Rating: 
Summary: A wonderfully imaginative story!
Review: Set in Pakistan during the 1930's, Haveli, written by Suzanne Fisher Staples, is a culturally diverse novel that will intrigue you. It is about a young woman, Shabanu, and her struggles against the traditions of an ancient culture. In this culture a man takes many wives for the sole purpose of an heir. Someone to inheret the land after he has died. In the story, Shabanu is the fourth wife of a wealthy landowner and politician. Even though she has been trapped by the traditions of her culture, Shabanu remains persistent, courageous, and strong willed. She also wants her daughter, Mumtaz, to remain independent from the traditions that may bind her. By being independent from those traditions, Shabanu sets herself up for much ridicule and vicious pranks by the other wives. Being the most beautiful and the youngest of her husbands four wives also causes problems for her, because the other wives are jealous, and covet her individuality. The drama and action rises in the story as you read deeper into the plot. Unexpected things begin to happen. A family feud causes the deaths of some loved ones, and Shabanu must do everything within her power to protect her daughter Mumtaz, and their education. An elicit love affair that could never be possible causes Shabanu to bury the feelings that she has for her one true love. Shabanu's adventures continue until the very last page of the story, and the reader is still mesmerized days after they close the book. So if you enjoy reading about adventure, romance, scandals, and danger, then this is definitely the book for you! We hope you enjoy it, because we certainly did! Happy Reading!
Rating:
Summary: WOW! (really the best word for it!)
Review: Shabanu, Staple's first novel, was simply enchanting and fascinating. The sequel, Haveli, was certainly no disapointment. Readers may rejoice at Ms. Staples' excellent storylines and tale: it is well-balanced and brings us back to the small, hard world of Shabanu. In this book, 18 year old Shabanu is married to a man almost twice her age and has a small daughter whom she devotes her life to. Shabanu must deal with the every day challenges of her harsh life in Pakistan without the family that she has always relied on. The other, older wives of her husband are cruel to her and her daughter, jealous of the young girl whom their husband loves so dearly. Shabanu fears that they might try to harm her and her daughter, and therefore is relieved when they are offered the opportunity to go into the city dwelling of Haveli. There Shabanu finds both peace and a forbidden love. While she battles with her concious, she makes plans for her daughter's education and upbringing. A truly magical tale of real life and of a culture that no one understands. This book is different from all others. It brings us into a culture we don't understand and, especially in times like these, helps us accept and realize how much like us they really are. I reccomend this book to children ages 10 and up, and adults everywhere who have a love of good books. One of the best books I have read. As an 8th grader, I read a lot and this book deserves the highest praise. This book will make you rethink your philosophies, and wring your heart. I beg you to read this book! Happy reading! -Lia
Rating:
Summary: Haunting portrait of impossible love in a repressive world
Review: Suzanne Fisher Staples' sequel to her acclaimed novel Shabanu is, in many ways, a far more detailed, far more heartbreaking portrait of her heroine's life, mind, and world. The descriptions are vivid and lovely, yet there are undercurrents of tension, treachery, and danger involved. Although tragedy, death, and hopeless love are tightly woven into the plot, Haveli is not entirely a book about sadness, for Staples' tenacious Shabanu refuses to let go of life despite its trials. The open ending is enigmatic enough to be maddening, but the entire experience of the rest of the novel far outweighs it.
Rating: 
Summary: A Different Kind Of Love Story
Review: The book Haveli by Suzanne Fisher Staples, is a poignant sequel to Shabanu. This book is very exciting and poignant and includes a lot of information about the Pakistani culture. Basically imprisoned by her polygamist husband, Rahim, and ridiculed by the other wives, Shabanu and her 6-year-old daughter, Mumtaz, long to return to the Cholistan Desert. But Shabanu has Rahim mesmerized by her mysterious self-confidence and inner beauty. A trip to Rahim's house in the city of Lahore brings Shabanu and Omar together. Omar is also trapped by ingrained traditions. Can Shabanu and Omar free themselves from ancient custom and be able to love one another without restriction? Read this excellent book to find out. I recommend this book because the reader can learn a lot from reading it. This book is set in the present time but in a totally different half of the world from America. Shabanu practices Islam and lived a nomadic life. In this book there is a lot of description of Islamic customs and you find out what it's like to be a Camel Herder in the Cholistani Desert. Also it thoroughly explains how young women are treated in this culture. Arranged marriages, polygamy, a female's position in a household, and the lives of nomads, are all topics covered in this book. Another noteworthy point about Haveli is that the reader will most definitely find that this is a very compelling love story. There have been other books and movies with the same kind of plot none of which take place in Pakistan or have much to do with the beliefs of the Muslims. This book will touch your heart when you read about two lovers that are forbidden to be together and open your mind when you learn about the nomadic way of life that is practiced in the Middle-East. One reason why I wouldn't recommend this book is because the author gets off topic and talks about past experiences a lot making it hard to decipher past from present. It is very confusing when the author switches from previous incidents and the current time so quickly. You must read very carefully or continually reread. Although this one flaw makes the book a bit harder to comprehend, once you get into the book, (which is very easy to do) the reader will get used to the author writing style and understand what is being said perfectly. This book is really a riveting tale that gives its readers a lot of insight into this unique culture.
