No Funeral for Nazia by Taha Kehar

Thank you @neemtreepress for sharing a copy of this to review.

Rating: 4🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:

Nazia Sami is a celebrated author, but perhaps her greatest plot twist is yet to be produced. In her final days, she wields a pen one last time as she fills her diary with instructions for her sister, Naureen, and writes six letters to be delivered after her death.

There is to be no funeral for Nazia. Instead, only six invitees are asked to attend a party, one of whom is a mystery guest. Over the course of an extraordinary evening, secrets are revealed, pasts reconsidered, and lives are forever changed.

Perfect for fans of MOHSIN HAMID and KAMILA SHAMSIE, No Funeral for Nazia is a striking and inventive exploration of what death can mean for both the deceased and those left behind.

Review:

“…it’s best to start the process of forgetting the dead soon after they die”

I really enjoyed this book! It was easy to read with a great pace.
I found it all really engaging and the concept very interesting!!
I enjoyed most the incredible character development….not wanting to give any spoilers the mystery guest worked to go deeper into the guests different perspectives and experiences of the title character. Although this didn’t enamour me to any of the guests it was fascinating to build more understanding of who Nazia was and the life she led!

As a side note it is also great to see strong female characters represented within this book 💪

Overall, a really enjoyable read with a great premise!

This book is out now and I’d love to hear what others think?

The plot of this book was a little different to anything I can recall reading in the past. It is quite hard to describe without creating spoilers, so I will just say that each of the characters reveals why their relationship with Nazia was problematic and this was done in an unusual way. However, the reader does get to understand their views of Nazia through this and to a lesser degree, of Nazia herself.

It is a story of love, betrayal and death. It considers the ways in which we see ourselves and also how others see us.

It was a short and interesting work of prose which I recommend.

A curious, character-led mystery, set over one evening, No Funeral for Nazia is an engaging novel from Taha Kehar that has me intrigued to read more of their work. When celebrated author Nazia passes away, her wish is there is to be no funeral – only a party with six invitees. Nazia’s sister is entrusted with delivering six letters to these guests during an unforgettable evening where family secrets are uncovered, relationships are pulled taut to strain, and pasts are reconsidered.

This novel read differently to almost anything that I’ve read before. It gets straight to business but, for me, this meant I found it really hard to fully connect with any of the characters. Short but sweet, the story is a searing insight into South Asian familial relations and traditions, but also in how relationships break down over time. I thoroughly enjoyed the Pakistani representation here and can’t wait to continue reading more from this corner of the globe.

I loved this book for both the plot and the insight into life in Pakistan over the past few decades, while not all the characters were fully rounded to me and a few of the plot points escaped me I enjoyed my time spent with Nazia's family and the whole book gave me 'An Inspector Calls' vibes.

This was an intriguing story told through the eyes of 6 different people. When Nazia dies, she leaves instructions that there is to be no funeral but instead, there is a party with 6 invited specifically invited people. Through their recollections and chat, we gradually begin to find out who Nazia was.
The opening of No Funeral for Nazia really drew me in and I enjoyed meeting each of the different characters. However, as the story progressed, I became less involved with it. All of the characters are fairly unlikeable to an extent and there didn’t seem to be enough substance to the plot to justify all of the mystery. I liked the resolution but route to it felt a bit lacking to me.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Nazia, having prepared for her death, has left a notebook detailing what should take place, requesting a quiet burial and a party with six specific guests.

At this party, secrets are revealed and betrayals are uncovered. We spend the story finding out what happened between each guest and Nazia. We also find out how the six guests have also betrayed each other. These guests are embroiled in a party of confessions puppeteered by Nazia from the grave.

I was hooked from the start, I love a good mystery and I really couldn't figure out what would be revealed. Some of the betrayals were obvious and some were a revelation. I found the history between the characters intriguing and as it's revealed you can see how it influences the smallest of their actions.

I loved the writing style, I like having multiple points of view and I like how it easily switches between them. You get instant insight into to each character's mind without having to wait for a whole new chapter. I think this style works perfectly for the story being told.

This book is majorly character-driven and almost all the characters have complicated pasts and unlikeable natures. We see different sides of Nazia through their eyes and receive explanations for seemingly heinous actions by connecting their stories.

