This Green and Pleasant Land

by Ayisha Malik

Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781785767548


Accountant Bilal Hasham and his journalist wife, Mariam, plod along contentedly in the sleepy, chocolate box village they've lived in for eight years.

Then Bilal is summoned to his dying mother's bedside in Birmingham. Sakeena Hasham is not long for this world but refuses to leave it until she ensures that her son remembers who he is: a Muslim, however much he tries to ignore it. She has a final request. Instead of whispering her prayers in her dying moments, she instructs Bilal to go home to his village, Babbels End, and build a mosque.

Mariam is horrified. The villagers are outraged. How can a grieving Bilal choose between honouring his beloved mum's last wish and preserving everything held dear in the village he calls home?

But it turns out home means different things to different people.

Battle lines are drawn and this traditional little community becomes the colourful canvas on which the most current and fundamental questions of identity, friendship, family and togetherness are played out.

What makes us who we are, who do we want to be, and how far would we go to fight for it?

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Audiobook, Adult, British Literature, Religion

454 pages, Hardcover

First published June 13, 2019

About the author

Ayisha is a British Muslim, lifelong Londoner, and lover of books. She read English Literature and went on to complete an MA in Creative Writing (though told most of her family it was an MA in English Literature – Creative Writing is not a subject, after all.) She has spent various spells teaching, photocopying, volunteering and being a publicist. Now, when she isn’t searching for a jar of Nutella in her cupboards, she divides her time between writing and being managing editor at Cornerstones Literary Consultancy.

Ayisha is one of WH Smith's Fresh Talent picks, Winter 2016.

'Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged' is her first novel and will be published by Bonnier in Jan 2016.

'Fun, Fresh and Funny' – MHAIRI MCFARLANE, bestselling author of 'You Had Me At Hello.'

'Malik achieves the perfect balance of romance and humour' – INDEPENDENT

'In creating a host of characters that are normal in their abnormality, relatable yet individual, Malik is undoubtedly making a difference.' – NEW STATESMAN

'Thoroughly engaging and laugh-out-loud funny from the off, this witty, unapologetic, honest, fun and feisty tale fully deserves the buzz it's getting' – HEAT MAGAZINE

'Feisty, funny and relatable it’s the feminist romantic comedy you’ve been waiting for' – ELLE MAGAZINE

'This fictional diary of the dating travails of one righteous romantic is snort-diet-Coke-out-of-your-nostrils funny and will resonate with any woman who’s looking for love' – RED MAGAZINE

'...an entertaining debut with laugh-out-loud moments – a contemporary love story you won't want to miss' – CANDIS MAGAZINE

'Refreshing and funny' – SUNDAY MIRROR

'Fun, feisty and addictive. It deserves to be read' – IRISH EXAMINER

'A courageous, revealing, fiendishly funny and important book. Genuinely ground-breaking” – VASEEM KHAN, bestselling author of 'The Unexpected Inheritance of Mr Chopra'

'...everything about this novel challenges expectations...a sharp, funny but ultimately very normal portrait of life as a British Muslim' THE NATIONAL

'Must-read... Liven up your daily commute or boost your bedtime routine with [this] page-turner' – MARIE CLAIRE

'Best of the New Books Hot List... For fans of Bridget Jones’s Diary' – GRAZIA

Part of 'a new wave of female-focussed fiction... Bridget Jones-esque' – STYLIST

Reviews

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, amazing, amazing.

[Leena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is honestly one of the best books I've ever read - the characterisation was wonderful, it's beautifully written, easy to read, meticulously paced... it's the book we need for this next decade, and I can't wait to read absolutely everything Ayisha Malik writes in future. If you haven't read this book yet, you must.

[K.J. Charles]

An absolute cracker. Bilal is a very-British-indeed Muslim living in an Ambridge-like idyllic village, on the parish council, all that. He believes he's entirely at home, until his mother's dying wish is for him to build a mosque, he suggests it to the village, and the fault lines start to show.

This is a tremendous ensemble book--uncertain Bilal, his frustrated wife, her bereaved best friend, the angry village busybodies, the less-good-than-he-hopes vicar. Absorbing, often very funny indeed as one would expect from this author while tackling some really serious stuff abut the hurt done to Bilal and his family. Written with massive kindness and compassion (which is not the same as softness, there's a lot of sharp edges) throughout.

A fantastic book about community and family and expectations, and being middle aged and wondering where your life started drifting away from you, and realising that other people are really not as good as you hoped but in fact nor are you. Which is a lot, along with racism and Islamophobia and insularity, and makes it all the more a triumph that this reads as fluently and enjoyably as a light comedy. A terrific accomplishment.

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored the whole story.
I wanted to read This Green and Pleasant Land, because Ayisha Malik is one of my favourite authors after reading, The Other Half of Happiness. This time I decided to read in the quiet in my bed at night, with my iPad and iPhone switched off downstairs out of sight.

