Considering how much I loved Uzma Jalaluddin’s last two books, I was thrilled when she announced a new book, coming out in the summer of 2023. Just as her debut, “Ayesha at Last,” was a loose retelling of “Pride and Prejudice” and her sophomore novel, “Hana Khan Carries On,” was a loose retelling of “You’ve Got Mail,” this newest book, “Much Ado About Nada,” takes a classic love story and turns it on its head with a modest, modern and Muslim twist. The classic story isn’t Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” as you might guess from the title — instead, Jalaluddin turned to a different Jane Austen novel, “Persuasion,” and created another stellar work.
“Much Ado About Nada” features protagonist Nada Syed as she is reluctantly dragged to an Islamic conference in Canada by her headstrong, confident best friend, Haleema. Her friend thinks she wants to avoid the conference because she’s hesitant to see her old mentor who betrayed her and because she’s not exactly excited by the prospect of a matrimonial dinner (think speed dating but for Muslims). While both of those things are somewhat true, the real reason Nada’s avoiding the Deen&Dunya conference is because she knows she’s going to meet Haleema’s fiancé … and re-meet his brother, Baz, who Nada once had a strong connection with — though that’s a secret she had been keeping for the past few years.
Jalaluddin succeeded in once again creating a three-dimensional female Muslim protagonist in Nada. She’s smart, strong and devout — she’s real. She’s also flawed, but that just makes her more authentic. When the truth comes out about how Nada and Baz once knew each other about halfway into the book, the depth of Nada’s imperfections comes to light. At times, I found myself bemoaning her actions and wondering how and why she came to the decisions that she did, but even when I was frustrated with Nada as a person, I found her fascinating as a character.
The other characters, like Haleema, Baz and Nada’s family members, all add to the story in considerable ways. Haleema’s outgoing personality nicely balances Nada’s more quietly sarcastic tendencies. Baz is exactly what you would want from a mysterious “second chance” love interest. Nada’s parents are typical Desi parents, wanting what’s best for their children but not always agreeing with them about what that means. In other words, these side characters make the story more complex and interesting, while also allowing readers to see Nada through others’ eyes.
The best part of “Much Ado About Nada” is that, unlike some romance novels, the “80 percent breakup” isn’t really the turning point of the book. Most romances feature this “80 percent breakup,” where the love interests have some kind of falling out that leads to a period of separation just before the happily ever after we’re all expecting. The falling out still happens, in a way, but the real turning point in Nada’s story is about her. She had faced a huge career setback prior to the events of the novel, and the emotional crux of the story is when she really takes hold of her own narrative and moves forward from the stagnant state she was wallowing in. In her actions, she encapsulates what a Muslim feminist should look like — she’s confident in her own abilities but turns to her faith and her community in times of need.
“Much Ado About Nada” is another spectacular showing from Uzma Jalaluddin. The romantic drama will keep readers’ attention and ensure that they’re turning the pages, but in the end, the heart of the story is Nada’s growth as an individual. And when you close the book after reading those last words, it’s Nada’s strength and persistence that you’ll remember and take with you.
Daily Arts Writer Sabriya Imami can be reached at simami@umich.edu.