Qaisra Shahraz - Novels and Short Stories

Qaisra Shahraz was born in Pakistan and has lived in Manchester since the age of nine. She is the author of three award-winning novels (The Holy Woman, Typhoon and Revolt) and is at work on a fourth, about honor killings. Her writing has been published throughout the world.

Typhoon
A tragic tale of three young women, each demonised by her past, Typhoon tells the story of Naghman, Chaudharani and Gulshan, the glamorous business executive from the city, the village land baron, and is the innocent wife. One was caught in the arms of another woman's husband, the other raped in her youth, and the third lost her husband to a total stranger.

Review
"Gripping, hugely involving and very satisfying to read" —Kate Mosse, author, Labyrinth

A Pair of Jeans and other stories
In this vibrant and moving collection of short stories by award winning author Quaisra Shahraz, she demonstrates yet again her abilities for storyline and plot which are always gripping - The Elopement, The Discovery and Pair of Jeans focus on the issues facing young Pakistani Muslim women as they work out how to live in a world where traditional and Western values clash. Can they create a synthesis? Miriam in a Pair of Jeans discovers that a seeming innocuous item of clothing can cause disaster while Rubiya in The Elopement and The Discovery pays the price of rejection for her past misdeed. In The Zemindar’s Wife and Perchanvah the reader opens a window into a world of feudal lifestyle and class consciousness that is embedded in the psyche of many of the country’s inhabitants. Other stories - Escape and the City Dwellers explore the feelings of those struggling to discover the meaning of “home”. The Malay Host is a contrast with an element of the mysterious. What is behind the one locked door in the old Malay house that is a tourist attraction and why is the woman of the house brandishing a piece of burning wood at the Western visitors?

The Holy Woman
A romantic story of love and betrayal set in a wealthy Muslim community, with all the pressures and conflicts that modern life and old traditions bring.
Set in in contemporary Pakistan, London and Egypt, Zarrie Bano is a glamorous 28 year-old daughter of a wealthy Muslim landowner, Habib Khan. When his only son is killed in a freak riding accident, Habib decides to make Zarri his heiress, resurrecting an ancient tradition which decrees that an heiress must remain celibate, and forcing his daughter into marriage to the Holy Koran.

Review
"A lean, lyrical meditation on tradition and independence, sensuality and sacrifice, set against the mortal battleground of modern-day Pakistan" —The Times

Revolt
A brilliantly incisive portrait of small-town life, exploding into a panoramic portrayal of the nature of change, freedom, pride and prejudice. Evocative, family drama and love story, rich with contemporary issues, humour, tragedy and conflict. Think Pakistani Jane Austen!