I love reading about different cultures. Well I can honestly say Ayisha should win awards for this story. The cover in my view is peaceful with a mosque in a village and the beautiful green & blue sea in the horizon.

Tears were in my eyes reading the sad account of Bilal's mother dying. Just before his mother died she whispered build a mosque in their village. Bilal is a husband and father to their son Haaris, who doesn't speak any Punjabi. His wife Mariam writes for the district paper. Bilal's aunt comes to stay with them. And why in the early hours of the morning is Bilal digging a hole in their garden? Bilal has made a decision he needs to tell the village where he and his family live in Babble's End that he wants to build a mosque.

A lovely book that explores many themes of the Muslim society, that's why I truly loved this story and totally recommend it. I'm looking forward to reading my next book by Ayisha Malik.

[Bookphenomena (Micky) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was a poignant, real and sometimes witty story about legacy, identity, community separation and togetherness. THIS GREEN AND PLEASANT LAND centred on community and family. This was an own voices exploration of muslim main characters navigating an often stuffy English village life. It was enjoyable and kept my attention most of the time.

Bilal and his family were navigating a recent bereavement, deathbed promises and guilt built on top of that legacy. Bilal decided that this promise to build a mosque in his little patch of England would be followed through and the journey to seeing this to fruition was the meat of this story. The characters around Bilal, his family, his community connections were witty and rich, full of prejudice and yet sometimes supportive. These characters were an eclectic mix and some were just plain eccentric.

What engaged me most was the laughs it brought to me as I identified with the struggles that Bilal had with the people around him and just how hard this goal would be to achieve. The descriptions and dialogue were rich and vibrant. The story gentle wove the familial and community philosophies, prejudices and politics into everyday life; just as it really is. An enjoyable read.

I had a eARC and audio review copy and so I did a combination read of both. The narration was good throughout and captured the nuances of the characters and dialogue, so I would recommend both formats.

Thank you to Compulsive Readers Tours and Zaffre for the early review copies.

This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Blog.

[Lauren James · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Gifted]

A very timely and compassionate look at the current cultural feeling surrounding Muslims in the UK, specifically near Birmingham. I'm from a small village in the West Midlands, so this hit so close to home for me, and was quite difficult to read at times, This is a difficult topic to deal with, and Ayisha handled it with eloquence and dignity, mixing the bad and the good to create an ultimately uplifting narrative.

[Rachel (not currently receiving notifications) Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perceptive, prescient & riotously funny look at grief, faith, Britain today & the place we call home. Superb!

On a superficial level The Green and Pleasant Land is Ayisha Malik’s riotously funny exploration of twenty-first century Britain, what it means to be British and what makes a place our home. But at root it is so much more that a simple feel-good read and what makes it shine is the stories unexpected depth, for it is also a sensitive, thought-provoking and unforgettable look at grief, faith, identity and culture. When the questions aren’t just theoretical, actions really do speak louder than words for the citizens of Babbel’s End and when the idea of building a mosque is proposed it proves a stretch too far for some villagers and controversy ensues..

As Rawalpindi born sixty-three-year-old, Sakeena Hasham, lies on her death bed after thirty-six years of living in a Birmingham suburb with her younger sister, Rukhsana, she contemplates her legacy and the future of her son, Bilal. Unassuming and moderate Bilal is a successful accountant but since his move to the obscure village of Babbel’s End in the West Plimpton countryside eight years ago she can’t help but think he has lost something of himself and perhaps forgotten his faith. A place of village greens, parish council meetings and multiple churches, Sakeena’s final request is that her son, Bilal, shows the village of Babbel’s End “our Islam” by building a mosque and returns to what she considers that most important thing in his life: his faith.

Six months on and a grieving Bilal starts to wonder if his present life has detached him from his past and perhaps he really should attempt to make his mother’s wishes come true. Surely the building of a mosque would be the ultimate symbol of how far the country has come? Or maybe not, as suddenly Bilal Hasham and his family are sticking out for the very thing they didn’t ever want them to be known for... being different. Local journalist wife of ten years, Mariam, is horrified as the families Muslim and Pakistani heritage has been purely anecdotal until now and whilst she might be questioning her marriage and love for Bilal she is in no doubt that the village is not in need of a mosque and forced to conclude that it is another worrying manifestation of her husband’s grief. Mariam can anticipate and readily empathise with the outraged reactions of the villagers and the sentiment that a decade after welcoming the Hasham’s to call the village their home, Bilal might be rocking the boat. Known locally as Bill, a member of the parish council and a popular local figure, everything is about to change as attitudes harden, opinions are divided and unexpected hostility rears its head in easy-going Bilal’s direction.

As sides are taken, battle lines are drawn and marriages, friendships and loyalties tested, the sedate village of Babbel’s End becomes a hotbed of controversy set to capture the nations attention. But what does the future look like for the quintessentially English village and more importantly, will the locals ever be able to repair the damage caused by their discord? From arguments about preserving the heritage of the village to threats that it will spoil the landscape and become some kind of Mecca for radical extremists, it turns out each and every villager has their own ideas on what makes a home. Cracks suddenly start to appear in the harmonious village life and the idea of embracing change finds some very surprising opponents.

