Soniah Kamal is a Pakistani-American writer. She is the author of two novels, ''An Isolated Incident'' (2014) and ''Unmarriageable'' (2019). The latter is a retelling of Jane Austen's ''

Pride and Prejudice ''Pride and Prejudice'' is an 1813 novel of manners by Jane Austen. The novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist of the book who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreci ...

'' set in Pakistan in 2000 and 2001.

Early life and education

Kamal was born in

Karachi, Pakistan Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...

, and attended an English-medium school. She subsequently lived in England and Saudi Arabia, and then attended St. John's College in

Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

as an undergraduate, studying philosophy.

Writing

''An Isolated Incident''

Kamal published her first novel, ''An Isolated Incident'', in 2014. It is set in

Kashmir Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...

, the United States, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Reviewing the book for ''

Dawn Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the appearance of indirect sunlight being scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc has reached 18° below the observer's horizo ...

'', Fareeha Rafique wrote, "Kamal’s beautiful use of language is what carries her story." ''An Isolated Incident'' was a finalist for the 2016 Townsend Prize for Fiction from '' The Chattahoochee Review'' and the Georgia Center for the Book.

''Unmarriageable''

Kamal's second novel, ''Unmarriageable'', was published on January 22, 2019. The retelling of

Jane Austen Jane Austen (; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots of ...

's ''

'' features Pakistani English teacher (and Austen fan) Alys Binat and her four sisters, a formerly high-society family that has fallen on comparatively hard times owing to family betrayal. Their mother is anxious to see her daughters married, particularly Alys and Jena (the two eldest), but the task is a challenge as the family has lost most of its money and former social standing. ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...

'' called the book "a funny, sometimes romantic, often thought-provoking glimpse into Pakistani culture, one which adroitly illustrates the double standards women face when navigating sex, love, and marriage. This is a must-read for devout Austenites." Reviewing the novel for

NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...

, Ilana Masad wrote, "Kamal's ''Unmarriageable'' succeeds in being both a deliciously readable

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...

and a commentary on class in

post-colonial Postcolonialism is the critical academic study of the cultural, political and economic legacy of colonialism and imperialism, focusing on the impact of human control and exploitation of colonized people and their lands. More specifically, it is a ...

, post-partition Pakistan, where the effects of the

British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...

still reverberate."

Personal life

Kamal has three children. She lives in Georgia.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kamal, Soniah Pakistani novelists 21st-century Pakistani writers Writers from Karachi Writers from Georgia (U.S. state) Living people Year of birth missing (living people)