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Rafina
Rafina looks at the glamorous girl on the billboard outside her window in Karachi and thinks, It won’t be long before I'm up there. Too poor for college and dismissive of marriage, the clear-eyed young woman cajoles her mother's friend and Radiance beauty parlour masseuse, Rosie Khala, into taking her on as an apprentice. Thus begin her brave misadventures – from clumsy parlour assistant, to mostly dependable tea girl, till in a stroke of serendipity, she is ‘discovered’. Poised to have everything she thought she wanted, the only thing standing between Rafina and that billboard are the people who think she should still be using the service entrance.
280 pages, Hardcover
Published May 23, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 5, 2018
I am on the same boat as all other readers of Minhas when it comes to this book - Rafina. It is probably due to the lovely cover, the enticing blurb, the strong and independent Echoes of the title which makes way for a girl to show her real talent, and past works of Shandana Minhas that a reader opens the pages with high hopes. However just 50 pages into it puts your feet as well as your expectations on the ground.
So if you like light reads and reading about women, you may love this book - but beware of high hopes from this because it just doesn't deliver. Rafina is an ambitious girl who wants to make it big in life and is enchanted with the dream of making it to a billboard that showcases beautiful women endorsing products. Choosing a plot like this meant endless possibilities but soon the author disappoints and the story takes a much unsatisfactory turn. Rafina could have been portrayed so extraordinarily, my complaint is that she was not even made ordinary. She hangs somewhere in between, confused and almost unaware of where her life is leading her !
So if you like light reads and reading about women, you may love this book - but beware of high hopes from this because it just doesn't deliver. Rafina is an ambitious girl who wants to make it big in life and is enchanted with the dream of making it to a billboard that showcases beautiful women endorsing products. Choosing a plot like this meant endless possibilities but soon the author disappoints and the story takes a much unsatisfactory turn. Rafina could have been portrayed so extraordinarily, my complaint is that she was not even made ordinary. She hangs somewhere in between, confused and almost unaware of where her life is leading her !
July 10, 2018
But my nose is straight and my eyes are better. How are her teeth so white? Or do they just look like that because she’s so dark ?
Truth be told , we all are influenced by reviews we hear or read , be it for a book or an author. I heard outstanding reviews for Shandana Minhas’s previous works and right about the same time Rafina was sent to me.
Rafina is just like all the girls out there. Her dreams touch the sky but society dismisses them. Her eyes always look up , not towards the sky but the billboards of Karachi and her dream is to be up there for the world to see. She knows the hardship to reach up there and her next-to-impossible dream may never be fulfilled but that never stops her from dreaming. She joins her khala as an assistant in a beauty parlour and thus her journey begins.
The refreshing blurb and subtle cover had my expectations touching the clouds but just few pages in and I knew this book isn’t the one for me.The plot is great but what disappointed me was the execution. The book just flows and flows and I absolutely failed to make a contact with Rafina’s character. The blurb sounded like it is a women-oriented book , talking about hardships but it all felt lousy and didn’t fell in place.
There were no chances of the character building up , which the story definitely demanded. The end was a fail and I really didn’t see that coming. Had it been something else the book would still have been a tad bit better.
The writing is lucid and poetic which might provoke me to pick some other book by the author but this definitely didn’t work for me.
Not Recommended.
July 28, 2018
Read The Full Review Here: https://poesyinchrysalis.wordpress.co...
REVIEWED BY SOHINEE DEY
Rafina is the story of an ordinary girl with extraordinary dreams. Dreams that compels her to stare at card Girl on The Billboard every single day from the window of her home at Karachi. The lady on the billboard is an inspiration to her and she too wants to be up there one day and look down at the whole city of Karachi. She wants to be a model and wants people to her. All in all, she wants to be famous. Good for her. She has a dream and she wants to achieve her goal, what could go wrong? Apparently, many things.
They say that we should keep our head between our shoulder and not try to peek in through the clouds, but who would tell Rafina that its better to keep her feet on the ground and not reach for the stars right in the beginning, when she isn’t even walking in the same path as card girl? Its good to have an ultimate goal but daydreaming usually doesn’t do any good.
Rafina’s mother was the breadwinner for her household. After her husband passed away on duty, she had to start working even harder and fend for her family. When Rosie, Rafina’s khala (aunt) visits them to inquire about their well-being, she doesn’t miss on talking about the ladies parlour she works in. Rafina overhears the conversation between her mother and her khala, and makes an impulsive decision of working at the parlour as Rosie’s helping hand. Also, she believes apprenticing at the parlour will give her some experience on what goes on behind making someone beautiful.
She is a quick learner and soon finds herself adept at handling the expensive wax used for waxing. Not to forget she mastered threading too. Working at the parlour sure did prove to be fruitful for her when another door of opportunity opened before her. She grabbed it eagerly only to find herself working as a tea girl later on. But she didn’t lose her hope.
Rafina is a mixed character. All along I was confused whether I am supposed to like her or not. I am still perplexed as to whether Minhas portrayed her character this way where you would almost want to dislike her but then she would do something which would make you like her in that moment. So, I was in a constant dilemma. Right from the beginning of the book, Rafina is portrayed as someone who believes she has all the talents to be up there on the billboard. What I found unlikeable about her character was how she tended to belittle the people around her and often thought too highly of herself. She would always compare herself with the models and think that she is better looking than them and even think of some of them as fat and ugly. She was even rude to her mother when her face became ashen due to working too hard. She would comment on Rosie’s physique and would depreciate the way she looked, the way she walked and even the way she spoke. She had narcissistic tendencies but I was okay with that. But the minute she started downgrading others, even her mother, that’s when I grew an urge to dislike her.
If I forget about Rafina and talk about the other parts of the book, I would say that Shandana Minhas has a very impressive writing style. The narration has a great flow and doesn’t lag anywhere. Overall, the flow is consistent and it really helped me from giving up on the book. It didn’t get boring. Shandana has used very simple language but the way she has structured the sentences is what makes the reading process good. The blurb is sure to garner reader’s attention and the cover is also attractive.
