Set to be a standout novel of 2026 ... Brutal, funny and brilliantly told ... Mueenuddin's writing is always fluent and often very funny. He brings the smells and tastes of Pakistan to vibrant life; the birds and trees feel as present as the weight of history and the impossible tangles within tangles of corruption and responsibility ... The portrayals are immediate, the storytelling instantly involving

PATRICK GALE, GUARDIAN

Mueenuddin offers a profound meditation on identity, class and privilege in a deeply conservative and patriarchal society ... A masterful storyteller, bringing together beautifully realised characters and a compelling plot

OBSERVER

Expect to see this epic novel all over prize lists in 2026 ... Mueenuddin is a sort of literary magician ... It's a rich stew of kindness betrayed and moral ambiguity that makes the reader angry and helpless; lots to think about, lots to feel

THE TIMES

These are absorbing studies of class, caste and character; of mores and manners; with greed, corruption and entitlement pulsing throughout. There's a poised, timeless quality to the masterful storytelling, which – travelling as it does between parched farms, opulent salons and the immensity of the Pakistani landscape – makes this feel at once like a classic

DAILY MAIL

All the makings of a classic

VOGUE, All The Best Books To Look Out For In 2026

Sensitive and powerful ... Mueenuddin has an exacting sense of social hierarchy, especially of dignity on its last legs, and the multiple meanings of a glance, a touch, a vocal inflection, a phone call not placed… a serious book that you'll be hearing about again, later in the year, when the shortlists for the big literary prizes are announced

NEW YORK TIMES