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Review: The Return of Butterfly by Moni Mohsin.


Book: The Return of Butterfly

Author: Moni Mohsin

Pages: 206

Read On: Paperback

How Long It Took Me To Read: 3-4 hours

Plot Summary: I tell you the halaats are so bad, so bad that don’t even ask. The Talibans sitting on top of our heads, bombs bursting left, right and centre, drones droning away, load-shedding a hundred hours a day, servants answering back, in-laws trying to upstage you, friends throwing you out of their kitties and on top of that elections ka tamasha. Janoo tau is coming closer and closer to a nervous brake out while Mummy is getting sterile dementia. As for Kulchoo, bhai, don’t even ask.

But I’ve decided, come what may, I tau am not going to let anyone clamp my style. I’m going to live just as I like—watching my Turkish soaps, going to GTs and weddings, throwing kitty parties, telling everyone everything saaf-saaf and, of course, doing summers in London—voh tau must hai na. And I’m going to do it in my Jimmy Choo ki heels and my sleeveless designer shirts, and my streaked hair and my Prada ki sunglasses. This much I’m telling you all from now only. So tighten your seat belts, okay?

General Thoughts: This is the third in the Social Butterfly series, the first book being The Diary of a Social Butterfly and second one is called Tenderhooks. I loved, loved, loved those books. So funny, full of clever satire as well as a feel of what people in present day Pakistan are going through, the chaos and terror. I adore Butterfly, she is just such a wonderful unique character. It is such a joy to re-visit her. When I found out this book was out..I pretty much ran to my laptop to order the book! Yay! 

Things I Liked: 

There is real, proper character growth in Butterfly. Even though this isn't the kind of book where you'd expect a character to develop from book to book but Mohsin manages to show change, growth in Butterfly. She is still her, slightly self-obsessed, clueless and VERY into fashion, shopping and holidays abroad but she does have a good-heart and cares about the world around her- in her own unique way. 

The book is still funny..laugh out loud funny.

More than the other book, the events in Pakistan and in the rest of the world are better entwined with the story. 

The book spans some 4-5 years and it does a good job of doing so. 

I really enjoyed this book and was so glad to re-visit Butterfly, Jannoo and Kulchoo, Pussy Aunty, The Old Bag and so many other familiar characters. 


Rating: 3.5/5 

These books are so funny, I highly recommend them. But you do need to know a bit of Hindi/Urdu to read these books. 




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