Suzanne Fisher Staples – Book Nook Bits

Hello there! Today was an insane day at school; I had a social studies test on the independence of India and the creation of Pakistan in my French immersion class, a language arts quiz on the book that we just read, and my chapter five math test. However, that’s all over, and right now I’m going to try something new; a mini review. I hope that having a smaller expectation for my review is going to make it easier to write them, and I really wanted to write at least one review in January, so without further ado, Haveli, by Suzanne Fisher Staples!

Goodreads synopsis:

The world of Newbery Honor book “Shabanu” is vividly re-created in this novel of a young Pakistani woman’s heartbreaking struggle against the tyranny of custom and ancient law. Shabanu, now a mother at 18, faces daily challenges to her position in her husband’s household, even as she plans for her young daughter’s education and uncertain future. Then, during a visit to the “haveli, ” their home in the city of Lahore, Shabanu falls in love with Omar, in spite of traditions that forbid their union.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

It was good, but there were some flaws.

I read Shabanu for school, and kind of enjoyed it, but I really wanted to see what would happen next, so I read the sequel, Haveli.

It was pretty good. There was a lot of sad stuff (actually, barely any of the content was happy), and only some of the issues that were apparent in Shabanu were resolved in Haveli. I was a little disappointed actually. The plot was good, but the writing was not fantastic.

I really liked how the author built Shabanu’s character, and that was really interesting. However, Shabanu was the only character featured that way, and there are actually quite a few fairly prominent characters in the book.

The series does however really make you aware of child marriages and marriages for convenience. Shabanu, the main character of the book is 18 when the book takes place, and was married to a much much older man when she was 13 as pretty much a peace offering.

So, overall, I enjoyed this sequel, but there were a few flaws. I would recommend reading Shabanu, the book that came before it, and if you like it, reading Haveli. I am definitely going to reading the next book in the trilogy!

Have you read Shabanu or Haveli? What do you think about this review? Chat with me in the comments below!