In Other Rooms, Other Wonders

Daniyal Mueenuddin's short stories take place in modern-day Pakistan and revolve around several loosely connected characters as they try to make the best of their (sometimes pathetic) situations.

I come away from this book with a strong sense of societal/class divisions, in which the poor stay poor and the well-off continue to feel the influence of the British raj. The stories hint at Islamic culture, with references to veils and calls to prayer. There are no big surprises or unexpected turns; these stories feel like portraits of real life.

My rating of 4 stars reflects well-rounded characterization and deliberate, believable plots. I didn't feel completely "immersed," however; Mueenuddin's style is rather distant.

I first read several of these stories in The New Yorker. I picked up an autographed first edition of the book at Vroman's in Pasadena.