Honestly when I requested this book I was drawn to the name and did not really read what it was about. But am I happy that I picked this up. This story is short but so very gripping that you will not be able to put it down.

The story follows Zuleikha a young woman of Pakistani origin and who is also Muslim trying to get used to married life which has been more challenging for her than she expected.

While Zu's husband Iskander is a relatively good person he is almost too perfect, that she becomes bored.. With this boredom, Zu falls into the arms of another man, and this leads to damage of epic proportions.
What really resonated with me were the issues that were highlighted i.e, gender, religion, culture and even politics.

I love when a work of fiction can get such powerful messages across to the masses because reading in itself is supposed to expand individual thoughts beyond what is considered the norm. This book did that for me,

The only thing is that the ending was a bit abrupt. I felt that more could have been said as to Iskander's fate. But in all tnis was a well written book that I can recommend.

5 stars
This book grabbed my attention from the very beginning. It was very hard to put it down until the end. It A definite must read!

Thank you to Atmospheric Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I highly recommend this book. It's about a Muslim woman who comes to America from Pakistan. Even though she had things from her father like books and other valuable things that are from the black market, soon enough she's placed in an arranged marriage.

Once here, she see how different things are. Her husband, knowing she likes piano, buys one for her. but her husband's demeanor soon leaves much to be desired. He's condescending And she can feel herself failing as a wife. But, happy by playing piano, she decides to give piano lessons.

One of her American students's father comes to his son's lessons. He is forbidden for her. She wants to be a good Muslim wife but she feels love and how to be loved back. And with an American man. We knows this is wrong But cannot help feeling special.

But, the affair is found out! . The results: of course what else? A big controversial shitstorm and shocking violence.
Great book. 4.2 stars

This is beautifully written. A haunting story that has stuck with me long after I read it. However, the title is wrong. The story doesn’t really tie to the fact of her father’s profession, and I think it would have a greater impact if it centered the main character instead of making her the nameless daughter of a man whose story doesn’t, in the end, matter very much.

Wow. What a gripping story. I absolutely LOVED Suman Mallick's novel, The Black-Marketer's Daughter. It is an intense, well-written, and compelling read that you won't be able to put down. I was able to devour this short book in one sitting and let me just say it is so worth putting aside the time to read it. This is the type of story that you need to finish in one go, instead of dipping in and out. Of course, once you start reading you won't be able to stop, so I suppose you'll devour it in one go no matter what.

As for the story...wow. For such a short book, the author certainly packs a lot in: marriage, relationships, domestic violence, the legal system, cultural differences, and religion. You will easily get swept up in the narrative and find yourself caught up in the drama, the emotions, and the outcome of it all. It is a riveting and thought-provoking exploration on the complexities of marriage. Mallick does an amazing job in developing the depth of the story - at first it all seems so simple and then the more you read, the more complex it all becomes. This is one story you won't want to miss out on.

I would definitely recommend Mallic's novel, The Black-Marketer's Daughter to anyone and everyone looking for their next great read - you will LOVE this book!!

Well you can tell it was written by a man. It's a good story, hopeful ending, but no real conclusion.

This was a beautiful and well written story. I see how the author has won awards. It was masterfully written and very enjoyable. I also noticed several things while reading it. Like Christianity, some men use the book they believe in order to control and bully women. Also it was refreshing and kind of a shock how well the woman's perspective and story was told, although this book was written by a man. Although it ended differently than I expected, I understand why it ended the way it did. Some parts of the story, especially the end will be staying with me for a while. Wonderful Job

I have to say the topic is very brave especially considering it’s incredibly taboo for women to conduct Adultery in Islam or from a Pakistani background.

This is a quick read, but I think it could have been fleshed out a bit more and needed more details than were available.

Zulaikha shows no remorse for her actions and there doesn’t seem to be any real consequences for her which I found hard to believe.

Islander was an incredibly 2D character and the only thing I remember about him is his having a sly smile.

I didn’t enjoy the story and the ending was rushed without a real resolution.

Wow,what a story! I have seen what happens when a Muslim is a wife or daughter and doesn't do what her husband or father tells her and brings shame but to actually read about it! Suman Mallick writes a story about behaviour as a wife in a arranged marriage and how her life is in America! Full of suspense, history and drama of this woman's life and as she tries to please but what about her feelings and falling in love for the first time and it's not her husband. Follow this life and love and see what happens to this forbidden love, the tradition and religion. This writer makes you feel as if you are watching the events happen before your very eyes.Fantastic writing,the descriptions and characters you will do know before thus story is over with. You can tell that research went into the writing of this story! I had a hard time at first trying to understand all about the religion but you will. Received from Net Gallery and it is a must read book! Get some tissues!!

this was a really unique read the characters were great and I really enjoyed that it wasn't the typical book that I read.

