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tara_pikachu's review against another edition
4.0
How is it possible that the author didn’t read a novel until he was 18? He is a natural storyteller. This book definitely left me wanting more.
pawswithabook's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
1929 in rural Punjab, Mehar finds herself one of three brides of one of three brothers. Whilst she lives in a room, The China Room, with the other brides, her only contact with her husband is under the cover of darkness to hide his identity, but she believes she has discovered which of the brothers is hers. Separate, but strongly connected, in 1999 a young man travels from England to his ancestral home, to escape his troubles.
I’ve not read a book with a plot remotely like this one, and I was so much more invested in this book because of its originality…I didn’t know where it was going.
The storytelling is beautiful, particularly the earlier period, which is hugely character driven and powerfully emotive.
Based on the older period alone, this book would’ve been a 5…and whilst there was less of the recent period, I did struggle a little with these sections, which were jumped into with little warning, and fairly inconsistently (often when the original story is in flow, which probably put a barrier up to me fully engaging with it).
However, this was minor and me being picky…I found myself thinking about this book after reading it, and have already recommended it to a few people who I know would love it.
I’ve not read a book with a plot remotely like this one, and I was so much more invested in this book because of its originality…I didn’t know where it was going.
The storytelling is beautiful, particularly the earlier period, which is hugely character driven and powerfully emotive.
Based on the older period alone, this book would’ve been a 5…and whilst there was less of the recent period, I did struggle a little with these sections, which were jumped into with little warning, and fairly inconsistently (often when the original story is in flow, which probably put a barrier up to me fully engaging with it).
However, this was minor and me being picky…I found myself thinking about this book after reading it, and have already recommended it to a few people who I know would love it.
anniebh's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.0
mikzob's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
frith_lv's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
daja123's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Violence, and Racism
kingarooski's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
hannanx's review against another edition
4.5
This was a heartbreaking tale of love and betrayal. The story itself is very unusual - a married woman unsure as to the identity of her husband.
I read the whole book in one sitting and was fully immersed by it. I felt angry at how the women were treated, betrayed and appalled at the secret Suraj kept from our protagonist, and worried and anxious at their continuing deceit. Throughout the book I felt strongly for the characters, including Jeet whom I felt quite sorry for.
I would have rated this higher if this book focused on Mahur's character solely. I didn't feel particularly attached to her ancestor, and although there were a couple parts of his story that were truly heart wrenching, I spent most of his chapters wanting to skip ahead and find out what was happening with Mahur.
Other than that I thought there were many themes that the book excellently explored, including women's rights, autonomy, rebellion, family and societal pressures.
I do wish the story could have ended differently. I wish that, instead of seeing Suraj again once his betrayal had become evident, Mahur was as repulsed and appalled as I was. I wish she hadn't agreed to see him again, that she had confided in Jeet (who I think would have understood) and they had tried to rebuild and repair their relationship. But I don't think that would have been as thought provoking as the ending we were given. This ending allowed the story to fully explore the themes mentioned above. For instance, perhaps Mahur fell in love with Suraj as an act of rebellion as a way of reclaiming her autonomy, because she was forced into this marriage at a young age and didn't have any choice in the matter. Or perhaps it was because she had been able to see Suraj and build a bond with him far beyond the bond she had built with Jeet, only being allowed to spend time alone with him in pitch blackness for the purposes of making a baby, as was their ridiculous family rule.
I also found it interesting how, because of the lack of autonomy that women are given, they ended up resenting the person they are married to, meaning that the customs are backfiring on those who set them. That seemed to be the case with Mahur and Jeet in the end and it seemed that history repeated itself with the narrators uncle and aunt too.
Overall I found this book incredibly absorbing and thought provoking too.
I read the whole book in one sitting and was fully immersed by it. I felt angry at how the women were treated, betrayed and appalled at the secret Suraj kept from our protagonist, and worried and anxious at their continuing deceit. Throughout the book I felt strongly for the characters, including Jeet whom I felt quite sorry for.
I would have rated this higher if this book focused on Mahur's character solely. I didn't feel particularly attached to her ancestor, and although there were a couple parts of his story that were truly heart wrenching, I spent most of his chapters wanting to skip ahead and find out what was happening with Mahur.
Other than that I thought there were many themes that the book excellently explored, including women's rights, autonomy, rebellion, family and societal pressures.
I also found it interesting how, because of the lack of autonomy that women are given, they ended up resenting the person they are married to, meaning that the customs are backfiring on those who set them. That seemed to be the case with Mahur and Jeet in the end and it seemed that history repeated itself with the narrators uncle and aunt too.
Overall I found this book incredibly absorbing and thought provoking too.