I really liked Rosie’s character. Even if she was a supporting character, I felt she was more developed than Rafina. I didn’t see a character development in case of Rafina and that was a bit disappointing. Also, the ending of the book felt rushed to me. I was hoping for a clean end where I wouldn’t have any more questions after I close the book, but that sadly didn’t happen.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I won’t say that I am completely disappointed with the book. Disappointed with the character on some level? Yes. When I first read the blurb, I formed an image of Rafina who is a strong and bold woman, someone who knows what she wants and how she would achieve her goals. But upon reading, I found out that she is nothing like what I had expected and that was a tad bit disappointing.
Overall it’s a short read which would be ideal for a Sunday afternoon.
POESY IN CHRYSALIS RATING: ⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
For more reviews and bookish posts, follow my blog at www.poesyinchrysalis.wordpress.com. For review enquiries, write to me at query.sohinee@gmail.com.
REVIEWED BY SOHINEE DEY
Rafina is the story of an ordinary girl with extraordinary dreams. Dreams that compels her to stare at card Girl on The Billboard every single day from the window of her home at Karachi. The lady on the billboard is an inspiration to her and she too wants to be up there one day and look down at the whole city of Karachi. She wants to be a model and wants people to her. All in all, she wants to be famous. Good for her. She has a dream and she wants to achieve her goal, what could go wrong? Apparently, many things.
They say that we should keep our head between our shoulder and not try to peek in through the clouds, but who would tell Rafina that its better to keep her feet on the ground and not reach for the stars right in the beginning, when she isn’t even walking in the same path as card girl? Its good to have an ultimate goal but daydreaming usually doesn’t do any good.
Rafina’s mother was the breadwinner for her household. After her husband passed away on duty, she had to start working even harder and fend for her family. When Rosie, Rafina’s khala (aunt) visits them to inquire about their well-being, she doesn’t miss on talking about the ladies parlour she works in. Rafina overhears the conversation between her mother and her khala, and makes an impulsive decision of working at the parlour as Rosie’s helping hand. Also, she believes apprenticing at the parlour will give her some experience on what goes on behind making someone beautiful.
She is a quick learner and soon finds herself adept at handling the expensive wax used for waxing. Not to forget she mastered threading too. Working at the parlour sure did prove to be fruitful for her when another door of opportunity opened before her. She grabbed it eagerly only to find herself working as a tea girl later on. But she didn’t lose her hope.
Rafina is a mixed character. All along I was confused whether I am supposed to like her or not. I am still perplexed as to whether Minhas portrayed her character this way where you would almost want to dislike her but then she would do something which would make you like her in that moment. So, I was in a constant dilemma. Right from the beginning of the book, Rafina is portrayed as someone who believes she has all the talents to be up there on the billboard. What I found unlikeable about her character was how she tended to belittle the people around her and often thought too highly of herself. She would always compare herself with the models and think that she is better looking than them and even think of some of them as fat and ugly. She was even rude to her mother when her face became ashen due to working too hard. She would comment on Rosie’s physique and would depreciate the way she looked, the way she walked and even the way she spoke. She had narcissistic tendencies but I was okay with that. But the minute she started downgrading others, even her mother, that’s when I grew an urge to dislike her.
If I forget about Rafina and talk about the other parts of the book, I would say that Shandana Minhas has a very impressive writing style. The narration has a great flow and doesn’t lag anywhere. Overall, the flow is consistent and it really helped me from giving up on the book. It didn’t get boring. Shandana has used very simple language but the way she has structured the sentences is what makes the reading process good. The blurb is sure to garner reader’s attention and the cover is also attractive.
I really liked Rosie’s character. Even if she was a supporting character, I felt she was more developed than Rafina. I didn’t see a character development in case of Rafina and that was a bit disappointing. Also, the ending of the book felt rushed to me. I was hoping for a clean end where I wouldn’t have any more questions after I close the book, but that sadly didn’t happen.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I won’t say that I am completely disappointed with the book. Disappointed with the character on some level? Yes. When I first read the blurb, I formed an image of Rafina who is a strong and bold woman, someone who knows what she wants and how she would achieve her goals. But upon reading, I found out that she is nothing like what I had expected and that was a tad bit disappointing.
Overall it’s a short read which would be ideal for a Sunday afternoon.
POESY IN CHRYSALIS RATING: ⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
For more reviews and bookish posts, follow my blog at www.poesyinchrysalis.wordpress.com. For review enquiries, write to me at query.sohinee@gmail.com.
July 9, 2018
Reading the blurb of this book makes one expect a unique and refreshing story. Perhaps the journey and struggles of a strong woman. It was a huge disappointment when I discovered that this book is nothing like that.
I liked the author’s writing style. She had a good way of providing vivid descriptions. The problem is that I didn’t like the things she was describing and they went on and on.
The story follows Rafina as she starts working at a salon and eventually gets “discovered”. It shows the shady ways of the modeling business. Most of the characters were unlikeable and that made it hard to read about them. Rafina had it in her mind that she was destined for great and better things. I like characters who are confident and ambitious but I kept wondering while reading if she has any talents that will take her to stardom. I found her delusional and her character didn’t improve at all throughout the book.
I can’t say this book was enjoyable for me. The ending was abrupt and I wish it was better. It is possible that the main point of the story was Rafina’s hardships but it was delivered in such a way that I couldn’t appreciate the story at all.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy!
I liked the author’s writing style. She had a good way of providing vivid descriptions. The problem is that I didn’t like the things she was describing and they went on and on.
The story follows Rafina as she starts working at a salon and eventually gets “discovered”. It shows the shady ways of the modeling business. Most of the characters were unlikeable and that made it hard to read about them. Rafina had it in her mind that she was destined for great and better things. I like characters who are confident and ambitious but I kept wondering while reading if she has any talents that will take her to stardom. I found her delusional and her character didn’t improve at all throughout the book.
