A Small Fortune

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

A Pakistani man struggles to align his Eastern culture, traditions and faith with his luckless life in modern Britain.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

This charming debut offers rich insights into the complexities of immigrant life in England. When Harris, a Pakistani patriarch, receives a windfall following his divorce settlement, he struggles to identify the most deserving family member to benefit from his largesse, motivated by his devout Islamic faith and his strong affection for his extended family. The humorous yet touching aftermath of his unwise decision to offer the money to a less-than-deserving cousin reveals the burdens as well as the blessings of family life. His relationships with various family members slowly deteriorate, beginning with his Westernized daughter Alia. VERDICT Dastgir's smartly written first novel entertains even as it captures the essence of the changing immigrant community and the slow urban decline of contemporary England. The story transcends fiction focused on a particular demographic, revealing struggles shared by many extended families. [See Prepub Alert, 11/21/11.]-Faye A. Chadwell, Oregon State Univ. Libs., Corvallis (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly Review

Harris, a likable, middle-aged Pakistani emigre living in the North of England, immediately comes to life in the opening pages of this charming debut novel, as does his daughter, Alia. Unbeknownst to her father, who is separated from Alia's British mother, Alia has dropped out of med school in London and is living with her English boyfriend. Harris's shock at learning the truth about Alia's circumstances, among other emotional setbacks, creates a rift between the two that takes the rest of the novel to mend. As vividly as the book begins, however, the pace drags as members of their extended family, both in England and Pakistan, enter the narrative. While the book's strength relies on Dastgir's insightful ability to knit together distinct yet interdependent lives-and while getting acquainted with each individual does feel worthwhile-the energy of the narrative too often slows amid stilted dialogue and multiple versions of emotional indecision. Finally, when Rashid, a close family friend, gets mixed up with radical Islamists, the plot veers toward the predictable. An absorbing conclusion reveals Dastgir's talent, heart, and clear knack for pulling it all together. Agent: Zoe Pagnamenta. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Booklist Review

This wry, heartfelt novel of Pakistanis in England traces the chain of dependency that stretches from the village back home to London and the north. Recently arrived from Pakistan, shopkeeper Harris dotes on his daughter, Alia, who secretly has dropped out of medical school, is working in a diner, and has an Anglo boyfriend. Meanwhile, Harris helps another young Pakistani, Rashid, who keeps secret that he works on the imam's website: how far will Rashid go? When Harris gets a huge cash settlement from his divorce, haunted by guilt, he gives the small fortune to his tricky cousin Nawaz in England, and then Harris is blamed for his failure to help the needy family back home. The multiple viewpoints and complexities answer the local prejudice ( They think we're all the same ), and readers across generations will recognize both the bliss of reunion and the confusion, overcrowding, and clashes that arise when the space is too small.--Rochman, Hazel Copyright 2010 Booklist

Kirkus Book Review

A rambling, good-natured consideration of Pakistani immigrants to England and their evolution into Eastern Westerners. Dastgir's affable debut moves out in branches, like the extended families explored in her somewhat formless story. Its central character is Pakistan-born Harris (originally the less pronounceable Haaris), whose marriage to an English woman has ended in divorce and whose ever-worsening money troubles have forced him to leave the comfortable southeast of England for the poorer north, where he runs a convenience store. The divorce settlement's lump sum could make a difference, but bad health forces Harris to rely on a local relative, leaving him deeper in his financial mess. And there's worse: Harris is compromised by his inability to help a needy relative in Pakistan; he's become involved with an attractive, independent widow; and his daughter, who has dropped out of her medical studies, seems to have a live-in boyfriend. Peripheral characters--wily entrepreneurs; a servant of Islam who falls under the influence of a dubious imam--add further facets and some clichs to the composite portrait of immigrant life, but ineffectual Harris' seemingly inexorable decline is the main topic, until averted by younger family influences. Although wryly insightful, Dastgir's consideration of the immigrant community could use a little grit to balance the benign charm.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.