As practical steps are set in motion by Bilal, his recuperating houseguest and aunt, Rukshana, struggles to make sense of the local divisions, and the humour is ever present; from Rukshana’ literal translations, Mariam’s cynical reflections on life and relationships and Haaris’ snarky asides, which together combine to inject the narrative with a spirited humour.

As the eyes of the nation turn to Babbel’s End, news commentators, social media and Twitter opinions wade in and protests begin, the colourful residents of Babbel’s End experience a variety of responses to Bilal’s ambitions. From sanctimonious former headteacher and vocal president of the parish council, Shelley Hawking, to well travelled elderly farmer, Margaret, grieving inconsolable mother, Anne Lark, her unruly pensioner father, Tom, and the thoroughly modern and inclusive vicar questioning his own faith (Reverend Richard), the proposal prompts a variety of reactions. However it is the generosity of spirit, compassion and understanding of Rukshana (Bilal’s aunt) that really surprises and makes this such a poignant story. From her warmth, empathy and willingness to learn the language and consider Babbel’s End her home and its residents her friends, she is a focal point for the entire story.

Malik writes brilliantly and her prose is full of insight and wry observations with an eye for the human condition. My reservation that the story would veer on the side of preachy or tedious political correctness proved unfounded and the characters are no mere stereotypes and actually evolve as their hair-trigger reactions are questioned, their capacity for tolerance challenged and attitudes confronted in some dramatic ways.

An acutely perceptive, sensitively observed and ultimately tender exploration of prejudice and integration in twenty-first century Britain and a memorable drama of unexpected depth in an ever changing world. The denouement comes together in a credible way, without feeling like an attempt to “play nice”, paper over the differences in opinion or dodge the issues and is impressively managed. Guaranteed to test every reader’s preconceptions and simultaneously provide a comprehensive and relatable introduction into the Muslim faith.


With thanks to Readers First who provided me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Andrea Gagne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cozy book about racism and Islamophobia in a lovely rural English village - it doesn't sound like a concept that should work, but it actually really does.

Bilal sits by his dying mother's side in Birmingham as she makes her final wish: for Bilal to build a mosque in Babbel's End, the small English village where he lives with his wife Mariam and stepson Haaris. They are the only non-white family in town, but for the most part that hasn't felt like an issue - they've largely felt accepted, even if there are a few awkward moments here and there. But when Bilal brings the idea of the mosque to the village council, people's true feelings start to come out - and it isn't pretty.

In addition to getting to know Bilal and Mariam, we get to see through the eyes of a wide range of villagers: Reverend Richard, Shelley the "Karen", Tom and Anne who lost their son/grandson to drug overdose, Margaret the performative ally, and - my personal favorite - Khala Rukhsana who comes back to the village with Bilal after his mother (Rukhsana's sister) passes away in Birmingham. Seeing her transition from the city to rural life is really quite beautiful and was by far my favorite subplot.

The descriptions of the village were so lovely and immersive, and I felt swept away to the rolling verdant hills, blooming flowers, and morning mist of the English countryside.

The racism was real, and not shied away from at all. I won't gloss over that fact - it's painful to see the intolerance and hate fester and grow as the mob mentality spreads. Khala Rukhsana brought a bit of nuance to some of the conversations - she was willing to both hope for the best in people, and understand when they didn't live up to her hopes. There were questions around what makes a place a home. But despite all these heavy topics, the book didn't feel heavy. I thought that was all very well done.

I will say that one element at the end felt like it came out of nowhere. But no spoilers! It wasn't annoying enough to make me feel differently about my love for this book.

4.5 stars, rounded up

[aqilahreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

this green and pleasant land is the prescient tale of bilal, a middle-class british muslim and his quest to fulfil his mother's dying wish that he builds a mosque in the sleepy english village of babbel's end.

really enjoyed this!! i love the idea of bilal fulfilling his mother's dying wish of building a mosque in where he lives & the things he had to go through in order to do so. as a muslim, its really heartwarming to see a muslim character/representation and ayisha executes it well. i really like the different characters too that comes together very well. its abit rushing at the end but overall such an easy and beautiful read. it emphasizes how important it is to understand one another and really made me think a lot about compassion & friendships.

// thank you so much to my friend, wan ting, for the recommendation!!! 💚🙆‍♀️

[Jenny Cooke (Bookish Shenanigans) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book about a mother who, on her deathbed, gives her son the mission to build a mosque in a quintessential English village. Entertaining while also allowing issues of racism, islamophobia and the slipperiness of British identity to be explored. I loved it.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this eProof for free from Bonnier Zaffre via NetGalley for the purposes of providing an honest review.

Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features death, grief, discussion of drug use, racism and Islamophobia.