The ending was a little lacklustre for me, I feel as though more could have been done to tie up the story. I also didn't appreciate an act that was almost committed towards the end. The story felt like it was redeeming this character and then the ending completely stopped that, almost unprovoked. It didn't seem in character and it felt a little unnecessary.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it, especially if you enjoy character-driven stories.

No Funeral for Nazia, by Taha Kehar, is an intriguing story set in Karachi, Pakistan. It is centred on the aftermath of Nazia’s death and her wrong doings to many people throughout her life. Nazia, through her sister, attempts to help her loved ones forget her and her wrong doings through a party, rather than a funeral. This event unpacks Nazia’s story for the reader.
I enjoyed reading this book and getting to know the complex characters Taha Kehar has created.

"No Funeral for Nazia" is a captivating mystery drama that unfolds gradually, revealing the secrets and motivations of each character as they connect to the enigmatic Nazia.

Eschewing a traditional funeral, Nazia orchestrated a farewell party aimed at providing closure for those she believed needed it most. A testament to her perceptive nature, Nazia's final act ensured each guest would confront their emotions exactly as she anticipated for she knew how each character will abide her last wishes.

This fast-paced novel throws one plot twist after another at the reader, delving into the murky depths of morality when clashing egos run amok. Each character is meticulously crafted, with intricate layers of motivations that slowly unravel. The story opens with a hint of deep-seated trouble brewing among the partygoers, and the reveal is both suspenseful and satisfying. Underlying it all is a vicious cycle of power imbalances, set against the backdrop of Pakistan's tumultuous political struggle.

The novel's characters are morally complex, a fact that sparked a frustrating mix of hatred and sympathy within me. As the story unfolded, we'd get a glimpse of the motivations behind their despicable actions. It feels clear the author is exploring the nuances of human behavior, demonstrating how a multitude of factors can push individuals to commit terrible deeds. Despite this newfound understanding, the characters' actions remain reprehensible.

Here's the thing, I don't condone what that person did towards the end of the book and will never understand why that person did that unforgivable thing but I assume Nazia know and I condemn her for endangering someone else with her use of power imbalance. I need to be vague but I have to give a fair warning that the book failed to deliver before the book starts, there's an attempted rape of an adolescent and a child, as well as child sexual abuse towards the ending.

For fans of fast-paced drama and intriguing mysteries, this novel is a quick, satisfying read. In a world with morally grey characters, where will you draw the line?

What happens when a lauded and celebrated author passes away? That's the opening of Taha Kehar's book. After the death of Nazia Sami she leaves specific instructions for her sister Naureen. Deliver six letters to six individuals to attend a party. But the catch? Each of the individuals that have had an impact on Nazia's life. What unravels throughout the novel is such a revealing mystery and commentary on social issues and so much more. Such a wonderful character driven book that could easily be adapted into a television limited series.

Thank you NetGalley for the book! I really appreciated this journey.

This was such a great book that I'm so happy I got to read.

It was such an interesting premise, but also covered the more serious side of politics, friendship & betrayal.
Great well written characters who were all unique & flawed in their own way, I loved that the author gave us character background as well.

A great entertaining, humorous read, perfect if you're looking for a quick read.

No Funeral for Nazia follows Nazia’s unconventional (and not just by Pakistani standards) end of life celebration request - I don’t want a funeral, but invite the people who hurt me the most in my life to be hypnotised to explore that hatred and hopefully heal from it.

I felt sad for Nazia that she was surrounded by such people in her life. All those who professed to love her ultimately destroyed her in their quest to have her as their own. Then of course there was the “friend” who simply wanted to destroy Nazia for her own sake…

The story was an interesting one but as none of the characters were likeable, and none seemed central to the plot (in that they all had their little piece of the puzzle to contribute), it was hard to get fully engrossed. Even the daughter who should have been an innocent equally should have known better. It was also a rather unbelievable premise - not the “anti-funeral” necessarily but I wasn’t fully convinced by the attendees’ motivations for even being there. The secrecy leading up to and even on the day in question wasn’t always necessary and I don’t think could have held these people in the room.

