Uzma Jalaluddin: Ayesha at Last

Simcoe Reads

Join Uzma Jalaluddin as she discusses her novel Ayesha at Last.

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About Uzma Jalaluddin

Uzma Jalaluddin grew up in a diverse suburb of Toronto, but her favourite place in the world is the nearest bookstore or library. Her debut novel, Ayesha At Last (2018), is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in the Toronto Muslim community. The novel was a Goodreads Choice Award Finalist, featured on The Today Show, and was a Cosmopolitan UK Book of the Year as well as a Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of 2019. Ayesha At Last has been optioned for film by Pascal Pictures. Her second novel, Hana Khan Carries On (April 2021), was an instant Canadian bestseller. The novel is a reimagining of ‘You’ve Got Mail’ set in rival halal restaurants. Uzma writes a culture and parenting column for The Toronto Star, and has written for The Atlantic. She lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband and two sons, where she also teaches high school.

About Simcoe Reads: 

7 Libraries. 7 Books. 1 Winner. Barrie Public Library has joined with 6 other libraries (Bradford West Gwillimbury, Essa, Innisfil, Midland, New Tecumseth, and Ramara) to offer author visits all summer long as we prepare for this cover to cover competition.

About Ayesha at Last 

Ayesha Shamsi has a lot going on. Her dreams of being a poet have been set aside for a teaching job so she can pay off her debts to her wealthy uncle. She lives with her boisterous Muslim family and is always being reminded that her flighty younger cousin, Hafsa, is close to rejecting her one hundredth marriage proposal. Though Ayesha is lonely, she doesn't want an arranged marriage. Then she meets Khalid, who is just as smart and handsome as he is conservative and judgmental. She is irritatingly attracted to someone who looks down on her choices and who dresses like he belongs in the seventh century.

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