I can’t say this book was enjoyable for me. The ending was abrupt and I wish it was better. It is possible that the main point of the story was Rafina’s hardships but it was delivered in such a way that I couldn’t appreciate the story at all.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy!
February 6, 2019
The passage to the limelight stage of glitter and glamour is made through the dark abyssal alleys of politics, compromises, favors and sacrifices.
The book captures the quest of Rafina, a common girl grown up in poverty in a cramped government quarter dreaming of making it big in the world, changing the destiny of her family. Sudden turns of events lands her in the beauty business.From Radiance the ultimate place for any beauty lover, begins her struggle to achieve the place her heart always yearned for.
The author skillfully captured the stark reality of life, the cutting throat competition, the class difference and the constant struggle of the working class to make both ends meet.She deftly captured the undercurrents among the multiple characters and the constant pressure driving them.The detailed description brought alive the premise.
The central character is flawed.The shades of mean,selfish and ambitious Rafina came to the fore during various circumstances.Her thinking about close ones, clients and co-workers gives an insight into her dual nature.
The supporting characters were deprived of enough breathing space.The climax failed to do justice.It was quite contrasting to the whole story.
The book captures the quest of Rafina, a common girl grown up in poverty in a cramped government quarter dreaming of making it big in the world, changing the destiny of her family. Sudden turns of events lands her in the beauty business.From Radiance the ultimate place for any beauty lover, begins her struggle to achieve the place her heart always yearned for.
The author skillfully captured the stark reality of life, the cutting throat competition, the class difference and the constant struggle of the working class to make both ends meet.She deftly captured the undercurrents among the multiple characters and the constant pressure driving them.The detailed description brought alive the premise.
The central character is flawed.The shades of mean,selfish and ambitious Rafina came to the fore during various circumstances.Her thinking about close ones, clients and co-workers gives an insight into her dual nature.
The supporting characters were deprived of enough breathing space.The climax failed to do justice.It was quite contrasting to the whole story.
September 2, 2020
I was a little nervous about reading this book because of the rating - which stands at less than three stars but I thought it was a pretty solid book, right until the last page. The last page alone lowered my overall rating.
This is the story of Rafina, a young girl who works at a beauty parlour and spends her day slaving away with big dreams to become a model. That's not unrealistic, a lot of girls who work over 10 hours a day want a better life for themselves and their families. This book discusses important themes - poverty, income disparity, classism and most importantly, the thing that our society is absolutely obsessed with - fair skin. Rafina - the main character, has all the potential to be a model, she's tall and she's skinny but her skin is too dark - she shouldn't dream too big.
This book also looks at the endless beauty routines women have to maintain to look presentable. I think the social commentary and the whole “beauty parlour culture” is portrayed well. One of the things that I loved about this novel that was Rafina was supposed to be 17 and she actually sounded like a young character. Her voice was authentic and so were her thoughts - which 17-year-old hasn't been obsessed with boys, and thinks too highly of herself. Over and over, Rafina compares herself to girls around her, and comes to the conclusion that she’s much better looking than all her coworkers - a thought, which sounds very legit to me.
My major dislike of this book was the fact that the last paragraph cheapened the story for me. The sexual content didn't really make sense since it came out of nowhere. The ending was a bit underdeveloped as well but overall, pretty entertaining.
This is the story of Rafina, a young girl who works at a beauty parlour and spends her day slaving away with big dreams to become a model. That's not unrealistic, a lot of girls who work over 10 hours a day want a better life for themselves and their families. This book discusses important themes - poverty, income disparity, classism and most importantly, the thing that our society is absolutely obsessed with - fair skin. Rafina - the main character, has all the potential to be a model, she's tall and she's skinny but her skin is too dark - she shouldn't dream too big.
This book also looks at the endless beauty routines women have to maintain to look presentable. I think the social commentary and the whole “beauty parlour culture” is portrayed well. One of the things that I loved about this novel that was Rafina was supposed to be 17 and she actually sounded like a young character. Her voice was authentic and so were her thoughts - which 17-year-old hasn't been obsessed with boys, and thinks too highly of herself. Over and over, Rafina compares herself to girls around her, and comes to the conclusion that she’s much better looking than all her coworkers - a thought, which sounds very legit to me.
My major dislike of this book was the fact that the last paragraph cheapened the story for me. The sexual content didn't really make sense since it came out of nowhere. The ending was a bit underdeveloped as well but overall, pretty entertaining.
May 15, 2019
I read ‘Rafina’ last year during a four-hour drive back from Lahore to Islamabad, and there was never a moment where I put it down, not even when my husband offered me his share of fries at McDonald’s where we stopped for a break. So, imagine my surprise, when thoroughly satisfied by the novel, I looked up its score on Goodreads and found it to be merely average. Ummm… what? Fellow bibliophiles, did we all read the same book?
I think there’s an inherent problem with sending review copies of certain books to young bookstagrammers that are clearly meant for an older market but more on that some other time. It saddens me because clearly one cannot be appreciate books like ‘Home Fire’ and ‘Rafina’ when you haven’t been exposed to their themes enough.
‘Rafina’ charts the course of the life of a young girl in present day Karachi. Set in the grinding hustle of the City of Lights, Rafina and her family are beset by adversity from the get-go. After her father’s death, Rafina’s mother, Naz, becomes the primary bread-winner, struggling to provide for her two children even as her own health deteriorates. Rafina is painted as the quicker of the two siblings, the one more likely to take an initiative in making her dreams a reality. Kunwar, on the other hand, starts to show the same sullen sense of entitlement most South Asian men will recognize. He clamors for money from his mother and sister while loafing in the streets while both women work back-breaking hours to make ends meet. Rafina quickly succeeds in landing a ‘beauty parlor’ apprenticeship with her aunt Rosie, where she hopes she’ll find a way to become the next ‘Card Girl’, a high fashion model with her face all over the billboards of Karachi.
