MY BIG, FAT DESI WEDDING

Written by new and established desi authors, the eight stories in this collection highlight the dizzying whirl of excitement, stress, family tensions, and sensory delights that surround desi wedding celebrations of various religions, regions, and countries. In the prologue, readers are introduced to an unnamed auntie who appears in every story and who, on some occasions, steps in to provide timely assistance. In Sarah Mughal Rana’s “A Wedding Recipe for Disaster,” for example, the auntie prompts a reluctant bride to face some difficult truths, while in “Sehra,” by Syed Masood, her advice helps a Muslim teen perform a family tradition at his estranged older brother’s wedding. Most of the stories take place in realistic contemporary settings, though a few include a touch of magic. In “The Disaster Wedding,” by Prerna Pickett, high school senior Jaanu scrambles to undo wedding weekend mishaps caused by her careless, prophetic words. In the sweetly romantic “Fate’s Favorite,” by Tashie Bhuiyan, 16-year-old Nivali juggles a new crush and the appearance of soulmarks—words that reveal what your soulmate thinks of you—on her body. The stories vary in tone and length but share themes of personal growth, reconciliation, and second chances. Appealing characters and gratifying emotional arcs balance out some entries that are less polished.