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neethuraghavan676's review
4.0
This book has all the pain and struggles a woman faces in an abusive marriage. Despite the fact that many people value arranged marriage more not all relationships end up well. Kaberi was married to a man she hardly knew and it is only after the relationship turns out to be disastrous that she asks him if he loved her. She relocates to Bengaluru from Guwahati with her husband and soon adjusts to her life in the flat. She had to live under the same roof as her unloyal husband who is deeply in love with his mistress. She tries to hide her pregnancy from everyone but gradually is revealed. The childhood memories with her long-lost friend Joya besides the Bhramaputra is so overwhelming.
Why do people still live in an abusive relationship-maybe it is a hope that this will change, or it could be the thought of how society takes it. But Kaberi is determined to move out. She is an ordinary strong woman, independent, ambiguous sometimes, and accommodating other times. The intimate conversation with her to-be-born kid is so sweet that it makes the book unputdownable.
Why do people still live in an abusive relationship-maybe it is a hope that this will change, or it could be the thought of how society takes it. But Kaberi is determined to move out. She is an ordinary strong woman, independent, ambiguous sometimes, and accommodating other times. The intimate conversation with her to-be-born kid is so sweet that it makes the book unputdownable.
apoorvasr's review
4.0
Rebirth by Jahnavi Barua
An ode to an existence of a cheated, battered woman. It almost felt like a Japanese classic to me - on the lines of the territory of light by Yuko Tsushima.
There was so less happening in the book but so much more happening . Initially I felt melancholic by the mundanity of the book. But to stop and literally smell the flowers.
The cosy alcove overlooking the park. Meeting the colourful birds and their playfulness. It’s true , nature is healing and nature is the best support .
Kaberi is like all of us - strong and independent at times , indecisive and submissive at times. There’s no judging Kaberi.
Having an offspring seems like the saving chance for her failed marriage . Her husband is a cheating and abusive prick . Her days and nights are dictated for the whisper and acknowledgment of love .
Running in parallel, is her simple childhood shielded by guava trees and nestling in the Brahmaputra river. The light shimmering off the blue- green river healing lost souls.It is true that the times of our childhood are simplest and richer .
The friendships , road trips and the small joys takes centrepiece. Our life is also like that. We constantly want to grow up when we are kids but as adults will find ourselves wishing to reverse time and relive moments as children .
The story of Joya and Kaberi is heartwarming . That one childhood friend who always has your soul. We all do.
The strength of Kaberi is in her quiet and withdrawn demeanour. As the book progressed, we could see the mountain of expectations closing in on her ..
But she had made her decision already..
In the very first page..
It almost felt like intuition to me.
An ode to an existence of a cheated, battered woman. It almost felt like a Japanese classic to me - on the lines of the territory of light by Yuko Tsushima.
There was so less happening in the book but so much more happening . Initially I felt melancholic by the mundanity of the book. But to stop and literally smell the flowers.
The cosy alcove overlooking the park. Meeting the colourful birds and their playfulness. It’s true , nature is healing and nature is the best support .
Kaberi is like all of us - strong and independent at times , indecisive and submissive at times. There’s no judging Kaberi.
Having an offspring seems like the saving chance for her failed marriage . Her husband is a cheating and abusive prick . Her days and nights are dictated for the whisper and acknowledgment of love .
Running in parallel, is her simple childhood shielded by guava trees and nestling in the Brahmaputra river. The light shimmering off the blue- green river healing lost souls.It is true that the times of our childhood are simplest and richer .
The friendships , road trips and the small joys takes centrepiece. Our life is also like that. We constantly want to grow up when we are kids but as adults will find ourselves wishing to reverse time and relive moments as children .
The story of Joya and Kaberi is heartwarming . That one childhood friend who always has your soul. We all do.
The strength of Kaberi is in her quiet and withdrawn demeanour. As the book progressed, we could see the mountain of expectations closing in on her ..
But she had made her decision already..
In the very first page..
It almost felt like intuition to me.
brew_and_books's review
3.0
If at all there’s been a book that thrust me to feel for the protagonist so much, so much that I’d be borderline disturbed and disconcerted, it was this one. ‘Rebirth’ takes us on an emotionally swirling ride to get along and come to grips with the life and struggles of Kaberi. She comes upfront as she deals with her pregnancy amid her husband tolling away eight years of marriage for an affair.
The narrative flows beautifully as it encompasses with it a poignant and exquisite take on a woman's unwinding from a toxic, loveless, and abusive marriage. The theme, plot, storyline, development, flow are all well for their parts. I liked them, but what enamored me was the character development and portrayal of the main character, Kaberi. I was thrown into fits and was initially disconcerted by the way things unfolded for her, for the way she reacted to what life had to throw her way. Still, eventually, her resilience and determination to stand up for herself and her unborn child is what kind of stole the show for me. I absolutely loved how her character honed the qualities she wasn’t inherently born with (and something which is actually very difficult to have, let alone practice), mastered the situations, and did the best for her child’s well-being and nurturing.
Another thematic aspect that stood apart for me was the eloquence of the prose and the detailed, rich description of the landscape. I graduated this year with a B.Tech from IIT Guwahati, and I still maintain that four years aren’t sufficient to explore and take in the beauty and charm of the North East. Likewise, it isn’t easy to understand all the struggle and turmoil this part of the country has endured. I remotely witnessed the mayhem of the land and people during the CAA NRC turmoil, and it was an experience in itself. Suffice to say; I have my biases regarding stories and books based upon this land and people.
It was one total pleasure to read this book for its story, writing and experience the beauty of Guwahati (even one tiny bit and through words, all over again).
The narrative flows beautifully as it encompasses with it a poignant and exquisite take on a woman's unwinding from a toxic, loveless, and abusive marriage. The theme, plot, storyline, development, flow are all well for their parts. I liked them, but what enamored me was the character development and portrayal of the main character, Kaberi. I was thrown into fits and was initially disconcerted by the way things unfolded for her, for the way she reacted to what life had to throw her way. Still, eventually, her resilience and determination to stand up for herself and her unborn child is what kind of stole the show for me. I absolutely loved how her character honed the qualities she wasn’t inherently born with (and something which is actually very difficult to have, let alone practice), mastered the situations, and did the best for her child’s well-being and nurturing.
Another thematic aspect that stood apart for me was the eloquence of the prose and the detailed, rich description of the landscape. I graduated this year with a B.Tech from IIT Guwahati, and I still maintain that four years aren’t sufficient to explore and take in the beauty and charm of the North East. Likewise, it isn’t easy to understand all the struggle and turmoil this part of the country has endured. I remotely witnessed the mayhem of the land and people during the CAA NRC turmoil, and it was an experience in itself. Suffice to say; I have my biases regarding stories and books based upon this land and people.
It was one total pleasure to read this book for its story, writing and experience the beauty of Guwahati (even one tiny bit and through words, all over again).
arya__02's review
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
4.75
megha_ks's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
fatpanda's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
lovevaish's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0