Rafina and Karachi become intertwined as the story progresses, both showing that same gutsy attitude of every man (and woman) for themselves in the dog-eat-dog world of unemployment and economic uncertainty. Through Rafina’s eyes, Karachi becomes another character in the plot, one who is constantly in the background, fueling Rafina’s hunger for success through the rise and decline of its own many, many composite parts; from the slums of Karachi to the posh residential gated colonies.
Pakistani readers will revel in the comparisons Shandana Minhas draws to a prominent Pakistani beauty guru and her chain of acolytes in the passages about Radiance, the salon where Rafina works, and its owner, Nausheen. A fair question would be; is Nausheen modelled on Nabila? You tell me :) The cut-throat beauty industry is revealed in all its shady glory as we follow Rafina’s rise to stardom after she is ‘discovered’ by the head honchos at Radiance. Given the recent shenanigans of models and starlets on social media, one is left unsurprised at the depravity Rafina encounters, something she is initially repelled by but eventually consumed in.
Shandana Minhas has created a stellar character in Rafina, making her vividly compelling, not simply a cookie-cutter sketch of a spunky up-coming teenager Mary Sue-ing her way through the plot, but one who challenges your preconceived notions of what it means to be young and ambitious in a country like Pakistan.
Many readers took issue with the ending, noting that it seemed to abrupt and came out of nowhere. To them, I say, but you have been given an ending. If you’d really like it spelled out for you, read Sanam Mehr’s ‘The Sensational Life and Death of Qandeel Baloch’. That’s not an ending I hope for Rafina, though: I hope she kicked ass and came out triumphant.
Favorite Lines:
There was another river of life, running parallel to the one she was in; it ran deeper and faster; her eyes had told her that was the one she should be submerged in; her eyes would also tell others the same.
I think there’s an inherent problem with sending review copies of certain books to young bookstagrammers that are clearly meant for an older market but more on that some other time. It saddens me because clearly one cannot be appreciate books like ‘Home Fire’ and ‘Rafina’ when you haven’t been exposed to their themes enough.
‘Rafina’ charts the course of the life of a young girl in present day Karachi. Set in the grinding hustle of the City of Lights, Rafina and her family are beset by adversity from the get-go. After her father’s death, Rafina’s mother, Naz, becomes the primary bread-winner, struggling to provide for her two children even as her own health deteriorates. Rafina is painted as the quicker of the two siblings, the one more likely to take an initiative in making her dreams a reality. Kunwar, on the other hand, starts to show the same sullen sense of entitlement most South Asian men will recognize. He clamors for money from his mother and sister while loafing in the streets while both women work back-breaking hours to make ends meet. Rafina quickly succeeds in landing a ‘beauty parlor’ apprenticeship with her aunt Rosie, where she hopes she’ll find a way to become the next ‘Card Girl’, a high fashion model with her face all over the billboards of Karachi.
Rafina and Karachi become intertwined as the story progresses, both showing that same gutsy attitude of every man (and woman) for themselves in the dog-eat-dog world of unemployment and economic uncertainty. Through Rafina’s eyes, Karachi becomes another character in the plot, one who is constantly in the background, fueling Rafina’s hunger for success through the rise and decline of its own many, many composite parts; from the slums of Karachi to the posh residential gated colonies.
Pakistani readers will revel in the comparisons Shandana Minhas draws to a prominent Pakistani beauty guru and her chain of acolytes in the passages about Radiance, the salon where Rafina works, and its owner, Nausheen. A fair question would be; is Nausheen modelled on Nabila? You tell me :) The cut-throat beauty industry is revealed in all its shady glory as we follow Rafina’s rise to stardom after she is ‘discovered’ by the head honchos at Radiance. Given the recent shenanigans of models and starlets on social media, one is left unsurprised at the depravity Rafina encounters, something she is initially repelled by but eventually consumed in.
Shandana Minhas has created a stellar character in Rafina, making her vividly compelling, not simply a cookie-cutter sketch of a spunky up-coming teenager Mary Sue-ing her way through the plot, but one who challenges your preconceived notions of what it means to be young and ambitious in a country like Pakistan.
Many readers took issue with the ending, noting that it seemed to abrupt and came out of nowhere. To them, I say, but you have been given an ending. If you’d really like it spelled out for you, read Sanam Mehr’s ‘The Sensational Life and Death of Qandeel Baloch’. That’s not an ending I hope for Rafina, though: I hope she kicked ass and came out triumphant.
Favorite Lines:
There was another river of life, running parallel to the one she was in; it ran deeper and faster; her eyes had told her that was the one she should be submerged in; her eyes would also tell others the same.
July 23, 2018
Devastatingly honest portrayal of a woman living below poverty line, trying to make a better life for herself and her family. Plenty of humour and a heartwrenching representation of a girl with dreams. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel; I was rooting for Rafina all the way. The ending was superb and reminded me of Barbara Taylor Bradford' famous A Woman of Substance. Would tell you why but don't want to spoil it for others. This is the story of a survivor and I imagine many Pakistani girls would recognize themselves in this story.
The humour was sharp and stinging. I swallowed the digs on Punjabis...there were plenty to go around and were very funny.
The representation of the salon life, the fashion industry, and Karachi is devastatingly honest and makes this a rich read. I want to read all tour other books now. So off I go to Readings! Congratulations on writing such a wonderful woman-like rich novel and not a marriage in sight! Bravo!
The humour was sharp and stinging. I swallowed the digs on Punjabis...there were plenty to go around and were very funny.
The representation of the salon life, the fashion industry, and Karachi is devastatingly honest and makes this a rich read. I want to read all tour other books now. So off I go to Readings! Congratulations on writing such a wonderful woman-like rich novel and not a marriage in sight! Bravo!
December 18, 2018
Was I impressed by the synopsis ? Yes. Did I oogle over the cover? Yes. Yes.
On the outset of the novella Minhas gives us a glimpse of the life of Rafina, the main protagonist who inspite of not belonging to a well-off family has always dreamt of dominating the bigscreen.
I personally had a love-hate relationship with Rafina. She is an optimistic and always sees the positive of situations. On the other hand she is kind of mean and selfish and tends to hurt her mother and her aunt(who is her guide) at times. She considers her beauty to be prime and although it isn't a bad thing she kind of judges others physical appearances too. She is also indecisive at times that completely turned me off.