Rating:
Summary: I loved this book
Review: The book Haveli was the best book I've ever read. It really touched my heart and I can't wait until I read the next part of Haveli. I think Suzanne Staples is a really good author, and I recommend all of her books because they are really good.
Rating:
Summary: I loved this book
Review: The book Shabanu was recommended to me by a friend. I read Shabanu and loved it. Then I read Haveli. It was even better than Shabanu. I loved all the excitement. I knew when Shabanu met Omar exactly what was going to happen. I can't wait until the next book to find out what happens to Shabanu, Mumtaz, and Omar. You should really read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Fara
Review: The ending really is horrible! The story is built up and left up! There SHOULD be another book!!! Shabanu is the 18 year old wife of Rahim. She struggles to fit in with his other 3 wives while trying to keep tradition. She finds herself falling in love with her brother-in-law's son!
Rating:
Summary: Haveli- - An extrodinary and exotic story!
Review: The sequal to Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind by Suzanna Fisher Staples, Haveli, is one of the best books I've ever read. Haveli continues the story of Shabanu, a young woman living in Pakistan. Haveli is about Shabanu's struggles to protect her young daughter, Mumtaz, and herself in a perpetually violent time and place. Shabanu is the youngest, and favorite, wife of a wealthy landowner named Rahim. Although Rahim adores her, his other wives detest her because of her beauty and ability to keep Rahim captivated. They also look down upon Shabanu because she was born a nomadic gypsy and does not meet their standards, and they try everything to harm Shabanu and Mumtaz. At the beginning of the book, Shabanu finds out that two weddings will be taking place in the near future. One of the weddings will be between Rahim's oldest daughter, Leyla, and his brother's son Omar. This wedding is greatly rejoiced because it will reunite ancient lands. The other wedding, which was to take place in the shadows of the first, was to be between Shabanu's best friend, Zabo, a lovely, spirited woman, and Rahim's son Ahmed, a boy with mental troubles. To escape the wedding chaos and harrassment of Rahim's other wives, Shabanu takes Mumtaz and herself to the haveli, Rahim's family home in a large city. There she and Zabo get involved in a dangerous plan which will hopefully result in Zabo not getting married to Ahmed. The plan, however, risks both of their lives. On top of this, Shabanu finds she is falling in love with Omar, a love that was never there with Rahim. Can Shabanu save herself and the people she loves most? Read this fantastic tale and find out for yourself!
Rating:
Summary: Haveli- - An extrodinary and exotic story!
Review: The sequal to Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind by Suzanna Fisher Staples, Haveli, is one of the best books I've ever read. Haveli continues the story of Shabanu, a young woman living in Pakistan. Haveli is about Shabanu's struggles to protect her young daughter, Mumtaz, and herself in a perpetually violent time and place. Shabanu is the youngest, and favorite, wife of a wealthy landowner named Rahim. Although Rahim adores her, his other wives detest her because of her beauty and ability to keep Rahim captivated. They also look down upon Shabanu because she was born a nomadic gypsy and does not meet their standards, and they try everything to harm Shabanu and Mumtaz. At the beginning of the book, Shabanu finds out that two weddings will be taking place in the near future. One of the weddings will be between Rahim's oldest daughter, Leyla, and his brother's son Omar. This wedding is greatly rejoiced because it will reunite ancient lands. The other wedding, which was to take place in the shadows of the first, was to be between Shabanu's best friend, Zabo, a lovely, spirited woman, and Rahim's son Ahmed, a boy with mental troubles. To escape the wedding chaos and harrassment of Rahim's other wives, Shabanu takes Mumtaz and herself to the haveli, Rahim's family home in a large city. There she and Zabo get involved in a dangerous plan which will hopefully result in Zabo not getting married to Ahmed. The plan, however, risks both of their lives. On top of this, Shabanu finds she is falling in love with Omar, a love that was never there with Rahim. Can Shabanu save herself and the people she loves most? Read this fantastic tale and find out for yourself!
Rating:
Summary: A page turner!
Review: This book is defenetly in need of a sequel. I read Shabanu and tought it was marvelous and I liked Haveli even more. But Ms. Staples MUST tell us what happens to Omar, Shabanu, Mumtaz and Nazir!
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