Sheba Karim’s fourth novel, The Marvelous Mirza Girls, is billed as a kind of New Dehli Gilmore Girls — a setup that makes it the perfect escape from the twin pillars of pandemic living: anxiety and boredom. Karim writes novels for young adults that are smart and sometimes steamy — she’s also written and edited erotica for adults. In The Marvelous Mirza Girls, the American-born protagonist takes a gap year in India with her mom. Along the way, she meets a handsome boy who helps introduce her to the city of New Delhi, with its Bollywood celebrities, 14th-century ruins, karaoke parties and Sufi saints. For this virtual event, Karim will be speaking with Kentucky-based YA novelist David Arnold, whose books Mosquitoland and The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik are similarly playful and have been acclaimed for their imaginativeness. The streaming conversation will be available via the Parnassus Facebook page. Details are available at parnassusbooks.net, where you can also order a signed copy of Karim’s book. 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 18, via Parnassus Books LAURA HUTSON HUNTER
Stream Sheba Karim’s Book Event