The writing style of the author was exemplary and kept me going on. With vivid descriptions of the places and events the book seemed to be a treat. The characterization was well off but it would have been better if the author had given some more spotlight to characters like Nawal, Kunwar(the brother of the protagonist) and Fahad.
I was fascinated by Rafina's character development but the end was abit rushed and I could have done with a few more pages to learn about how and what happened to her after the party.
My personal favorite was Rosie Khala and I adored her. Her diligence and how she guided Rafina was indeed a highlight for this book.
My Rating : 🌠 🌠 🌠.8/9
On the outset of the novella Minhas gives us a glimpse of the life of Rafina, the main protagonist who inspite of not belonging to a well-off family has always dreamt of dominating the bigscreen.
I personally had a love-hate relationship with Rafina. She is an optimistic and always sees the positive of situations. On the other hand she is kind of mean and selfish and tends to hurt her mother and her aunt(who is her guide) at times. She considers her beauty to be prime and although it isn't a bad thing she kind of judges others physical appearances too. She is also indecisive at times that completely turned me off.
The writing style of the author was exemplary and kept me going on. With vivid descriptions of the places and events the book seemed to be a treat. The characterization was well off but it would have been better if the author had given some more spotlight to characters like Nawal, Kunwar(the brother of the protagonist) and Fahad.
I was fascinated by Rafina's character development but the end was abit rushed and I could have done with a few more pages to learn about how and what happened to her after the party.
My personal favorite was Rosie Khala and I adored her. Her diligence and how she guided Rafina was indeed a highlight for this book.
My Rating : 🌠 🌠 🌠.8/9
September 25, 2018
I love this novel for how firmly it is set in the Karachi of my youth - when music channels and Vaneeza were the ish - everything felt glittery and shiny and there was hope. I think the characterization of Rafina felt a little forced, just like the urdu words inserted here and there.
The descriptions of the underworld of the parlor - Radiance (was she taking a jibe at Nabila's??) were incredible though. The processes of waxing, threading and hair dying were nothing short of visceral and beautiful juxtaposed with Rafina's filthy surroundings and where she grew up. Rafina is poverty porn but doesn't feel sorry for it's characters and that is where it triumphs.
The descriptions of the underworld of the parlor - Radiance (was she taking a jibe at Nabila's??) were incredible though. The processes of waxing, threading and hair dying were nothing short of visceral and beautiful juxtaposed with Rafina's filthy surroundings and where she grew up. Rafina is poverty porn but doesn't feel sorry for it's characters and that is where it triumphs.
September 27, 2018
Rafina was much better than I expected it to be - the blurb made me think of Other Rooms, Other Wonders and Slumchild and neither are very positive associations for me. The novel was engaging and Rafina is relatable but the ending was extremely unsatisfying and rushed.
July 19, 2018
"No one is any better or worse than anyone else"
Rafina is a story of Rafina who is an ambitious young girl living in a 2 room police quarter on the 3rd floor of service compound in Karachi, Pakistan. From the vantage of her room's window, she can see a billboard with a model's face on that and she has a dream of being on that billboard some day.
The headlights from the cars that fed the road, illuminated her bedroom walls at night & made it easier to pretend the room was a stage. With the hope that someday a man in a big car will spot her at the window & would be delighted by her beauty, comes Deputy Superintendent to tell that her father was dead. And that's when this whole journey starts.
Rafina's mother, Naz started working at a garment factory which was harming her health and thus Rafina decided that she will work from now.
She started working with her Rosie Khala (Aunt), who works at a beauty parlor and does all kind of stuff like waxing, threading etc. as an apprentice.
"What she wanted was to rise above it all, and loom over the world like the woman in the billboard."
When I first received this book, (first of all, I loved the cover) and read the synopsis, I thought 'Ok, so this book is about a girl chasing her dreams' but trust me other than some few pages of starting and ending, the whole book is about waxing, threading, manicure and all other beauty stuff and tea.
If you want to read how she became what she wants to be, then read the last 3 pages!
In spite of being a short read of 163 pages, neither it entertains you nor it makes you wiser. Though it can be your lethargic noon read.
I would've loved the book if the ending would be different or if the book is a bit lengthier to relate all things because when you read the book and you're at the sake of finishing it, you'll feel like that after 160 pages, Shandana has written only because she has to complete the book!
2/5 stars from me!
Rafina is a story of Rafina who is an ambitious young girl living in a 2 room police quarter on the 3rd floor of service compound in Karachi, Pakistan. From the vantage of her room's window, she can see a billboard with a model's face on that and she has a dream of being on that billboard some day.
The headlights from the cars that fed the road, illuminated her bedroom walls at night & made it easier to pretend the room was a stage. With the hope that someday a man in a big car will spot her at the window & would be delighted by her beauty, comes Deputy Superintendent to tell that her father was dead. And that's when this whole journey starts.
Rafina's mother, Naz started working at a garment factory which was harming her health and thus Rafina decided that she will work from now.
She started working with her Rosie Khala (Aunt), who works at a beauty parlor and does all kind of stuff like waxing, threading etc. as an apprentice.
"What she wanted was to rise above it all, and loom over the world like the woman in the billboard."
When I first received this book, (first of all, I loved the cover) and read the synopsis, I thought 'Ok, so this book is about a girl chasing her dreams' but trust me other than some few pages of starting and ending, the whole book is about waxing, threading, manicure and all other beauty stuff and tea.
If you want to read how she became what she wants to be, then read the last 3 pages!
In spite of being a short read of 163 pages, neither it entertains you nor it makes you wiser. Though it can be your lethargic noon read.
I would've loved the book if the ending would be different or if the book is a bit lengthier to relate all things because when you read the book and you're at the sake of finishing it, you'll feel like that after 160 pages, Shandana has written only because she has to complete the book!