Quotes are to be added to this review, once I can check them against a final copy.

Having loved the Sofia Khan duology, I've been really excited to read Ayisha Malik's next book ever since I first heard of it. This Green and Pleasant Land is in some ways quite the departure from Malik's previous books, but it's bloody incredible.

On the surface, This Green and Pleasant Land is about Bilal wanting to build a mosque in his village, Babbel's End, to honour his mother's dying wish, which his community are completely against it. But dig a little deeper, and this is a story about people. People, and their own stories. While This Green and Pleasant Land tackles important topics, it's still written with Malik's trademark wit, with humour throughout. But even so, at times this is a very difficult book to read, as we face the racism and Islamophobia Bilal and his family have to face from those who passionately object to the idea that they have somewhere to go and worship. White it had me laughing out loud at times, it also had me raging.

This Green and Pleasant Land is narrated by five characters. Bilal, who isn't sure whether he's just trying to build a mosque just to do as his mum asked, or if he actually wants a mosque, as he's not exactly a practicing Muslim. The lines get blurred the more the people of Babbel's End argue against it - why shouldn't he and his family have a place to worship? All the while, trying to deal with his nervous constitution, and the fact that his wife, Mariam, seems to be growing ever distant. Mariam isn't happy, but she can't exactly work out why, what she wants, or what exactly it is that she feels. Her ex-husband, Saif, is back in their lives, now wanting contact with their son, Haaris, and bringing back all kinds of memories. Wrestling with her confusion becomes harder when Bilal announces he wants to build a mosque, which affects the way they're treated - the way her son is treated - by the people they considered friends, or were at least friendly with. But as tempers rise, she finds herself just as determined to fight for this mosque, despite not knowing what she wants otherwise. Rukhsana is Bilal's aunt, his mother's sister, who comes to live with them from Birmingham after she has a fall and needs looking after. Rukhsana lives quite a quiet life; she never really left the house she lived in with her sister, speaks barely any English, and has living with immense sadness ever since her husband died one week into their marriage many years ago. She's so happy Bilal is trying to build a mosque for his mother, but finds the anger of others confusing. She forms an, at first tentative, unlikely friendship with Shelley, which comes to mean a great deal. Richard is Babbel's End's vicar, and Bilal's best friend. He is torn between his automatic unease at the thought of having a mosque in their town, and his role as a vicar which argues that everyone should have a place to worship, as well as his friendship with Bilal, and wanting to support him. And then there's his unresolved feelings for Anne, a woman in the village he was quite good friends with, until her son died several months ago. Then there is Shelley, leader of the Parish Council, who could not be more against the idea of a mosque in their quaint, normal, English village, and aggresively organises the people of Babbel's End to campaign against the mosque. She has an unhappy home life, and despite the language barrier, and their differing opinions on the mosque, forms an important and meaningful friendship with Rukhsana.

As I've said, This Green and Pleasant Land is about far more than about a Muslim family wanting to build a mosque in their village, and despite how awful things do get, it's actually a really very beautiful story. I just completely adored it. Malik has been very clever in giving us multiple narrators, plus other side characters, who all have their own stories. Because you do feel for most people; you grow to like them and become invested in their own lives and how things will work out for them, all the while, really hoping the mosque gets built. Malik humanises characters that are just bloody awful. Because the way people the Hashams knew and liked completely turn on them is despicable. They're after having a building built - yes, a place of worship, a building with meaning and importance, but a building all the same. And now they're either being ignored completely, or having people turn cold. They're having people tell them a mosque isn't English, it's going to be an eyesore, it's too different and too other. And the way people talk about them behind their back is disgraceful. They're anonymously told to go home. It made me so, so angry, and then so very sad, my heart breaking for a family who just wanted a place to worship - for people who are constantly told they don't belong. They're not English enough, not white, and not Christian, so this is not their home.

I really need to talk specifically about Shelley. The amount of patience Malik must have to write a character like her. Because she is a person, she does have things going on in her own life, she's not just a cardboard cutout racist or Islamophobic person. At first, before Bilal announced he wanted to build a mosque, I didn't like her in an enjoyable way - she was the character I loved to hate. She was so judgemental, I could imagine her disdainfully sniffing at how other people live their lives in a way she doesn't agree with. She has an opinion on almost everything, and she has a very "holier than thou" attitude. And Malik wrote her in a way that I couldn't help but laugh at her, because she was just so ridiculous. But then Bilal announces his intentions, and Shelley goes from laughable to absolutely disgusting. And oh my god, she had me raging, along with everyone who agreed with her. Whenever something controversial happens on Twitter and people of colour are giving a teachable moment, I've often read someone say, "I didn't call you a racist, I said what you did/said was racist." Us white people can screw up because of our privilege and not actually realise what we have said/done was racist, without actually being a racist person. I was hoping this was the case for Shelley, but it wasn't. While she genuinely believes she's not racist or Islamophobic, she is. She is an awful, awful woman. While there are things that she wouldn't do or say, or the actions and words of others that she doesn't agree with, and finds quite horrifying, she's still disgusting. And I am amazed that Malik spent the amount of time it took to write this book with this character, and wrote her with patience and kindness. Writing a character who treats people like yourself terribly, and also humanising her, giving her own story, have readers feel for her, despite the awful things she does... it's amazing, and I'm in awe of Malik for being able to write such a character and have us try to understand her when she's so vile.

