The Bhabhis of Lahore & other forbidden tales of the city

by Ayesha Muzaffar

We live in a magnificent country, one which is full of curious beings and sheltered stories that roam in the whispers amongst those beings. I bring to you such stories that make ama's and aba's eyes pop open - as if they have seen a ghost, which they have not - but these tales in all their glamour, are not to be retold, yet I have taken upon myself such a task. Tales of heartbreak, of men who deserved better, of women who loved too dearly, of centuries old dusty mattresses covered with newly purchased silk sheets that bounce to this day, of jinns and their families, and of course - living, breathing tales of you and me and all of us.

Genres: Fiction, Horror

220 pages, Paperback

Published May 31, 2022

Reviews

[Iqra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was reading this book alone in my room but At one point the level of suspense and horror got so high i had to go sit in my parents room where my ammi was sleeping 🤣🤣. I loved every minute of it and would highly recommend everyone to read it.

[Muhammad Azhar Rafique · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up after reading Jinnistan in one night. This is similar but better on so many levels (and I did not think it was possible). Overall, a remarkable read full of delightful desi references. Definitely recommended. ✅

[ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was genuinely so good, I enjoyed it so much.

[hajrah ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

why would you use romanised urdu in english prose except to convey phrases that don't have an easy english equivalent e.g. i get using the word "rizq" but why "dost" or "ghar"? not to mention the annoying inconsistency in terms of spellings and italicisation smh. 2.5

[Tehniat Ahsan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am all about supporting the local Pakistani writers, but I guess I wasted my money on the wrong one. The stories are good, but there is an utter lack of proper proof reading, and the addition of Urdu words and sentences is totally unnecessary.
There is a lack of research as well. So in one of the stories, the guy is in the Navy yet he’s autistic. Even if he’s a soldier, in reality no one can make it to the forces like this. And why would an LSE graduate marry a soldier. I mean there are lots of things that the writer needed to work on. The settings of the different stories were weird as well.
When I picked up this book, I was expecting something of Mohsin Hamid and Kamila Shamsi level, but unfortunately it is anything but.
You can get better stories on Facebook group Creepy Korma.
The and proof reading was a huge put off

[Mahnoor · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5-3 stars

Ayesha Muzaffar is a talented writer, but this book seriously needs a good editor. A published book shouldn't have typographical errors and narrative inconsistencies. The stories were entertaining but definitely needed more polishing before they hit shelves.

[Humaira Shafaq · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in two days and I genuinely think this was a much better attempt at horror than Jinnistan. I would recommend it for people who like horror stories with desi references.

[Huma Farooq · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not horror like abusjinns, the real OG. But a great collection of chai-time and travel stories. Light read.

[Jasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought provoking creepy collections of stories. Love it. Although the editing can be worked on.

[Bilal · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5