Very impressive debut! Kudos to Suman Mallick!

This is a quick, bold book that manages to have your heart go out to many of the characters. Honestly, the ending was a bit abrupt...but I didn't mind because it left the future of these characters up to my imagination and the "good ending" I hope befalls them all.

I enjoyed reading this book and can't wait to read more by the author. Anyone who puts "braggadocious" and references to the movie "Frances Ha" has me hooked. I didn't expect the complex feelings toward multiple characters in just 166 pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!

I requested this book due to the fact I wanted to read something out of my normal romance/suspense/mystery, etc., genres. Also, with the various racial tensions and the treatment of various ethnicities throughout the world, this book seemed a good place to start.

Zuleikha has grown up with a view similar to many others about romance but when she has an arranged marriage and moved from Pakistan to Texas, marriage isn’t what she expected. Iskander seems like a man who wants to make his wife comfortable and follow the marriage contract, but Zuleikha seems to think he’s less than exciting. He came off with almost passive-aggressive arrogance at times when talking about certain subjects with his wife, which was irritating.

Time moves quickly in the story and jumps to the birth of their son, then he’s in school. As Zuleikha is provided a piano by her husband, she finds her love of playing and teaching something to enjoy.

Until a certain situation arises, Iskander never gives any evidence that he could be violent towards his wife. The incident is told somewhat in a dream state so it’s difficult to understand what actually happened until much later.

The story ends abruptly, leaving me to wonder what actually comes next for Zuleikha. The story didn’t really get into discrimination like I had assumed would be covered and the couple seem to have little interest in their religion.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this new work.

On the positive side, the book was very interesting - even gripping. I couldn't put it down, as I was very interested in what would happen next. It was very readable - except for an occasional overly lengthy, convoluted sentence.

(spoiler alert for the rest of the review)

I also liked the fact that the reader was given two very different perspectives on the "case" - one from the point of view of religious Muslim clerics (a point of view no doubt most readers will see in a very negative light) and then from the point of view of the district attorney's people, who, interestingly, come off in an equally negative light. (The later were more concerned about forwarding their political agenda than about revealing the truth.) Naturally, I was anxiously waiting to see how the plot would develop - things had been set up for what could have been a fascinating legal, or even courtroom drama. The case itself is presented in an ambiguous manner, so the outcome was anything but certain. But then the book ended! Abruptly. For me, that was a big disappointment.

The other thing that troubled me about the book - I have to admit this is totally personal - is that I really couldn't identify with the protagonist. I'm old fashioned - I believe in the sanctity of marriage. Zuleikha had issues in her marriage, but she never tried to do anything about them. She never spoke to her husband about any of the things that were bothering her. Instead, she has an affair, never thinking for a moment about the consequences for herself, or for her son (not to mention for her husband). She goes so far as to have sex with her lover in her own marital bed.

In typically "Hollywood" manner, "falling in love" is presented as something over which an individual has absolutely no control. I don't think this is true. Zuleikha knew she was unhappy in her marriage and therefore vulnerable. Had she simply rebuffed Patrick's first "approaches' (he was obviously coming on to her), she would not have "fallen in love" with him and ended up in an affair that led to such tragic consequences. At the same time, she could have tried to make her marriage work (something really human beings do, though not in Hollywood style romances), or she could have divorced her husband and only then looked around for someone she could love more. To Zuleikha's credit, she does sometimes mention that her husband is also a victim, especially before the "incident", but that doesn't keep her from cheating on him.

If I were to recommend this book to a young person, it would only be to raise the questions I have raised here. I wouldn't want young people to take Zuleikha as a model, though I think that she is presented by the author as a both a victim and as a hero.

Thank you to the author, Atmosphere Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This debut novel is short but complex, and tackles a difficult subject. It's well-written, simple on the surface, revealing depth as it progresses, and it packs a punch. The tone is empathetic, without coddling - you sense the protagonist's hesitation, disappointment and the agonizing choices she faces. The ending is quite abrupt, and I wish parts of the story had been more elaborated upon, but all in all I look forward to reading more from this author.

Nicely written novel on a difficult topic. What happens when a personal issue goes public and various groups, legal and religious, with their own agendas, start pushing you in opposite directions?
That's what happens to Zuleikha who gets married to Iskander and moves to Texas with him.
Living a stable if bland life, Zuleikha takes a step which lands her in the middle of a situation that she is unable to control.
I couldn't help feeling that she was made a victim without considering her own role though!
It's not easy to decide who is to blame and how much and the story ends a little abruptly.