Yes, she has her own story, and yes she forms this meaningful friendship with Rukhsana, who is just wonderful, but I'm afraid I just can't forgive her for the things she says and does. But I do need to talk about their friendship. Despite my feelings towards Shelley, their friendship was really quite sweet. Neither woman can really understand the other - not until Rukhsana starts to learn English - but it's the language barrier that makes their friendship work; both women are able to confide in the other, able to say things out loud that they have never said to anyone before, but it's ok, because the other woman doesn't actually know what she's saying. But both women understand tone and body language, so while they may not know exactly what the other is talking about, they know sadness when they see it, and just being understood means so much to these women. It was surprising how much they needed each other, but it was really quite beautiful. But probably mostly because of Rukhsana, who is probably my favourite character. She has such a unique way of seeing things - especially when she doesn't understand what's being said a lot of the time - and she's so kind, and so compassionate, and so generous. Because Bilal, Mariam, and Haaris call her Khala, which means aunt, most people think that's her name, and so call her Khala. Bilal tries to correct them, but Rukhsana says they can call her Khala, it's fine. She's just the sweetest, most loveliest of characters, and her character arc was wonderful; her discovering the beauty of Babbel's End, making friends, finding some happiness. Mate, I just love her.

This book had me raging, laughing out loud, and it broke my heart. And it's also a really important book. I really think it really shines a lot on - or rather, holds a mirror up to - white people's thoughts and behaviour, but make it really obvious that it's not ok. Of course, we should all know this already, but for some people, I think reading this book and recognising their own thoughts/behaviour might just make things click for them, and finally see what everyone has been saying for so long. And given that there are some villagers are on Bilal's side, there are those forcing the awful characters, and readers, to see and confront their bigotry.

But despite the serious and important topics covered, This Green and Pleasant Land is a really heart-warming and special story. It moved me beyond words, and is one I'll be thinking about for a very long time. I absolutely want This Green and Pleasant Land to become a TV series, and have already been dream-casting the characters. This is book is powerful and wonderful, and I implore everyone to read it.

[Zafra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I spent most of this book wanting it to end, which is never a good sign.

This book was way too long, if it had been around 200 pages with more showing than telling, I think it could've been better.

As much as I liked the nuance of the characters and the multiple perspectives that bought depth to the story, it skirted and took the long road one too many times to feel satisfying. I kept thinking this would be a great sitcom premise, reminiscent of 'Little Mosque on the Prairie', but as a book it's just not that good.

But for what it is, I do want to address the themes presented in this book. I loved the focus on healthy conflict between members of a community, a husband and wife, and even parents. The focus on compromise and communication, as well as confrontation as a means to healthy communities.

I just wish it was done better.

[Rainy Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Ha, the pursuit of happiness is the single most ridiculous lie we've been fed. All flapping about for the next best thing to numb the searing pain of loneliness."

This Green and Pleasant Land is about British-born Muslim, Bilal Hasham, whom his mother, on her deathbed, inquired him to build a mosque in the village where he lived. The plots started to thicken there, when a bunch of the villagers, who live in peace and quiet before, started to gang up against the Hashams and the idea of the mosque when Bilal presented it to the council.

Personally, I think every characters in this book were facing some sort of conflicts of their own. For example:

1. Bilal: Processing his grief towards his mother's death and being hated by the villagers for his idea of building a mosque in Babbel's End.

2. Mariam: Her ex-husband suddenly wanted her and their son back.

3. Tom: His wife left him, his grandson, dead.

4. Shelley: The idea of a mosque in her village seemed outrageous. Her husband was not a helpful man.

This are only conflicts of four characters. The others? A lot, lot more, and most of them were pained with conflicts as well. Thus, I can say that this book is quite... depressing, with all these conflicts around. The only good thing for me is, Khala Rukhsana's good attitudes towards everyone in Babbel's End. But her story didn't end well either. The plots were okay. But they didn't get better until half of this book. So, I think this book is just... okay, for me.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Green and Pleasant Land is said to be derived from a line of poetry from William Blake. It made for a fitting title of this book. This book is about the immigrant experience in contemporary Britain and what it means to be British. It is a timely book about race relations and even though it is set in England, it could really be set anywhere.

The main character, Bilal Hasham, is the unlikely protagonist. After making a promise to his dying mother, he doesn't follow through with it until he suffers a change of conscience. After his declaration of his intention to build a mosque, most of the town turns against him and his family and they suffer the ugliness of racism and xenophobia. But in the midst of all of the ugliness, there are some members of Babbels End that offer support.

