The Hope Chest is a novel by Rukhsana Ahmad, published in November, 1996. At 307 pages, it tells the story of three women: Ruth, Rani, and Reshma, whose lives intertwine in different ways, connecting their separate journeys together.
Ahmad talks about her novel, saying, “...The Hope Chest, is about how… the context that you are born into completely separates you from all other people and all other experiences.” The book really reflects that statement; Rani and Reshma are from Pakistan, one from a rich family, the other from a struggling poorer family, respectively. Ruth is from London and meets the others at a hospital. The Hope Chest explores the struggles that Pakistani women face, mentally, emotionally, and on a more physical sense. As quoted from a Goodreads review, the novel brings elements of “identity, marriage and relationships, and the way families function.”
Rukhsana Ahmad was born in Pakistan in 1948 and is known for her novels, plays and poetry. She studied at Punjab University and later gained a “Master of Arts degree from the Karachi University in English Literature and Linguistics”. After getting married, she moved to England where she pursued her career as a playwright, journalist, and author, The Hope Chest being her first novel. Ahmad has won many awards for her campaigning of racial equality and her works of literature.
