“Are You Enjoying?”

By Mira Sethi (Knopf; 208 pages; $24)

Based in San Francisco and Pakistan, Mira Sethi knows of what she writes. Many of the stories in her debut collection feature characters — especially driven women — who are caught between disparate cultures, faiths and desires, in search of home. In “A Life of Its Own,” newlyweds Farah and Kashif ’s plans to move to New York are foiled when Kashif ’s mother, ZB, has a heart attack. Stuck in Lahore, Farah must learn how to navigate her overbearing motherinlaw’s moods and hold her own in a society that devalues women.

In the collection’s most mature story, “Tomboy,” childhood friends Zarrar and Asha, both closeted, marry each other so they can continue to pursue their dreams under the pretense of being straight.

Set predominantly in Pakistan, each of the seven stories depicts an environment defined by religious, political, class and social strife. While none forge new ground, Sethi’s voice is still a welcome addition to the canon.