Reviews

Historias Eróticas Para Viudas del Punyab by Balli Kaur Jaswal

abbyprinceatwood's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 stars. I loved the plot of this book. It’s hard to take a look at longstanding traditions and question their durability and impact. This book really rolls up its sleeves and digs in to traditions and customs of Indian culture. I feel the characters could have been a bit more developed and the book overall could have been more concise.

oonawoodbury's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This was a ton of fun! I was in the mood for a lighthearted contemporary with a focus on women over 50 and this was exactly that. I thought the light tone worked well throughout despite also including some darker subject matter. The characters were all interesting and compelling and I liked seeing them get to know each other and grow as people. 

jencunn2024's review against another edition

4.0

I got what I was looking for with this selections and more. I went in thinking this would be a funny and lighthearted read, and it was! There was also so much more to it than I expected. Mostly that was a great thing for me. I learned more about Sikh religion and culture than I anticipated, as well as Indian emigrants and generational transitions with their descendants. The story was humorous and delightful overall. It still brings to light more serious themes for women and variable degrees of independence and experiences. The storylines are predictable but I found the relationships between the women to be complex, uplifting, and filled with growth.

The writing is fun but not perfect. There were too many plots and not enough development in some areas that there could have been. It seems a lot of readers who were disappointed and left reviews were looking for more depth in characters, in social issues, or in cultural comparisons. Or they wanted something that felt like it was diving deep into real or personal stories rather than fantasies. I don’t think this book meant to be any of those things or to be defined as one type of book. I appreciated its lightness and the fact that I was still learning and empathizing with characters. I do agree with the critics that it had the potential of being much more, but I think this book is an enjoyable read and recommend it for entertainment and a fun, non-weighted level of insight and education.

For me personally, I could have lived without the crime subplots but I do think that there was enough there to attract more readership. I like the different bits of romances and affections going on but I do wish there had been more about the mother-daughter and sibling relationships. 3.75 is my more accurate score but I think it deserves the popularity.

thedreamer29's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

sleightoffeet's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

dee1808's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

kim_j_dare's review against another edition

3.0

Enjoyable, somewhat fluffy story— an impulse Audible purchase. It was a little all-over-the-place, and could definitely have been tightened up.

mommaslonglegs's review against another edition

4.0

3.5 rounded-up. I enjoyed this read but there was a lot going on. Often felt like i was reading two different stories, one being a heartwarming tale about widows bonding over dirty stories and the other a murder mystery focusing on cultural injustice. Would have read both separately for sure, just a little odd that they were written together.

Overall though, if you're looking to get a glimpse into a different culture or read a story about women supporting women this is a great option.

Spicy scale:

melody_b419's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

emkatpittman's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5