The Marvelous Mirza Girls
Published by: Quill Tree Books
Release date: May 18, 2021
ISBN 13: 978-00622445735
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WINNER of the SOUTH ASIA BOOK AWARD
Filled with beautiful imagery, sensory language, clever structuring, and humor, this is a romantic coming-of-age story. The author also explores South Asian politics, culture, and history, touching on issues such as Islamophobia, racism, and violence toward women in a complicated country during the #MeToo era….An engaging and perceptive story of love, grief, and personal awakening.” -Kirkus Reviews
“Second- and third-generation American readers will find Noreen’s and Ruby’s experiences inspiring, and the novel’s easy charm, strong mother-daughter relationship and romantic elements recall the best moments of Amy Sherman-Palladino’s “Gilmore Girls” or “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” - Bookpage
“Karim’s latest is a searing story of love in its many forms: young and old, romantic and familial, and maybe most complex, our capacity to love a place. A deep dive into the values of travel and firsthand experience, the book takes an unflinching look at poverty and complicity, sex and religion, without ever losing sight of what it is: family drama, rom-com, travelogue. Call it what you want, The Marvelous Mirza Girls is an utter delight.”
- David Arnold, author of Mosquitoland and The Electric Kingdom
“The Mirza girls hit Delhi—that’s a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.”
To cure her post-senior year slump, made worse by the loss of her Aunt Sonia, Noreen is ready to follow her mom on a gap year trip to New Delhi, hoping India can lessen her grief and bring her voice back.
In the world’s most polluted city, Noreen soon meets kind, handsome Kabir, who introduces her to the wonders of this magical, complicated place. With Kabir’s help—plus Bollywood celebrities, fourteenth-century ruins, karaoke parties, and Sufi saints—Noreen begins to rediscover her joyful voice.
But when a family scandal erupts, Noreen and Kabir must face complicated questions in their own relationship: What does it mean to truly stand by someone—and what are the boundaries of love?