surrounded by her mother’s entire clan and many aunties of no relation, her writing often features families, communities, and all the drama therein. Currently, Taslim teaches English by day and tells all kinds of stories about Bengali characters by night. Her writing usually stars spunky heroines finding their place in the world…and a little swoony romance, too.
Taslim applied the Page 69 Test to her new novel, Always Be My Bibi, with the following results:
Page 69 of Always Be My Bibi is actually the first page of chapter seven. On this page, Bibi—the bratty, American, Cher Horowitz-esque teenage heroine of the novel—is about to embark on her employee orientation for a tea estate in Bangladesh.Visit Priyanka Taslim's website.
I think this page does a good job of giving readers a small glimpse into who Bibi is through her vibrant voice. You learn she isn’t especially excited about this new task, which is a punishment from her parents (for sneaking off with a boy back in New Jersey, although you won’t know this from page 69 alone). However, neither being in trouble nor the antiquated rules of the estate will stop her from making the most of her life, so she’s intent on being the best dressed on the farm.
Unfortunately, the page doesn’t perfectly encapsulate what the story itself is about as well as some other segments of the book. Always Be My Bibi is a YA romcom about a teenage fashionista jetting off to this tea estate for her older sister’s wedding to its heir, only to scheme with the younger brother of the groom to sabotage the engagement when they realize their families are destined for nothing but a Shakespearean-level feud. It’s a romance and a family drama all wrapped up in one, with ethereal descriptions of an underappreciated destination. You don’t get to see enough of that on page 69 alone, but if I were to choose a chapter that embodied some of the most fun elements of the book, chapter seven as a whole wouldn’t be a bad option. In the chapter, you get to see Bibi’s sense of style, some of her conflict with her older sister, her early impressions of the groom, and her banter with his brother, whom she still hates at this point. Plus, they take a tour of the tea garden and talk a little bit about the history of tea in Bangladesh, so if page 69 doesn’t quite pull you in, perhaps try finishing the chapter to see if it might be your cup of tea!
My Book, The Movie: The Love Match.
Q&A with Priyanka Taslim.
The Page 69 Test: The Love Match.
--Marshal Zeringue
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