The Matchmaker (Saman Shad, Viking)

Playing cupid for the Sydney Pakistani community is Saima Khan in The Matchmaker. Pairing lovers is second nature for Saima until the handsome, young white-collar Kal (Khalid) Ali unwittingly saunters into her life as a client. Growing up at opposite ends of sprawling Sydney, the duo serendipitously strikes up a tête-à-tête outside the scene of a big brown wedding. The heady magic of first romance, drawing on the lightness and quandaries of early 2000s movie rom-coms such as Bridget Jones’s Diary and Maid in Manhattan, shapes this work into the classic that first-generation kids have been craving. The Matchmaker is a debut novel written by the renowned journalist and screenwriter Saman Shad. Shad delivers a sentimental, well-crafted story woven with the perfect balance of realism and magic. The witty dialogue and realistic descriptions of culture and class (‘Yes, Saima, I have been to the West before,’ says North Shore-dwelling Kal with a grin) draw on complex themes of generational trauma and internalised racism. The most poignant part of the novel is witnessing the growth of supporting characters such as Ruby (Rubaiyah), as they heal from their own generational trauma. For a light read that still delves deep into the complexities and heartbreak of immigrant and first-generation experiences, The Matchmaker is a wonderful addition to Australian romance literature.

Australian-born Punjabi freelance arts critic Raveena Grover has written and reviewed for various publications across Eora.

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