To Find a Bride by Muhammed Ismail

A book that takes one through the journey of Muhammed on his quest to find a wife. He speaks of the trials and tribulations that he had to endure and also the exaggerated situations that only he seems to experience.

It is a tale that begins with arrogance, judgement and an extreme amount of humour that highlights quirks and predicaments in Indian Muslim communities. After a good few chapters into the read, a notable change is seen in the central character as he begins to gain a wealth of wisdom and inspiration as he goes along this journey. Muhammed Ismail has taken stereotypes, generalisations and rumours, tackling them head-on and giving his personal, albeit logical views on almost everything that surrounds spouse-seeking.

The aspects tackled in ‘To Find a Bride’ include the rights on divorcees, the ideas of lineage, the emphasis on character and the idea behind self perfection. He speaks about the masks people wear and the facade that is often given choosing to instead unmask and unleash the reality of the vital steps to marriage. There are romantic scenes, scenes of chivalry and also the opposite. A tale that is scripted in a way that not only do you enter Muhammed’s world as you read the book, but you also become the character feeling his emotions and thinking his thoughts.

To Find a Bride is a story that caters for the youth and relates to the elderly- a story that is of a very different genre as it begins with comedy, turns into a dramatic cliffhanger, warps into a romantic comedy and then becomes an inspirational guide for the betterment of oneself.

This is a story that makes you aware of all that you are and all that you can be.