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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
Padma and Lalli, inseparable cousins and friends, were only 16 and 14 when they were killed. As their small village in Uttar Pradesh was rather underdeveloped in hygienic and housing terms, the girls needed to go to the nearby fields to relieve themselves. One night in 2014, they went missing and were found hanging in the orchard a couple of hours later. Rumours spread fast about what might have happened and who could be responsible for their deaths, however, even though national media became interested in the case, investigations took their time and the police only reluctantly tried to solve the case. Girls from lower classes have never been high priority and their death seemed to cause more nuisance than alarm.
“This negligence contributed to an epidemic of missing and exploited children, many of them trafficked within and outside the country.”
Sonia Faleiro’s book is a true crime account of how the girls’ lives might have looked like in their last hours, the immediate reaction of the families and villagers and also a lot of facts which help to understand the circumstances in which this crime could take place. The subheading “An Ordinary Killing” already gives away a lot: the murder of girls and women had become to ordinary in India that people didn’t bat an eyelid anymore. However, the events of 2012, when a student was violated in a bus, made worldwide headlines and stirred protests which finally made people aware of the hostile and misogynist climate they were living in.
“Although Delhi was notoriously unsafe, stories about sexual assault didn’t often make the news.”
There are a lot of factors which enabled the murder of Padma and Lalli, their status as girls, their belonging to an inferior class, the remoteness and backwardness of their village – many standards and rights we in the western world take for granted simply do not apply there. But it is not only the crime itself which is abhorrent, also the situation of the police – understaffed, ill-equipped, prone to bribery – and even more of the medical examiner – without any training, just doing the job because nobody else would do it with the logical result of a post-mortem which is simply absurd – are just incredible.
What I found most interesting was actually not the girls’ story and the dynamics in the village afterwards but the background information. Sonia Faleiro convincingly integrates them into the narrative which thus becomes informative while being appealing to read. I’d rather call it a journalistic piece of work than fiction and it is surely a noteworthy contribution to the global discussion on women’s rights.
“This negligence contributed to an epidemic of missing and exploited children, many of them trafficked within and outside the country.”
Sonia Faleiro’s book is a true crime account of how the girls’ lives might have looked like in their last hours, the immediate reaction of the families and villagers and also a lot of facts which help to understand the circumstances in which this crime could take place. The subheading “An Ordinary Killing” already gives away a lot: the murder of girls and women had become to ordinary in India that people didn’t bat an eyelid anymore. However, the events of 2012, when a student was violated in a bus, made worldwide headlines and stirred protests which finally made people aware of the hostile and misogynist climate they were living in.
“Although Delhi was notoriously unsafe, stories about sexual assault didn’t often make the news.”
There are a lot of factors which enabled the murder of Padma and Lalli, their status as girls, their belonging to an inferior class, the remoteness and backwardness of their village – many standards and rights we in the western world take for granted simply do not apply there. But it is not only the crime itself which is abhorrent, also the situation of the police – understaffed, ill-equipped, prone to bribery – and even more of the medical examiner – without any training, just doing the job because nobody else would do it with the logical result of a post-mortem which is simply absurd – are just incredible.
What I found most interesting was actually not the girls’ story and the dynamics in the village afterwards but the background information. Sonia Faleiro convincingly integrates them into the narrative which thus becomes informative while being appealing to read. I’d rather call it a journalistic piece of work than fiction and it is surely a noteworthy contribution to the global discussion on women’s rights.
dark
informative
medium-paced
A story that had to be told (and one I can’t imagine is widely known in the Western world). However, there were so many people involved and so much background and politics to explore to create understanding the main story felt lost and it was a bit all over the place to read. I feel like I have come away from the book educated but it was tough going getting through this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicide
dark
Did not finish. I got 40% in and I have no idea who all the people are. I suppose this book would work better as a hard copy where you can go back and reference who everyone and is but geez that’s too much. I agree with other reviewers that it seems to jump all over the place and I just can’t keep up with it in an audiobook format.
"Reputation is skin"
On the night of 27th May 2014, Padma (16) and Lalli (14) were found hanging from a tree in a mango orchard in Uttar Pradesh, India. The women in the village congregate underneath the tree like a spooky vigil refusing to allow the bodies to be brought down. Who killed the girls? Were they raped? Murdered?
The book has a whodunit feel, but is actually a true crime story. The book was riveting from start to finish and highlighted the atrocities some women in India have to endure to preserve their families honour and reputation. The conclusion, or at least the latest "official" explanation of what happened in the orchard that night, was was tragic. Utterly tragic.
On the night of 27th May 2014, Padma (16) and Lalli (14) were found hanging from a tree in a mango orchard in Uttar Pradesh, India. The women in the village congregate underneath the tree like a spooky vigil refusing to allow the bodies to be brought down. Who killed the girls? Were they raped? Murdered?
The book has a whodunit feel, but is actually a true crime story. The book was riveting from start to finish and highlighted the atrocities some women in India have to endure to preserve their families honour and reputation. The conclusion, or at least the latest "official" explanation of what happened in the orchard that night, was was tragic. Utterly tragic.
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
dark
informative
reflective
fast-paced
The Good Girls grips you from the first page. It makes you think, it makes you feel many emotions, as the story of the two girls unfolds.
It's a compelling and thought provoking read that leaves you questioning what you believe and think. The good Girls is a book that is one that would incite some interesting discussion in a book club and one which you will want to pass on to and discuss with friends and colleagues.
It's a compelling and thought provoking read that leaves you questioning what you believe and think. The good Girls is a book that is one that would incite some interesting discussion in a book club and one which you will want to pass on to and discuss with friends and colleagues.
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced