Stealing Nasreen

by Farzana Doctor

Stealing Nasreen is a novel about the lives of three very different people, all of whom belong to the same small religious community. Set in Toronto with back story in Mumbai, Nasreen Batawala, an Indo-Canadian lesbian and burnt-out psychologist, becomes enmeshed in the lives of Shaffiq and Salma Paperwala, new immigrants from Mumbai. While working in the same Toronto hospital as Nasreen, Shaffiq develops a persistent and confusing fascination with Nasreen, causing him to bring home and hide things he "finds" in her office. Salma, his wife, discovers some of these hidden treasures and suspects that something is amiss. Unbeknownst to Shaffiq, Nasreen begins attending weekly Gujarati classes taught by Salma, who finds herself inexplicably attracted to her student. An impulsive kiss sets off a surprising course of events.

Genres: Fiction, Canada, LGBT, Queer, Lesbian, Novels

228 pages

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

I'm the author of Stealing Nasreen (Inanna 2007) and Six Metres of Pavement (Dundurn, 2011), All Inclusive (Dundurn, 2015) and Seven (2020).

My poetry collection, You Still Look The Same, will be released in 2022.

Reviews

[dnabahdbf wnvatq eieejn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am kind of disappointed with the fact that it was never brought up that Salma might be bisexual. Even if she's really just a confused lesbian and not a bisexual, none of the characters even mentioned it as a possibility considering she says she loves her husband but also experiences attraction for women.
Other than that, there was a little inconsistency plaguing the narrative and thus, jumping from one scene to another was abrupt and confusing.

There were moments where I liked the book, just like there were moments where I wanted to yell at it.
All in all, I am going to give it around 2.75 stars, which could've been 3 if only they hadn't disregarded the possibility of Salma being bi. It was infuriating to hear them go :

"Oh, she likes Nasreen? Lesbian."

"But she loves her husband too."

"Confused heterosexual"

"but she has been in a relationship with a woman before she was married"

"Confused lesbian."


No. Maybe she's just bisexual.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this story. I feel I am much like the main character. Couldn't put it down. I found this treasure at Bmv and couldn't believe my luck.

[Andrea Nair · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a psychotherapist who writes fiction, I was excited to discover Farzana who does the same. I really enjoyed the overall story and unique therapeutic angle in the character development.

[Kamand · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I appreciate that this book delves into a lot of heavy topics (the immigrant experience, first-generation immigrant guilt, LGBTQ topics). It's a worthwhile read for the understanding you gain of those issues alone. The pacing is solid and the author does a good job of recounting very different *types* of characters. In fact, I feel like I understand my parents better through Doctor's description of the fears, hopes, and concerns of the parents in this novel.

I have two main issues with this book (spoilers ahead):

1. Someone else here mentioned this but I don't understand why there is NO speculation about whether Salma is anything either than just-straight or just-gay. It's a very black and white dichotomy and while I don't expect Salma's character to think so deeply about it, it doesn't make sense that Nasreen and her very tolerant crowd don't even mention it. An oversight, in my opinion.

2. Toward the end, it felt like the book was trying to recap everything for the reader's benefit. It didn't read naturally, it felt almost like the writer had a suspicion that the plot was too convoluted to grasp and it needed explanation in the form of a group therapy session. It was unnecessary and it read more sitcom-y than anything else.

Overall, a good selection in Can-Lit and I'm glad I stumbled upon it.

[Courts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stealing Nasreen was a nice, quiet novel about connections between people. I enjoyed it a lot, I love reading characters in the city I live in, though I did think it obvious that it was Farzana Doctor's first novel. It felt a bit clumsy in places, a little rough in corners, but overall it was a strong debut.

The titular Nasreen is a 30ish South Asian Toronto lesbian, totally ordinary in a lot of ways. She's still healing after her recent break up with a cheating girlfriend, she works as a psychologist at a hospital, and she's trying to connect more to her father after her mother's recent death from cancer. Nas is a very likable, very relatable character. She's in her 30s, a professional with a career, but she's still not 100% certain where she's going or what she's doing.

Shaffiq and his wife Salma have only been in Canada for two years, immigrating after Shaffiq was passed over for one too many promotions for being Muslim. He's an accountant working as a night cleaner at the hospital Nasreen works at. Salma is a former schoolteacher working at a dry cleaners because she doesn't have the accreditation. Shaffiq is bored by his job and starts to collect tiny objects tossed by

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stealing Nasreen is a very sweet, very earnest piece. It is and feels small press in the most charming way possible. It kind of reminds of The Dyke and the Dybbukk, in that it's a lesbian piece about a minority community, but Stealing Nasreen isn't a romance. It's not the most skillfully written, but it attempts some really interesting stuff, and does everything with a lot of heart. I really enjoyed reading it.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very different than her last book. And a type of intrigue that should speak to diverse readers. She is such an excellent writer and I will read the next on my list. And this is not a spoiler, but I have an MD from Toronto and I can now speak of Yonge Street with confidence! I missed her references to her faith! 😊

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an interesting idea but a little weakly played out and the writing style was a bit too much like a cheap sit com sometimes. But I finished it!

