“Ultimately, though, I’ve decided that if you can face your demons and end up laughing more than you cry, then you’ve lived a good life.”
In The Marvelous Mirza Girls, Noreen is ready to follow her mother on a gap year trip to New Delhi to cure her post-senior year slump and to explore the city that her late aunt Sonia never got to visit with her. Hoping that India will give her a sense of purpose and lessen her grief, Noreen soon meets kind and handsome Kabir, who introduces her to the magical world of New Delhi, albeit complicated and polluted it may be. With Kabir’s help, Noreen begins to rediscover the joyful parts of living, grieve her aunt’s loss and refocus on the future. But the future means her return to the US while Kabir goes off somewhere else – and when a family scandal threatens to tear Kabir’s world apart, Noreen has to set priorities and learn what it means to truly stand by someone through anything.
Reading The Marvelous Mirza Girls was an incredibly immersive experience. Rarely have I read a book where I was transported to another real place in the world to such a startling degree. Sheba Karim weaves such realistic descriptions of Delhi that I feel like I’ve actually visited the place after reading the book. From recounting ancient history to describing monuments or relaying the day-to-day culture and atmosphere of the place, I was hooked. This deep dive into Desi culture is definitely the highlight of this book. I loved how Karim balanced out the harsh truths about the politics and economical situation of Delhi with the more breath-taking descriptions of the places and myths Kabir tells Noreen about this special place.
Speaking of, Kabir, the boy that shows Noreen Delhi and eventually falls for her, was such a sweetheart. There are few characters where you instantly go “this dude is too pure for this world,” and Kabir was one of them. Kabir is kind—to a fault. Which means that he’s genuine and great to talk to, but also means that he apologizes, even when he’s the one who ends up hurt. We all know a Kabir, and really, I felt like him showing Noreen what true love can be like was perfect—her vulnerability matched up great with Kabir’s.
Another great thing about this book is the mother daughter relationship we get to see between Noreen and her mother Ruby. Reminiscent of The Gilmore girls, these are two women who don’t hold back in conversation and speak about everything with no shame. It was wonderful to be a fly on the wall to some of Noreen and Ruby’s open discussions about sex positivity, toxic relationships and trying to fit in when you’re torn between two cultures.
Beyond that, there are several important narratives in the novel. For one, the #MeToo movement is discussed in a frighteningly realistic manner, first when Noreen is introduced to Kabir’s friends and learns more about the state of things in India and Delhi especially, and then later on when Kabir’s father ends up being called out for his past actions. It was harrowing to watch Kabir be cut in half, on the one hand believing and supporting the #MeToo movement and on the other having to cut off his father in the process—Kabir’s struggles with this reconciliation of who he thought his father was and who he really is was so hard to read but also makes you think what would happen if one of your loved ones were ever in that situation and what you would do.
Likewise, The Marvelous Mirza Girls discusses grief in depth without ever really making it the one and all focus of the story. Noreen’s grief for her late aunt is palpable in her everyday interactions, in the way she talks to people and thinks about actions and consequences and that really hit home for me. So often in grief narratives, we don’t get to see the characters “move on” while still trying to hold on in these infinitesimal ways. I loved how this wasn’t a story about grief, but a story with grief, if that makes sense. Grief is Noreen’s daily companion, but as she moves through day after day, it becomes a source of comfort, almost, instead of a crippling weight and I think that will resonate with anyone who’s ever lost someone.
A love letter to New Delhi, The Marvelous Mirza Girls is an expertly woven tale of dark topics such as grief and social injustices, intertwined with finding joy in the world and falling for the right person at the right time—perfect for anyone who wants to travel to new worlds without ever leaving their bedroom.
The Marvelous Mirza Girls is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of May 18th 2021.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
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?