2/5 stars from me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2018
This lovely novella by Shandana Minhas is a great book to read on a relaxed evening with a cup of tea. I’m glad I picked this up, I was in a reading slumber and this genuinely put me out of it. The easy smooth flowing narrative with some outrageously witty and funny comments just kept me hooked and I managed to finish it in one go!
A bit about Rafina, she’s a beautiful, clever a bit narcissistic Pakistani girl who looks at the billboard outside her window in Karachi and dreams of being on one someday. It takes a lot of misadventures from working as a clumsy parlour assistant, to mostly dependable tea girl to get where she dreamed of despite everybody who tries to meddle and stand in the way.
The character portrayal does justice to her roots, it’s quite realistic added with the effortless writing style of author which doesn’t need to beg for your attention because you are all ears for the story from start made it a perfect read for me. The usp of this book is that it stays devastatingly honest about the situation of a woman living below poverty line, with crude inner thoughts portrayed without edits that might shock you that the character has uttered something of this sort or even offend you but is the honest portrayal of Rafina.
A bit about Rafina, she’s a beautiful, clever a bit narcissistic Pakistani girl who looks at the billboard outside her window in Karachi and dreams of being on one someday. It takes a lot of misadventures from working as a clumsy parlour assistant, to mostly dependable tea girl to get where she dreamed of despite everybody who tries to meddle and stand in the way.
The character portrayal does justice to her roots, it’s quite realistic added with the effortless writing style of author which doesn’t need to beg for your attention because you are all ears for the story from start made it a perfect read for me. The usp of this book is that it stays devastatingly honest about the situation of a woman living below poverty line, with crude inner thoughts portrayed without edits that might shock you that the character has uttered something of this sort or even offend you but is the honest portrayal of Rafina.
September 22, 2020
From the beginning of the story, you have this urge to root for Rafina. She’s strong-willed, she’s hard working and has a natural buoyancy in her character, why wouldn’t one wish fate was more accommodating to her needs?
Rafina, aspiring to be someone famous, like the billboard girl whom she has conversations with, accompanies her Aunt Rosie as her apprentice to learn the tricks of the trade in the beauty business. But the beauty business is not as beautiful as the people working hard to be beautiful, and the people making them beautiful working even harder. Minhas takes you to through the journey of belief of a young girl who preservers even after ridiculed for not being enough. Although, it’s a story of an ordinary girl making it in the modeling business, it feels a bit unoriginal, the narrative was compelling and interesting. It took a couple of hours to finish the novella. Easy straightforward language, minimal detail to surroundings and focusing mostly on the protagonists voice, Rafina was an enjoyable read.
July 28, 2018
*An ARC was provided to me by the publisher. This review is in no way influenced by that fact. Thank you Pan Macmillan India.*
When I first saw the cover of this book, I was elated! It was super pretty and the story sounded really good and I was so excited to find out more about Rafina. One of the reasons was also that it was based in Pakistan and I wanted to see that perspective as well. The author had even been nominated for several prestigious awards. But, in one word, this book was disappointing.
The thing is, there are different type of people in the world: kind, cruel, self obsessed, narcissistic, nerdy and I can go on with the list of adjectives. Similarly, there are different types of characters in books.
Rafina is like everyone, with dreams to touch the sky and be famous but she is cruel, self-obsessed, narcissistic, arrogant and an all rounder jerk. Being poor doesn’t give anyone the right to be a douchebag. When people read books, they are influenced by what they are reading. This book had so much potential and it was all wasted. I didn’t understand the use of this book at all. I know this is a novella and they are supposed to be short but they are supposed to make sense too! More than 100 pages were literally wasted in explaining waxing and all the rude things Rafina had to say about people around her.
There was one twist on page 117 but frankly speaking, I didn’t understand the need for it yet again. When finally something happens for Rafina, the book ends abruptly and dayum that ending! I didn’t like that at all.
I had to force myself to read this book and it was just so degrading towards females that I didn’t feel like reading it.
Instead of complaining about everything, I’ll try to give some suggestions from my side on how improve this novel (well this is already here but some pointers on how it could have been better).
First of all, do something with that plot! Please don’t talk about only one thing for more than half the duration of the novel. Too much world building with no world as such built.
Second, if you are an author, you are also acting as an influencer. Please, don’ make your protagonist so mean and cruel for no reason.
Third, I understand we live in a dark world and I’m not asking for rainbows and unicorns but does Rafina had to be shown in such a light, including the last part of the novel.
With an enticing cover and blurb, this book failed to live upto my expectations.
Peace out. Byee!
When I first saw the cover of this book, I was elated! It was super pretty and the story sounded really good and I was so excited to find out more about Rafina. One of the reasons was also that it was based in Pakistan and I wanted to see that perspective as well. The author had even been nominated for several prestigious awards. But, in one word, this book was disappointing.
The thing is, there are different type of people in the world: kind, cruel, self obsessed, narcissistic, nerdy and I can go on with the list of adjectives. Similarly, there are different types of characters in books.
Rafina is like everyone, with dreams to touch the sky and be famous but she is cruel, self-obsessed, narcissistic, arrogant and an all rounder jerk. Being poor doesn’t give anyone the right to be a douchebag. When people read books, they are influenced by what they are reading. This book had so much potential and it was all wasted. I didn’t understand the use of this book at all. I know this is a novella and they are supposed to be short but they are supposed to make sense too! More than 100 pages were literally wasted in explaining waxing and all the rude things Rafina had to say about people around her.
There was one twist on page 117 but frankly speaking, I didn’t understand the need for it yet again. When finally something happens for Rafina, the book ends abruptly and dayum that ending! I didn’t like that at all.
I had to force myself to read this book and it was just so degrading towards females that I didn’t feel like reading it.
Instead of complaining about everything, I’ll try to give some suggestions from my side on how improve this novel (well this is already here but some pointers on how it could have been better).
First of all, do something with that plot! Please don’t talk about only one thing for more than half the duration of the novel. Too much world building with no world as such built.