[areej ♡ · Rating 1 out of 5]

a wonderful storyline done in the blandest way possible

[Ella Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging story. Well developed characters. Gave me more insight into immigrant experience.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was surprised by how much I liked this book. A bell curve accurately describes it. Not here for the ending.

[CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stealing Nasreen is Torontonian author Farzana Doctor’s first novel, but the second book I’ve read by this interesting combination of psychotherapist and writer. I read and reviewed Doctor’s Lambda award winning second novel, Six Metres of Pavement, last summer. I really liked Six Metres, but my review took an interesting and critical turn because of expectations I had about the novel because of its win in the lesbian fiction category (in short: I ended up having a frustrating reading experience, because the novel is mostly about a straight couple, with a secondary queer [not lesbian] identifying character). Given how the Lambda’s categorization of Six Metres had coloured my experience reading Doctor’s second book, I was eager to pick up Stealing Nasreen with an open mind and minimal expectations. I’m glad to say that I had a much more enjoyable encounter with this book, which is some ways is quite similar to the one I read last summer. I wish I could have read Six Metres in such an intellectually relaxed environment!

Both novels centre around three characters, their intertwined relationships, and the emotional impacts they have on one another...

See the rest of my review at: http://caseythecanadianlesbrarian.wor...

[Chantale]

The kind of writing found in Stealing Nasreen is the kind of writing I enjoy. It was sweet and to the point.It combines culture, food, love and family into this amazingly delicious treat. Farzana Doctor did an amazing job with creating a true to life believable story, and realistic characters. It was a refreshing and quick read that I myself enjoyed and would recommend to all open minded people.
The story itself was a gem. It did not go at all the way I expected it to. The characters each had their own set of problems that unfold as they get to know each other a little more, with Nasreen at the center of it all. In the end it was not a 'fall in love and run away together' story, which is what I thought it would be. Farzana Doctor does a great job keeping her characters realistic, even if the decisions they make in the end completely go against what we want and expect.

Note: I will say that I did find some typos in the novel as I was reading, but that only reinforced my belief that writers are human beings too. :)

[Lucile Barker · Rating 3 out of 5]

123. Stealing Nasreen by Faranza Doctor
Intertwined plots of immigrant families from India. I wish I could have liked it more. I enjoyed the Toronto feel of the setting. I did feel that Nasreen, a lesbian psychologist who is experiencing burnout was a little smug, even when heartbroken over the infidelities of her former girlfriend, and that Shaffiq was opportunistic. I liked Salma, and could relate to her frustration at being trapped in a subservient job at a drycleaner when she had been a teacher back in Mumbai. I could also understand her resentment when receiving items from the relatives who had been in Canada longer even though she appreciates them. I also liked Nasreen’s father, who seems to be a great person. While I don’t care about what happens to Nasreen, I would like to see followup on Salma and her daughters.

[Manatee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book because all the characters were complete and believable. I especially liked the fact that the husband was portrayed with sensitivity and understanding. He wasn't just a dolt, but someone who really wanted his wife to be happy. The book was not flawless: the dialogue was stilted at times and one of the last scenes seemed clumsy and contrived. Still, it was interesting look at a marriage and the hopes and dreams of immigrants. I was intrigued by the basic premise of the plot:a husband and wife both develop a crush on the same woman.

[Danie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I liked this one better than Six Metres of Pavement. It's more focused on the one story, instead of a few stories.

I was also surprised just how much I got into it. Usually when a book isn't written in past tense... I tend to be tense when reading it, and I keep getting tripped up by what tense it is in, but, this book pulled me in and I didn't notice at all which was very cool!

[Despina · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I could give it a 4.5 stars I would. This was a wonderful novel of interwoven stories pulled together beautifully. Stories that made me think. I had the pleasure of meeting Farzana at one of her readings this week. I am looking forward to her next book.

[ARK · Rating 2 out of 5]

quite good.

[Sil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read, intelligent and funny. It tells an original story and it makes you think about the assumptions we make about the people we encounter every day in Toronto.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and its well-developed characters, Farzana's first! And looking forward to reading her second book!

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging story. Well developed characters. Gave me more insight into immigrant experience.

[Sheila Heuvel-Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly a first novel: raw and basic. I liked it a lot (despite some major editing flaws). Much more appealling than her second book.

[Akilesh Sridharan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolute delight to ponder into the lives of Nasreen, Shaffiq and Salma. There was no low points in the plot and was so intriguing and is a definite page-turner. Must read for even straights.