Eleven stories... wade through the immigrant Indian Woman's experiences in coming to her own terms with the cultural intricacies within Marriage as defined, ordained and lived by most in the Indian population. Although most everything she has written is something I know happens, making me nod my head in agreement, I enjoyed reading this. It was a short read. It took me about 4 hours(surprisingly, I did the four hours in ONE day.)
Within each of the stories is a delicate world of an Indian woman, her growth within the bounds of the marriage, her hopes, dreams and expectations, her stifling and her breathing. There are things that will always be different when we come from different worlds. Ideas of Marriage, relationships, family and boundaries are different. Its like learning to speak a foreign language, we might know all the sounds and the ways to communicate with those foreign words but there will always be those moments when the joke is lost on us or we don't understand the nuance of what is said or we don't really "GET" it.
"Doors" appealed to me most. It deals with the life of a newly married couple, the bride who is brought up in the US and the Groom in India. When they decided to marry, everyone around them saw them as ill matched, yet everything seems to work out far beyond their expectations until a friend visits to stay. It is then that the seemingly harmless habit of shutting doors takes the form of a metaphor for life.
"The Ultrasound" deals with the difference in reality when we move from one country to another. In the US the ultrasound is a routine event during pregnancy. In India this routine event could lead to making drastic decisions like having an abortion, should the gender turn out to be a girl. It is one of the things in my world that makes me crave for a ONE WORLD, ONE LAW concept, as impractical and unrealistic as the idea is.
"The Affair" appealed to me for the dramatic way in which an observer's life is changed when she views her best friends Affair. From being the conservative,obscure person, she goes on to making a bold decision of walking out of the marriage that was unsatisfying to her.
Each story is somewhat tragic if we focus on the events but within that tragedy, there is a renewal, hope and walking into the unknown. Somehow that makes it real, the fact that life is mostly structured like our chromosomes - one strand each of tragedy and comedy. There are what are norms within Indian Behaviour that are either embraced, rejected or reconciled with. The thing that touched me is the fact that each of those women despite their situation, rise above it, look forward to life as it is.
If you like a view into the immigrant's experience in coming to terms with what they were brought up with and what they see for themselves, this is a nice read.
20 comments:
Thank You so much for this wonderful review. I think I would enjoy reading this book and it covers so much of a womanly experience that I am sure many women could relate.
You are welcome Milli.. That was quick :P. Hope you had a wonderful weekend. It must be Monday morning already :). Have a wonderful work day.
It is nearly lunchtime and you have a wonderful week there too. Hugss.
If it were not for the ability for woman to rise above ... we would all be dead by now.
I would love to read this book also.
(good to see you .. I have missed you ) ... : )
There are so many differences between this world (the US) and the rest of the world. the thing is that you and me - we know it. But people born and raised here don't.
One more book to read Rashmi. I am reading 'The namesake' now.
Very very interesting. I'll add it to my shelf.
The East-West encounter ... I find reading her so very interesting.
hehehe, that is so true. I think its a human ability, we forget we possess, especially when we go through the downs in our lives.
(hugs) to you to.. its been a while. Trying to get through to settling into a routine.. its the third week of school.
It will the the turn of the US too some day... it will become a reality that people from the US will end up working elsewhere in the world..things will change, perspectives change...I think it will build more bridges of understanding if each took the time and the quiet to look deep.
I watched the movie and now I got the book, will get to it soon.
:). Its a written version of a chick flick but its interesting because the stories don't end with the cliche' "happily ever after".
This is my 2nd book of her's... and it has been interesting so far. I think its mostly because being woman, I relate to the emotions and realities portrayed well.
Sounds like a book I would certainly enjoy but...where do I find this book?? ..sigh..
Another one of hers to seek out. I recently finished reading her book "Queen of Dreams". She is a very good writer indeed!
Rashmi, 'Doors' appealed to me too. Now let me read the rest of them and get back to you.
I have finished it. I wish the book never ended and I could go on and on reading more stories. I miss it already! :-(
It sounds like the kind of book I would love to lose myself in. I'll look for it when I visit England in January. The other one on my list of desired books is AIDs Sutra, various skilled writers exploring the Aids problem in India from different human angles. Has anyone read that yet?
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