Second, if you are an author, you are also acting as an influencer. Please, don’ make your protagonist so mean and cruel for no reason.
Third, I understand we live in a dark world and I’m not asking for rainbows and unicorns but does Rafina had to be shown in such a light, including the last part of the novel.
With an enticing cover and blurb, this book failed to live upto my expectations.
Peace out. Byee!
August 9, 2018
This novella takes one through the life altering events in Rafina's life. She is a young girl who feels her beauty will take her places. But the reality of life is completely different. The girl on the hoarding inspires her everyday to dream big! And thus Rafina quits her education and decides to work in a salon where she hopes she will get her miraculous big break while helping her widowed mother in running their humble household. .
.
The book came off as a rather clichè one to me, but I just hoped that maybe- it would be funny or full of satire. There were definitely moments where I felt empathic towards her, but by and large, I found the lead character to be quite shallow and superficial. Perhaps that was intentional, as the book shows the gap between the privileged and the ones who are striving hard to make ends meet. It shows how the thinking of people from different economic stratas are completely different. It shows how much appearances and the way a person looks seems to matter to certain people.
Apart from this, the book was an average read. It stuck to all the clichè ideas that one has of the glamour world with absolutely no new or interesting insights. The plot was pretty average too, nothing amazing there either.
However, what did surprise me was how I had always imagined a predominantly Muslim Country like the one in the book would have a much more conservative approach to fashion and glamour, but that clearly isn't the case. It seems a lot similar to what we see in the rest of the world. The book really lacked something- I can't point out to what it could be. Perhaps a spark of uniqueness? Maybe something that really made me feel like "hey, now I did not expect that". Every book should leave you with something, this book left me with nothing.It just made me more vary of the fact that one needs to get down and dirty to make it big. Which am really hoping isn't the case. .
.
Overall, a pretty clichè and ordinary book. Doesn't particularly bore you, but it doesn't promise fireworks of any sort either.
.
The book came off as a rather clichè one to me, but I just hoped that maybe- it would be funny or full of satire. There were definitely moments where I felt empathic towards her, but by and large, I found the lead character to be quite shallow and superficial. Perhaps that was intentional, as the book shows the gap between the privileged and the ones who are striving hard to make ends meet. It shows how the thinking of people from different economic stratas are completely different. It shows how much appearances and the way a person looks seems to matter to certain people.
Apart from this, the book was an average read. It stuck to all the clichè ideas that one has of the glamour world with absolutely no new or interesting insights. The plot was pretty average too, nothing amazing there either.
However, what did surprise me was how I had always imagined a predominantly Muslim Country like the one in the book would have a much more conservative approach to fashion and glamour, but that clearly isn't the case. It seems a lot similar to what we see in the rest of the world. The book really lacked something- I can't point out to what it could be. Perhaps a spark of uniqueness? Maybe something that really made me feel like "hey, now I did not expect that". Every book should leave you with something, this book left me with nothing.It just made me more vary of the fact that one needs to get down and dirty to make it big. Which am really hoping isn't the case. .
.
Overall, a pretty clichè and ordinary book. Doesn't particularly bore you, but it doesn't promise fireworks of any sort either.
July 25, 2018
I bought this book at the book launch in Karachi (a very enjoyable event!) and although my tastes usually include fantasy books, Rafina held my interest from the first page. The author's writing style is descriptive while still being pleasant and simple to follow. Rafina is a all of us when we were teens, her I'm-better-than-you-at-this-XYZ-thing, saying things and regretting them immediately, dreaming way too big. I've often felt we hate the characters who remind us of ourselves, and Rafina proves that; her vainness is irksome, but we've all been there, whether we openly admit or not. Rafina's gossipy inner voice brought humour to the story and she made a very good narrator.
The only thing I really didn't like was the ending (rather the last paragraph), it felt emotionless, like words had just been thrown on the paper, and created a disconnect between the reader and the character, are we to believe that
Rafina is a good read, plus a beautiful cover, I would recommend it for anyone looking to briefly hop into a different-but-not-really world.
The only thing I really didn't like was the ending (rather the last paragraph), it felt emotionless, like words had just been thrown on the paper, and created a disconnect between the reader and the character, are we to believe that
Rafina is a good read, plus a beautiful cover, I would recommend it for anyone looking to briefly hop into a different-but-not-really world.
June 30, 2018
A complete disappointment. I read the summary and I was so excited to read this book but the book and the writing failed me. I continued reading this book to the end to find out if it gets better but it only got worse. It was getting better in the middle when Rafina was beginning to realize what her aunt meant to her but...you know how some people kill the moments. The character and the writing as done as it was, killed every good moment possible with ignorance and poor representation. In my opinion, the book has a flawed idea about sexual orientations, sexuality, women, confidence. Maybe the author wanted the support of the dark and skinny girls who are so hated by the popular media but it doesn't mean you can pull other women down to feel superior. Plus, the book actually shames people who are overweight. How is anyone's weight your problem?? And the ending. oh my fucking God. It is so terrible. I did not like the book at all. I promised an honest review. So, here it is.
August 5, 2018
Maybe the author was aiming for realistic (read: dark and twisted) closure to Rafina’s dreaming ... but i for one am disappointed ... !
What could have been a great attempt to showcase and tell a story of a strong & independent girl who dares to dream and fulfil its an almost blabbering attempt to her life reaching a point due to fate, people around Rafina (like Rosie Khala) and very convenient (read: cliched) scenarios ... !!
Extremely let down ... because this story REALLY has potential and could have gone 100 different ways !!
What could have been a great attempt to showcase and tell a story of a strong & independent girl who dares to dream and fulfil its an almost blabbering attempt to her life reaching a point due to fate, people around Rafina (like Rosie Khala) and very convenient (read: cliched) scenarios ... !!
Extremely let down ... because this story REALLY has potential and could have gone 100 different ways !!
July 24, 2018
Rafina is an ordinary girl daring to see extraordinary dreams with her open eyes.
