Welcome to Americastan by Jabeen Akhtar is a pleasant debut novel by this Washington D.C. based Pakistani-American author.
Samira, returns to her parental home in North Carolina in terrible circumstances. She has been dumped by Ethan, her boyfriend of eight years. To make matters worse, she finds herself in jail, for which she loses her job as legislative aide to a Congressman. In an even more horrid turn of events, she is on the watch list of terrorists for trying to run over Ethan.
Her mother is typical as they all come, full of solicitousness and she can be a real scold to her three children, Samira, Meena and their brother Tariq. She grumbles as she cooks up delicious dishes for family and friends, who are always visiting. The book is a hilarious look at the Pakistani-American community, and for that matter, resembles to an extent, the many quaint situations faced by our own NRIs living there. A very refreshing and fresh read.
Welcome to Americastan
by Jabeen Akhtar
Penguin Books India
Price Rs.499