I found myself falling in love with Bilal's aunt and how she touched the lives of community members. I ended up learning about Pakistani culture and I unexpectedly cried towards the end. This book is a hidden gem and I'm so glad to have read it.

[Francesca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book by this writer I have read and really liked it. Everything about the story kept me hooked. Easy to follow and lovely characters. Well done to the writer.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Babbel’s End, the author creates a picture of a community which exhibits all the features of small village life: gossip, petty rivalries and disputes between neighbours, the latter exemplified by the hilarious “battle of Tom’s bush”.  However, a recent tragedy has exposed the village to very modern day issues and the response to it (or lack of response to it) has heightened tensions.  As one character observes, “Living in their farmland, thinking nothing’s more important than a fete or a stolen ceramic pot; in the meantime, to hell with what anyone’s going through.” For Richard, the community’s vicar, the tragedy has caused him to doubt his ability to provide comfort where needed, including at a very personal level. “He seemed to have lost the ability to inspire people to faith or find the right words to help people in distress.”

Bilal, his wife Mariam, and son Haaris have embraced village life. In fact, their relocation from Birmingham to Babbel’s End was a deliberate move to escape his family’s expectations that he maintain aspects of his Pakistani heritage despite his having been born in Britain.  His mother’s deathbed wish changes all that, particularly when the strength of opposition becomes clear.  As disapproval bubbles over into overt racism, things get very personal and Bilal is tempted to forget the whole idea. “Change was meant for fascist states and oppressive governments, not serene, bobbing-along, minding-it’s-own-business Babbel’s End.”

As the news of Bilal’s mission goes viral, it becomes a bigger issue than just church versus mosque but raises questions of identity, religious freedom and diversity. As Bilal observes, “What did everyone even mean by English? Bilal was English. Though he could concede that having a mosque in the middle of the village might not be. Surely you could be and want two different things at the same time?”

My favourite character in the book was Bilal’s Aunt (Khala) Rukhsana.  Speaking little English, at first she is something of a fish out of water.  However, she demonstrates the ability to reach out to people in other ways and really does emerge as the heroine of the piece.  For instance, I loved the gradual blossoming of her relationship with Mariam, especially their joint ‘assault’ on the school bake sale substituting the usual cupcakes for something traditionally Indian. “And so they began the process of making the sweet, fragrant, yellow rice, to give everyone in Babbel’s End a taste of what was to come.”

This Green and Pleasant Land teaches us that divisions can be healed if we just take the time to understand the other person’s point of view, that it’s important to seize the day and that, in the words of Rukhsana, “home must be where you feel most alive”.

[Eleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful. The fact that I read it in a day speaks for itself. Brilliant characters. Made me laugh out loud (a tad maniacally) and also cry a fair bit. Didn't flinch away from some really serious, difficult things but the whole thing was softened by the sheer warmth of the writing. There were a few things which didn't feel all that realistic to me but not having lived in a village before, I'm not confident in that, and in any case it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book.

[Caoimhe White · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars*

I really enjoyed this novel overall. It's a timely story about the co-existence of people with different beliefs and what community really means. I thought the characters were well fleshed out and I believed that they could all be living people. I'm not really sure why my rating isn't higher; it just didn't SING for me.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Khala Rukhsana and Margaret are the most wholesome people you will ever read about. I cried multiple times while reading this book and I think everyone should read it!

[Jasmine · Rating 2 out of 5]

RTC

[David Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this novel Ayisha Malik brings together - with some glee, I think - what are often thought of as contrasting, even clashing, cultures within this, our sceptr'd isle. The villagers of idyllic(?) Babbel's End have accepted, even welcomed, Bilal Hasham and his wife Miriam into their community, just as Bilal, a fairly non observant Muslim, has enjoyed the distance from his home town of Birmingham - and from scrutiny from his aunts and mother. But when Bilal, reexamining his life after his mother's death, decides to carry out her last wish and build a mosque in the village - well, things change...

I have to confess that I live in a village rather like Babbel's End (a significant name, you might think) and my wife is a vicar, so reading this book I did, as people say these days, feel seen. Change doesn't come easily in such places and Bilal ("Bill") hardly makes it easier by setting out his plan, with no warning, at a public meeting. Indeed, by not actually having much of a plan - he's not clear where the mosque will be, what it will cost, how it will be run (he's surprised, for example, to discover subsequently that he will need an imam).

But this isn't just about change, however well or badly handled, is it? The intention to build a mosque is seen as a cultural challenge, as something unprecedented, threatening and unwelcome. At risk of digressing, I'd answer that by pointing out that the English countryside has seen centuries of change, both religious and social: far from being a rural oasis of calm, the fields, cottages, churches and chapels have been contested, reworked and reinvented over hundreds of years. The conflict and confrontation that Malik sketches here is fully in keeping with that history and even rather tame compared with parts of our history, and the good folk of Babbel's End might need to learn a few things about that.