“And she can never figure out who she is cheating. Is it Iskander, the man she has decided she can only be grateful to? Or is it the man who loves her to distraction and makes her feel so happy… 

But what about cheating herself?” 

Zuleikha left her home in Pakistan to live in Irving, Texas, joining her new husband Iskander, a Pakistani American. Her father saw to it that her marriage contract would include that she was to be given certain amenities, such as a car and a piano, and Iskander saw to it that she received those things. She loved the instrument and even found a job teaching piano and Iskander encouraged it. She even gave birth to a son, whom she loved and with whom Iskander was totally involved. 

So why was she unhappy and wanting more?

Years ago, her father sold banned American movies and books on the black market to pay for her education and wedding dowry. He didn’t mind when Zuleikha snuck one of these DVDs or books into her bag to watch. Even though she realized that Hollywood was not the real world, this exposed her to a broader way of life. 

Now, still having connections with the Muslim community in Texas, she becomes part of a scandal and must make important decisions. 

The Black-Marketer’s Daughter is an intricately crafted, plot-driven story, which is well-written and fast-moving. It is narrated from the third person, which gives it objectivity. The author was fair to each character, careful not to villainize anyone. I appreciate how difficult that can be for a writer. That is what I particularly enjoyed about the book. It is realistic, as life can be messy. 

If readers enjoy novels that explore life the way it is, with shades of gray, this is the book for you. Highly recommended!
(This review will be posted on UnderratedReads on Sept. 10. 2020)

For such a short novel, Suman Mallick's Black-Marketer's Daughter is extremely complex.
This fast paced page-turner mixes culture, religion, the legal system and victim's rights into a gripping story.
The highly emotional content may be too overwhelming for some readers. However, I found it to be a compelling and well written read.
Overall, it is an original and praiseworthy debut novel that I recommend - with caution of graphic domestic violence triggers.
*Thank you NetGalley, Atmosphere Press and Suman Mallick for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I read this all in one evening. It is a story told quite simply, and nicely brief – though sometimes I had to read back over a paragraph to make sure I’d understood correctly as the author didn’t labour the point (this was a good thing).

There were some beautiful turns of phrase, but one error jumped out – siege the opportunity, instead of seize – is this a colloquialism or just a sounds-alike that slipped through the proof reading?

I liked the physical descriptions, of places and people, but there were a few too many instances when Zuleikha felt faint or her head woozed, or she was lightheaded, or felt like she was floating. Other than when this was a symptom of pregnancy it wasn’t clear what these feelings indicated for the character.

I found all the men a bit confusing, as if the author knew what they were getting at but didn’t make their intent clear enough. Patrick came across as a bit sleazy from the off, and Anthony definitely so – I’m glad she didn’t jump into a relationship with Anthony, but it was equally weird that she should behave with such hostility.

I’m not sure I got the ending – are we to believe her car blew up on the way, perhaps with a lightning strike? There were omens, but even the character didn’t know what of, so I’m not sure why we should know.

I enjoyed the contrasting attitudes of the Imam vs the DA – in one’s view she is entirely to blame, in the other’s view he is entirely to blame. But I didn’t understand why Jane let slip what was going on with Antifa – this didn’t contribute anything to her conversation with Zuleikha. Likewise, we didn’t need to know what happened to Reza.

I liked the way the piano was woven into the story, though sometimes it felt a bit forced, like the flashbacks about the professor – Sir Pendleton (which also doesn’t make sense, as it would be Sir [first name]). We knew that her father dealt in black-market films and books, but this was only mentioned in passing until she’s with Jane, and suddenly she’s telling the whole story – that was a bit odd, how she suddenly opened up there. The story was good, but the idea that she learned life lessons from films needed to come a bit sooner.

Overall, I did enjoy this story, and how it was told – sorry for the nitpicking!

An impressive debut novel. Suman Mallick navigates a layered subject with nuance and sensitivity. Failing to connect to her new, unresponsive husband, the book looks at a Pakistani Muslim woman's struggle to adapt to an unfamiliar, new existence in Texas. Across the narrative-- raising her son, pursuing her passion for the piano, and developing a love interest in a dad from their shared daycare --the author displays empathy for women with a lived experience of domestic violence.

A young Muslim woman is married and settles with her husband in Texas. Marriage at its best is an adjustment but doing so in a foreign country is an added challenge. Sensing his wife’s unease the husband arranged for her to have a piano which evolves into the wife starting to give lessons. It is lessons with a neighbor that leads to conflict within the marriage. Here is a lesson in assimilation on a very personal lesson with terrifying consequences.