people still persevere despite the havoc. Can't wait to get my hands on more of her books.

[Rida · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Moni Mohsin, you get used to reading 'poor English' of the unpoor so much that it would take you a while to getting used to normal English Lit reading. Still worth the risk. Thoroughly enjoyable. Must read.

[Seema Yadav · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely Hilarious. At times I had to stop reading to control my laughter. The world through the eyes of a rich, ignorant 'social butterfly' leaves a refreshing effect. Recommended for all those who want a break from regular tensions of life.

[The Contented · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious, absolutely brilliant satire. However, in its depiction of a snobby, racist woman it will offend. Some of the more offensive bits could have been edited out, without the book losing very much,

[Sid · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light fun read :)

[Yumna Muzafar · Rating 4 out of 5]

i have to admit, i am going to miss Butterfly very much. i love this book to bits.

[Pamela Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

hilarious ! :-)