Her zest to become successful in life takes her on a smooth-sailing ride to explore the key players in the industry (fashion) she hopes to work in. From being a salon girl to becoming the ramp model for an impending commercial consumer product, Rafina is ready to give in everything to fulfill her dreams and take her family far away from the poverty-stricken life. Will she succeed in her mission? Find out by reading Rafina's story which has been told in an extremely funny yet poignant way.
This is the first book I've read by Shandana Minhas. After having read this book, I would love to explore other works from her.
I wish her all the best with her future endeavors.
Her zest to become successful in life takes her on a smooth-sailing ride to explore the key players in the industry (fashion) she hopes to work in. From being a salon girl to becoming the ramp model for an impending commercial consumer product, Rafina is ready to give in everything to fulfill her dreams and take her family far away from the poverty-stricken life. Will she succeed in her mission? Find out by reading Rafina's story which has been told in an extremely funny yet poignant way.
This is the first book I've read by Shandana Minhas. After having read this book, I would love to explore other works from her.
I wish her all the best with her future endeavors.
March 6, 2025
Well written. It could have been better off as a novel than a novella, because although it was ten chapters, it was still lengthy. Yet at the same time dark academia Karachi vibes felt looming in each sentence with pigeons and billboards of Card Girl.
June 27, 2018
Wasnt up to my expectations!
August 9, 2018
Enjoyable short read. She captures Rafina's desperation to rise above her lot and ambition very well.
October 21, 2023
... she was really just a burnt matchstick that thought it was a candle.
Rafina, Shandana Minhas
Rafina, Shandana Minhas
November 28, 2018
Shandana Minhas
Rafina is an amazing book, describing the journey of Rafina who dreams of becoming a model/billboard girl. She is too poor for college and dismissive of marriage, the clear-eyed young woman cajoles her mother's friend and Radiance beauty parlour masseuse, Rosie Khala, into taking her on as an apprentice.
.
She encounters people in Radiance - Nausheen, PJ, Nawal, Uzi, who are shown to be of various shades. Rafina has a good, but not great, relationship with all of them. She's shown to be optimistic always about her future. She loves Rosie Khala like her mother, and is devastated when she dies.
.
Overall, I enjoyed this journey of Rafina from beauty parlour to billboards and TV commercials.
.
I have seen other reviewers not liking it, but to be honest, I loved it. I really liked Rafina’s simplicity, her yearning for becoming a model. She struggles to be in good looks of Nausheen, PJ, Nawal and sometimes gets a scolding from these three. Rafina’s mother is shown to be too busy in her son & her ignoring Rafina. So, Rafina finds solace in Rosie Khala.
Overall, this book was a good journey of Rafina from a beauty parlour to the modelling industry of Pakistan. I loved the book. Looking forward to read other books by the author. ❤
Rafina is an amazing book, describing the journey of Rafina who dreams of becoming a model/billboard girl. She is too poor for college and dismissive of marriage, the clear-eyed young woman cajoles her mother's friend and Radiance beauty parlour masseuse, Rosie Khala, into taking her on as an apprentice.
.
She encounters people in Radiance - Nausheen, PJ, Nawal, Uzi, who are shown to be of various shades. Rafina has a good, but not great, relationship with all of them. She's shown to be optimistic always about her future. She loves Rosie Khala like her mother, and is devastated when she dies.
.
Overall, I enjoyed this journey of Rafina from beauty parlour to billboards and TV commercials.
.
I have seen other reviewers not liking it, but to be honest, I loved it. I really liked Rafina’s simplicity, her yearning for becoming a model. She struggles to be in good looks of Nausheen, PJ, Nawal and sometimes gets a scolding from these three. Rafina’s mother is shown to be too busy in her son & her ignoring Rafina. So, Rafina finds solace in Rosie Khala.
Overall, this book was a good journey of Rafina from a beauty parlour to the modelling industry of Pakistan. I loved the book. Looking forward to read other books by the author. ❤
Read
November 30, 2020From the beginning of the story, you have this urge to root for Rafina. She’s strong-willed, she’s hard working and has a natural buoyancy in her character, why wouldn’t one wish fate was more accommodating to her needs?
Rafina, aspiring to be someone famous, like the billboard girl whom she has conversations with, accompanies her Aunt Rosie as her apprentice to learn the tricks of the trade in the beauty business. But the beauty business is not as beautiful as the people working hard to be beautiful, and the people making them beautiful working even harder. Minhas takes you to through the journey of belief of a young girl who preservers even after ridiculed for not being enough. Although, it’s a story of an ordinary girl making it in the modeling business, it feels a bit unoriginal, the narrative was compelling and interesting. It took a couple of hours to finish the novella. Easy straightforward language, minimal detail to surroundings and focusing mostly on the protagonists voice, Rafina was an enjoyable read.
June 29, 2018
Reading the praises for her previous works, I had expected a lot from this book but there wasn't much substance in it. A little flat
Read
July 4, 2018Read my complete review - http://www.diaryofabookgirl.in/2018/0...
Through this book, the author Shandana Minhas gives the readers a glimpse into the dirty works of this industry.
The book also tells about the relationship that these women have between themselves while working in the industry. They have no one but each other to hold on to. I loved how Rafina's previously held cynical view of Rosie Khala changes into admiration once she sees how Rosie Khala is helping her throughout her journey.
The little mentions of Rafina's family's skepticism about her work, her neighbours' constant teasing and jealousy, her colleagues' indifferences when she worked as a tea girl and her own naivete thoughts about her being the best amongst all, adds flavour to this novella.
Through this book, the author Shandana Minhas gives the readers a glimpse into the dirty works of this industry.
The book also tells about the relationship that these women have between themselves while working in the industry. They have no one but each other to hold on to. I loved how Rafina's previously held cynical view of Rosie Khala changes into admiration once she sees how Rosie Khala is helping her throughout her journey.
The little mentions of Rafina's family's skepticism about her work, her neighbours' constant teasing and jealousy, her colleagues' indifferences when she worked as a tea girl and her own naivete thoughts about her being the best amongst all, adds flavour to this novella.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews