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3.75 AVERAGE

funny informative lighthearted reflective fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: N/A
Strong character development: N/A
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

Stories are maybe a bit too close together thematically, but they're all very good to great. Wish the translators note was at the beginning as it gives a lot of context to the family dynamics and colloquialisms present in the stories.
gurofl's profile picture

gurofl's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 41%

Eg likte dei første novellene, men synest det var nok med dei for meg. Spørs om det ikkje var for likt. 
challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I wanted to love this book so bad but I have a slight problem with how the translation was handled. While I agree with Bhasthi’s argument against italicizing non-english words, I also think it would be nice to provide at least some translation notes to readers. I, for one, adore when translators take the extra step to ensure readers catch important cultural nuances. It’s not required, but nice to have. 

A common complaint is that many of the short stories are alike in themes, but I think that was the author’s intention. 

Anyways, besides that, Heart Lamp is a decent short story collection for anyone interested in South Asian literature penned by women. 
emotional sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
emotional slow-paced
emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
challenging emotional sad

What a phenomenal translation of stories that with great ease paint a picture so honest, that it feels shocking at times. I wondered over and over again, how have I never come across these women and their voices, before? The ones that we grew up observing, reading, watching, listening - and often, ones that we have carefully avoided becoming. The din of it almost makes one pull their hair out with frustration or admiration.

I do feel the Indian-ness of the translation may not register its weight with those unfamiliar with the region, its languages, or its tyrannies of various kind. So much so, that during my reading, I could mentally translate the translation to arrive at the rhythm or idiom or feel a sentence evoked. I was pleasantly surprised to read about the Dakhani touch in Banu's language, something that was singing to me through the pages.

The stories themselves are brimming with life and flavour, would highly recommend! :)