Reviewer: Amy Lignor
Title: The Marriage Bureau for Rich People
Author: Farahad Zama
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-23424-2
Release Date: June 2010
Genre/Sub-genre: General Fiction
Year/Setting: Present day, India
Overall Rating: 3.5
Sexual Content Rating: None
Language (Profanity/Slang) Content Rating: None
Violent Content Rating: Minimal/Moderate
Farahad's Website/Blog: www.farahadzama.com
Dear Readers:
Right off the bat I have to tell you that Mr. Ali’s home is a place that I want to literally retire to. In the first few pages, the author tells us of Mr. Ali’s beautiful, lush garden with stunning hibiscus plants, papaya trees, and the scent of mango wafting through the air on a seventy degree day. Seriously! I was completely lost in happy thoughts while envisioning this oasis in the middle of the city.
Mr. Ali is a retired government clerk, and Mrs. Ali is a woman who has just about had enough of her husband wandering the house with nothing to do. In fact, he’s seriously getting on her nerves. What Mr. Ali decides to do is open his own home business; he is going to be a marriage-broker for the rich. Putting an advertisement in the newspaper, the business starts out a bit slow. But soon, after only a few months, his customer base is out of control. Rich men, accomplished men – many are coming to Mr. Ali’s door and asking him to find wives for their sons. Not to mention, there are many fathers who are sending Mr. Ali pictures of their daughters, letting him know that they are available to be married. There are so many interesting cases, that Mr. Ali seems to suddenly be working far more than he worked at his real job.
Soon he hires a young assistant named Aruna. Aruna is a lovely girl who is working to support her family. Her father’s funds will stop coming in to the household soon, and she is trying with all her might to keep her family fed and clothed. Although she begins to work for a marriage broker, Aruna has been hurt in the past and has basically given up on the whole love/romance destiny that her father wanted for her. But…fate and the Heavens have different plans for the young, hard-working woman.
Add to this story a wayward son who gets involved in a "peaceful" protest that turns out to be anything but peaceful, a grandma who has to watch her grandson go through a frightening surgery, and a world that seems to be falling to pieces around a caring and kind village, and this novel ends up to be not only a lovely, witty tale, but also a story that will make people think. The only downside for me is that I believe that marriage brokers are a horrible way for two people to find one another. I truly feel it takes away all the romance when you’re told by your parents that THIS is the one for you whether or not you like that choice. Of course, many cultures have made matches this way and, let’s face it; the old way is certainly a heck of a lot safer than Facebook. Enjoy!
Until next time, Amy
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