At the end of her life, Nazia Sami, a celebrated author, fills her diary with instructions for her sister, Naureen, and writes six letters to be delivered after her death.
Nazia declares that there is to be no funeral after she has passed. Instead, the recipients of the six letters are requested to attend a party, one of whom is a mystery guest. As the guests arrive, the mystery guest is revealed, who leads the guests to reveal secrets, reconsider the past and perhaps change their lives forever.

This is a very character driven book and it took a lot of concentration for me to follow the story and the various characters. The premise of the book is an interesting one and the six people linked to Nazia’s past all have their flaws, it was quite hard to like any of them. It’s unusual to read a book where so many people were so selfish in their motives!
Even thiugh Nazia is dead, she is still the central character and she is most definitely present in the book. You feel you get to know many sides of her from the various stories shared about her. There are mentions of events in Pakistan’s political history that I didn’t know about, but this book didn’t give me a real sense of the country that I often get in my global reads. What did come across was the class divide and the poor treatment of the servants and housekeepers who are often the ones who know the family members (and their business) the best!

If you like character-driven books then this may appeal.

How often do you judge a novel by its cover? Well, I have done it quite often and might continue to do so. The first thing that struck me about Taha Kehar's No Funeral for Nazia was the title. It's such a hook! Unfortunately, the story failed to live up to the promise set by the intriguing title.

While Kehar's writing is engaging, most of the narration is in the form of monologues, and I found it a little daunting. There was no fresh perspective being shed, and the narration proceeded on predicted lines.

The novel is fast-paced, but the conclusion left me wanting. I was expecting more and was definitely disappointed by the end. There are too many things happening and the threads are not tied properly at the end.

Even the party didn't make sense. Nazia could have still had her janaza and held a party later! The idea of "no funeral" didn't add any great mystery.

Conceptually, the book deals with the profound topics of death and its impact on loved ones, the importance of closure, how a person is perceived by others, and how this perception shapes our views. But the lack of a strong connection with any character prevented me from enjoying it.

No Funeral for Nazia is a one-time read.

As Nazia writes towards the end, her “life is a story with many narrators.” This is a story about writers and their writing. Several characters are writers, and it is through these multiple lenses that we learn more about Nazia, although she is already dead for the time we share in this story and we never meet her directly. Most of the content is delivered through characters talking about their past experiences of Nazia to a hypnotist, who she hired before her own death. The hypnotist was (for me) a strange addition, but ultimately was a useful vehicle to discover the relationships between the characters. Like the book ‘Rebecca’ the reader never meets Nazia, but we feel that we understand her from her own words, and the reflection of her in the way other characters describe her. She has no funeral, but she still gets her story.

Sounded interesting and I really enjoyed it, more than I expected too. Writing was good and I found myself not able to put it down

Thank you so much for granting me access to this book. I was so fascinated by the happenings, usually ensemble casts leave me feeling dissatisfied but Im okay with everyone's backstory, there wasn't anyone in particular to root for but it was still a very fascinating read.

When Nazia dies she requests to not have a funeral, but rather a dinner party of 6 specific people. Each of them has had a specific reason to be invited. They have unsettled history with Nazia that needs further exploring. Set in the backdrop of Pakistan, political history plays a further factor in some of these relationships.

I have no knowledge on Pakistani history explored in this book which provided a lacking in contexts at time. Also every single character was unlikeable in their own different ways. The writing also felt shallow and lacking in the relationships. Despite a clever premise the book fell flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Neem Tree Press for this ARC.

Actually I like the premise, however because of too much monolog made me bored and I often skimming in a few parts.

I don't know about how Pakistani culture, and this book give me new knowledge about it.

Not sure if this was a case of the book being short and so having to fill a lot in not a lot of space, but the pacing just felt a bit off to me.

Really enjoyed reading this book and the way it highlights how each story has multiple perspectives and interpretations. Seeing the same events being retold by different characters felt like Nazia's character was being slowly revealed to me as the reader like a nesting doll. Nevertheless, there wasn't a tidy resolution at the end of exactly who she had been but rather how each relationship had influenced her choices.
It took a little time to warm up as the scene was set and the guests were introduced but once their memories started to surface I was drawn into the mystery of who Nazia was. I also hadn't read many books set in Pakistan before but I got a real sense of the specific place from this book which was a good way to brighten up my rainy days!