Of course, in This Green and Pleasant Land, battle lines are soon drawn, petitions planned and friendships strained. There's an undercurrent of fear and panic: more than a dash of racism too, if we're honest. But Malik gives us much more than that. In the first third of the book we're introduced to a dizzying cast of characters, and to the strains and tensions arising from their lives. In Babbel's End we meet vicar Richard, who's not, I think, entirely comfortable in his vocation, as well as Shelley, queen of the Parish Council, the splendidly lugubrious Tom, the closeted George Copperthwaite and Jenny, editor of the West Plimpington Gazette.

There is grief and strain in the village, with the recent death of a teenage boy, as the story opens. Malik shows us how families and friendships were already fractured and strained - marriages under pressure, Miriam alienated from her best friend Anne and besset by her own doubts about Bilal and her first love, Raif - before mention of the mosque. And besides Bilal and Mariam, back at home in Birmingham we glimpse Bilal's mother, his Aunt Rukhsana, and a history of strong women bringing up their kids in the absence of husbands (a theme of this book, something occurring in both communities).

Without this fascinating tapestry of lives and backgrounds, This Green and Pleasant Land might be in danger of falling into the whimsy of an Ealing comedy - a high concept dispute with an air of the absurd and little more. With it, there's emotional depth behind almost every passage, every sentence. The external conflict - which rapidly turns into a cause celèbre in the national media, social media and local gossip - mirrors internal doubts, missteps and frailties in Bilal's family, among his supporters and between the opponents of the mosque.

I loved the personalities that we see here - their histories, griefs and friendships. Best of all perhaps is Aunt Rukhsana, an ordinary seeming woman, apparently bypassed by life but with a wonderful determination - not a great English speaker, on arrival in Babbel's End she determines to learn the language so that she can speak to the friend she meets when out walking. Rukhsana also writes poetry, and tries to counteract Bilal's wilder fits of enthusiasm on occasion. She's a great force of life and drives much of this story.

The story itself, which does have its comic side at times, grows into an exploration of faith, belonging and identify, but also of the lengths people will go to get what they want. Malik shows (without labouring the point) how motivations grow and diverge from their ostensible roots: Bilal's plans never quite ring true as having a religious basis, I think that there's more guilt about his mother here, a sense of duty and of a certain sort of middle aged male restlessness. Some of those in the community who support him seem to be doing so out of a sense of bloody mindedness (Tom) while among the opponents, Shelley seems increasingly conflicted as events whirl our of control and unpleasant feelings and passions attach to the campaign. Some of her faction seen more passionate about opposing the mosque the less likely they are to ever bee seen in church. Again this rings true, a certain type of cultural jingoism and fake (and ignorant) religiosity driving debate rather than genuine feeling and knowledge.

Just how might that toxicity be overcome? What are Ayisha Malik's answers? They aren't glib or easy. Celebrating, above all, the value of kindness, reasonableness and friendship this is I think in the end an optimistic book, one that doesn't deny the differences between people but which draws how much more is that unites us all. This Green and Pleasant Land is sharp and well-imagined. It was a great pleasure to read and I'd recommend it unreservedly.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Ayisha Malik. She’s a regular and entertaining contributor on the Red Hot Chilli Writers podcast, which I always enjoy, so I thought I’d check out her fiction. I couldn’t bring myself to attempt either of her first books, marketed as the Muslim Bridget Jones (Bridget Jones being the off-putting factor, just to be clear), but she’s moved on from chick-lit for This green and pleasant land. Also it has a nice blurb by Jonathan Coe, who I adore.

So with those positives lined up, I was braced for certain disappointment.

But hang on, no - it’s actually quite good. There are memorable characters, a solid story, humour, pathos, truisms about life, death, relationships, faith, home, change etc. Lots of boxes ticked. What would have made it really good rather than quite good would be reducing the word count by at least a third. It’s just too long. What are editors afraid of these days? Which part of edit don’t they get? Why do stories that can be told in 250 pages so often bloat into 400? Do editors secretly get paid per published word now? Don’t they know how long my TBR is, dammit??

This is the kind of pointless verbal overload I mean:

Bilal attempted a smile, but his mouth was dry, his lips stuck to his teeth ‘I realise it’s a bit out of the blue…’

The vocal tremors of mistrust were already beginning, echoing in the hall as well as in the spaces of Bilal’s thumping heart.

Shelley gave a tight smile as the evening sun washed her face with its light. ‘A mosque?’ she asked.

So we have an attempted smile, a tight smile, a dry mouth, stuck lips, vocal tremors, a thumping heart, and light falling on a face. Enough! I want good dialogue, not a morse code of grimaces. None of this padding progresses the narrative, develops character, or brings anything to the party at all; it’s needless slow-motion over-narrated ploddage. I’m actually fine with a quick ‘He said, she said’ - it’s usually how conversations work in real life, after all. Either that or some proper interiority, just anything but a catalogue of facial tics, please. It’s not just this particular author either, it’s stupidly common in contemporary fiction, and it Really Annoys Me, in case that wasn’t clear. (I would also have culled the minor characters, who are also too numerous and too often there for messaging or balance, of which I am equally intolerant.)

