Review: Hana Khan Carries On

It should come as no surprise that I was incredibly excited for Uzma Jalaluddin's sophomore novel, Hana Khan Carries On. I absolutely adored her debut, Ayesha at Last. Her second novel was as entertaining and engaging as her first (if not more so) and I fell head over heels in love with it.

Here's the synopsis:

Sales are slow at Three Sisters Biryani Poutine, the only halal restaurant in the close-knit Golden Crescent neighbourhood. Hana waitresses there part time, but what she really wants is to tell stories on the radio. If she can just outshine her fellow intern at the city radio station, she may have a chance at landing a job. In the meantime, Hana pours her thoughts and dreams into a podcast, where she forms a lively relationship with one of her listeners. But soon she’ll need all the support she can get: a new competing restaurant, a more upscale halal place, is about to open in the Golden Crescent, threatening Three Sisters.
When her mysterious aunt and her teenage cousin arrive from India for a surprise visit, they draw Hana into a long-buried family secret. A hate-motivated attack on their neighbourhood complicates the situation further, as does Hana’s growing attraction for Aydin, the young owner of the rival restaurant—who might not be a complete stranger after all.
As life on the Golden Crescent unravels, Hana must learn to use her voice, draw on the strength of her community and decide what her future should be.

Just as Ayesha at Last put a Muslim spin on Pride and Prejudice, Jalaluddin took another beloved romance story as inspiration: Hana Khan Carries On pays homage to You've Got Mail, one of my (and many, many others) favourite rom com movies. When I first heard that, I was even more excited to read this novel. The story is not an exact remake of the famous Nora Ephron movie. Jalaluddin has taken the movie's plot and created a novel that is both familiar and wholly unique - which I absolutely adored. Because of the comparison, I had an idea of how the romance in the novel would play out but that's OK. If you're a You've Got Mail fan too, rest assured you will be left with the same fuzzy feelings when you finish this novel as you have when you rewatch the movie. It's that good.

I appreciated that the story was told just from Hana's perspective (though sometimes I wish I could have gotten Aydin-as-Tom-Hanks type scenes) as I think I find I like rom coms more when it's just from the one character's perspective. Aydin was important to the story and I liked him (and disliked him) right alongside Hana. But I didn't need his POV. I was happy Jalaluddin focused on Hana and her career and relationships with her family. Those elements of the story were so strong and made the novel so much richer and better than it would have been had there been a trade off of perspectives.

Canadian readers will appreciate that this novel is set firmly in Canada. More specifically, Toronto. Even more specifically, Scarborough. I'm not far from Toronto (I can wave to the skyline from the other side of Lake Ontario) but I don't venture there often. I was delighted, however, when Hana, Aydin, and her cousin, Rashid (oh what a delight he was) went downtown for some sightseeing and to catch a Blue Jays game. I'd like to know exactly where they were sitting in the dome though as Hana said she was comfortable and I would never call those blue plastic seats comfortable (then again, I'm 10" taller than Hana so that could have something to do with it). I digress. I also delighted in the mention of Kawartha Lakes ice cream and the spelling of words with Us. Little things like that can make a reading experience so much more enjoyable to us Canadians.

Which leads me to this...I, a Canadian just like Hana, appreciated seeing my home country represented in mainstream media. I am privileged that this is my biggest issue. I consume so many books and TV shows and movies that are set in New York City or Anywhere, USA instead of Canada because it's assumed the market isn't ready for Canadian content. But...I am white. I see my skin colour on screens and read it in books All. The. Time. If I'm that happy to see my country in a published book, imagine how those feel who never read about characters who look like them. Who don't have the opportunity to say, hey - she has a leopard print hijab just like me! I'm simplifying this, I know, and I don't want to make light as I think the impact that stories like Jalauddin's have is so large. Jalaluddin didn't write her novels to teach white people like me more about her culture but that is a side effect I'm so thankful for. 

There were moments during the novel where Hana encounters racism and a hate crime. As I was reading the book, North America was reeling from the murder of eight women, six of  whom were Asian women. It was a racially motivated killing spree in Atlanta and one that shouldn't go unnoticed. What Hana, her cousin, and Aydin experience didn't result in a death, but it doesn't mean it's any less serious. It felt serious to me - maybe because of the recent news. And yes, my friends, this does happen in Canada. We have a boatload of issues with racially motivated hate and oppression that we really need to work on. And part of that work is making sure novels like Hana Khan Carries On are published and, for my fellow white people, embracing the discomfort you might feel as you read and realize you have a lot more work to do with your anti-racist behaviour. 

I know that was a super heavy take on a novel that has a fun and gorgeous cover and is marketed as a rom com. But I think rom com readers these days are looking for these kinds of stories. I know I am. I want stories about women who are real and focus on their lives, all of it, not just their Happily Ever After. I want substance and a love story. I want more stories like Hana Khan Carries On. 

The characters in this novel will burrow their way into your hearts (except for Aydin's father who you will absolutely despise even as he got a bit too cartoon villain-y). You will feel like you're a part of the Golden Crescent neighbourhood right alongside Hana and her friends and family. The feeling of community Jalaluddin is able to capture is wonderful. 

Hana Khan Carries On will be a favourite of 2021. Uzma Jalaluddin's latest novel will delight readers who want a story that will make them laugh, swoon, and reflect. Read this book. You won't be disappointed.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*