(I’m also aware of the irony of this over-long rant about over-long books, don't worry.)

Anyway, the story. The endearingly timid central character Bilal, or Bill for the purposes of assimilation in Middle England, is ordered by his mother on her death-bed to build a mosque in his picturesque monocultural village where nothing ever changes. Needless to say, this idea goes down like a lead balloon with the locals, and his reluctant quest to fulfil his mother’s dying wish forms the main plot. Although a well-liked and thoroughly innocuous chap, his plan becomes a lightning rod for both mild ‘normal’ prejudice and outright anti-Muslim hostility. His humdrum life is thrown into turmoil, his wife wants to leave him, and he is plagued by existential despair and indigestion.

At the same time, his mother’s sister comes to visit, and for me aunty Rukhsana was the real star. Everyone in the book has A Journey, but hers is the most surprising and affecting. There’s quite a lot that’s ho-hum about this novel - the writing is fairly ordinary, and it lacks tension and pace for the aforementioned reasons - but there are some wonderful touches and the unfurling of this loveable character is definitely one. Her outsider’s view of the village and its conflicts gives the novel real emotional depth and social-observation nuance. I admit I’m always going to be more engaged by a solo middle-aged woman making a new life for herself story than domestic dramas or marital crises. But Rukhsana’s gradual development elevated the book from gently satirical culture-clash village tale to a moving and insightful work.

I’m still not going to bother with Ayisha Malik’s first two novels; however if she writes more like this, but giving her wit freer rein, allowing more bite to her satire, developing her aptitude for character and using fewer words I’ll definitely be interested.

[rina dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Bilal's mother dies, her dying wish is for him to build a mosque and return to his Islamic Faith.
Bilal lives in a rural village called Babbel's End which is picturesque and steeped in history with his family. The villagers are very set in their ways and we follow Bilal as he sets out to fulfill his mother's wish.

My thoughts:
This is a beautiful story one which I thoroughly enjoyed.
It also made me incredibly sad and angry at the overt and subtle racism that Bilal and his family had to endure.
I love the backdrop of the idyllic village and found the prose very descriptive.
Full of unlikely friendships, beautiful prose and characters that you will really champion this is an easy 5-star read for me.
I love books set around different cultures and this really does give you an insight into Islamic culture and the Dynamics in a Muslim family.
Such a beautiful book!

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, it was a very entertaining read, I absolutely loved the idea of Bilal trying to honour his mother’s memory and her dream. It makes for a very funny story, but also is a great read as it brings together a lot of issues in this country at the moment, I think it’s a wonderful read, because what is England or Britain, who gets to decide what is and isn’t allowed, about trying to fit in when it actually means you hide who you are. I just loved how it looks at a cross section of a village, but you can parallel it with a view of Britain. The characters were wonderful, well developed and even the supporting characters were fully formed with their own plots. I thought overall this was a wonderful story, yeah it’s light and entertaining but it’s a lot more too.


Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for Myth Take Reads 'Make Your Myth-Taker' - I am now a royal spy!
Have read and loved Malik's previous two books, I was so looking forward to picking this up when I got it for my birthday a year ago. But... I just didn't. I honestly have no idea why! But, nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this exploration of humanity, faith, community, and identity. At several points I laughed, and at several points I cried! Malik has a wonderful way of writing about people in a humous but completely profound way. I really, really recommend this book!

[Catherine Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never found something so easy to read, yet so engaging. It’s gonna be living in my head rent free for the next month

[Chloe]

This was on track to be one of my favourites of the year but then the author made a decision that I truly can't wrap my head around. It made me so angry I almost threw the book across the room. In my opinion, it was so unnecessary and really ruined my overall feelings towards the book.

Also, I wish the conflict wasn't wrapped up so quickly. I get that this is meant to be a feel-good book but the fact that some of these characters were just forgiven so easily after saying/doing horrible things??

[Émilie]

🧡 This book was very good! As you can probably imagine, it discusses identity, heritage, community, the definition of a home, death, belonging, acceptance, racism. It was easy to read, with quite a large cast of characters. And they all grow in some way through the novel. I felt quite attached to Bilal and his family, Khala Rukhsana and the villagers, and I was sad when the book came to an end.

This story would make a good mini-series, it would be fun to see it adapted one day. Especially at a time like the one we live in, it’s the kind of story that would be worth telling to a wider audience.

[Anna Sawlani · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really took me by surprise, I didn’t really have any expectations going into it, and after having read it I’m so surprised it’s not more of a famous book. It’s a beautiful story of community and faith and what home means, super well written and a very easy read, would recommend!

[Novelle Novels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow paced but beautifully written