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thisgrrlreads's review against another edition
3.0
I learned an incredible amount about this time period in India's history. Although for anyone who is unaware of this time period, definitely read the author's note to see what small changes were made in the name of dramatics to make the story better. Anjali's family has some interesting conflicts within the family, but overall, they are lovely and work together. All her friends are well-placed to tell this story, everything falls fairly perfectly into place. That said, there is a lot of reality in this story too, real violence and pain, but Anjali is a beacon of hope in her community.
roshreviews's review against another edition
5.0
My 12th grade Hindi teacher had once told us in class, "A great book begins at the end." I couldn't completely understand what she meant by that but over the years, I have come to realize the beauty of that sentiment. A good book is fun to read; A great book stays with you after it's over too. The characters get imprinted on your heart, the story gets fixated in your mind, and you ponder over the experience for days.
The last time this happened to me was when I read "Wonder". And today I have had the pleasure of experiencing yet another fabulous book. This is a book I had purchased as a birthday gift for my elder daughter, but as it worked out, I happened to read it first.
We all have studied about our freedom struggle in school, but have we ever wondered what went through in the lives of the children living in those tumultuous days?
Ahimsa is a story of one such child, a ten year old girl who is caught up in our freedom struggle inadvertently. The whole story is narrated through her perspective.
As a history buff, I thought I knew quite a lot about my country's struggle for independence, but this book has made me think and rethink. It's a beautiful story of courage, hope and strength in times of difficulty.
Recommended for every Indian above the age of 10.
Mind you, it is not an easy read for kids. Be prepared for questions especially on sensitive issues. But it certainly should be read.
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Join me on the Facebook group, "Readers Forever!", for more reviews and other book-related discussions and fun.
The last time this happened to me was when I read "Wonder". And today I have had the pleasure of experiencing yet another fabulous book. This is a book I had purchased as a birthday gift for my elder daughter, but as it worked out, I happened to read it first.
We all have studied about our freedom struggle in school, but have we ever wondered what went through in the lives of the children living in those tumultuous days?
Ahimsa is a story of one such child, a ten year old girl who is caught up in our freedom struggle inadvertently. The whole story is narrated through her perspective.
As a history buff, I thought I knew quite a lot about my country's struggle for independence, but this book has made me think and rethink. It's a beautiful story of courage, hope and strength in times of difficulty.
Recommended for every Indian above the age of 10.
Mind you, it is not an easy read for kids. Be prepared for questions especially on sensitive issues. But it certainly should be read.
********************************************
Join me on the Facebook group, "Readers Forever!", for more reviews and other book-related discussions and fun.
rattletheshelves's review against another edition
4.0
So good, I've learnt so much and I really recommend it! Middle grade books might be my favourite new way of learning history
rachelelizabeth's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
metafiktion's review
5.0
This kids’ book deals with conflict, complexity, and evolving politics better and more accessibly than many adults are able to — both in literature and in real life. Definitely a worthy gift for the 10yos (and up!) in your life.
inkdrunkmoth's review
5.0
This book is important today because we're yet again facing the idea one group of people see's their lives as more important than others, in this case the British over the Indians, and the higher castes over the lower caste of Dalits (I won't use the slur for them here, just google if you don't know who they are). If this sounds familiar, we're currently living through this idea still with the fact we still need to protest for the rights of people of color. Because sadly, when we don't know our history, it simply repeats itself again and again. In this case, freedom fighters aren't truly fighters, but protesters that use nonviolence in hopes to free India of the British control and bring rights to all castes, much like today with Black Lives Matter protests. It's also important due to the fact this book also deals with the Muslims in India at the time that later created the country Pakistan. We see the tensions of them and the Hindi's heating up, the two sides rioting and fighting and watch as Anjali has to come to terms with it herself when her and her best friend are on the two sides of the religious divide. Again, this is similar to today in much of the world where Muslim's see backlash for their religion.
(Full Review on My Blog)
(Full Review on My Blog)
manyyarns's review
5.0
An excellent introduction to civil disobedience, reaching out, and, especially, learning the pitfalls of activism. While adult readers may find it overly simplistic, this is a great civil rights story that’s truly accessible to younger readers.
circleofreadersdruid's review
5.0
Ahimsa offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of the freedom movement in India in the 1940s. While I knew a little about Indian history from movies like Gandhi and Water, it was interesting seeing it all from the perspective of 10-year-old Anjali. I think kids will really connect with her as she grapples with giving up the trappings of her privileged lifestyle and learns to embrace the movement.
A minor gripe of mine is that Kelkar refers to a Gandhi quote several times that is slightly inaccurate. Gandhi never actually said "Be the change you wish to see in the world." He said something similar when he said, "We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do." With the incredible attention to detail Kelkar uses in the rest of the book, this mistake rubbed me the wrong way every time it popped up.
*****EDIT 7/11/17: If you'll check the comments, [a:Supriya Kelkar|6520664|Supriya Kelkar|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1491535680p2/6520664.jpg] was kind enough to respond to my review and assure me that this has been revised for the final publication. Hooray for great editing and authors!!!*****
Highly recommended for kids who like reading about other countries and historical events, and adults will like this one too.
A minor gripe of mine is that Kelkar refers to a Gandhi quote several times that is slightly inaccurate. Gandhi never actually said "Be the change you wish to see in the world." He said something similar when he said, "We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do." With the incredible attention to detail Kelkar uses in the rest of the book, this mistake rubbed me the wrong way every time it popped up.
*****EDIT 7/11/17: If you'll check the comments, [a:Supriya Kelkar|6520664|Supriya Kelkar|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1491535680p2/6520664.jpg] was kind enough to respond to my review and assure me that this has been revised for the final publication. Hooray for great editing and authors!!!*****
Highly recommended for kids who like reading about other countries and historical events, and adults will like this one too.
fortheloveoffictionalworlds's review
4.0
Also Posted on For The Love of Fictional Worlds
Disclaimer: A Physical Copy was provided via Scholastic India in exchange for an honest review. The Thoughts, opinions & feelings expressed in the review are therefore, my own.
Ahimsa is an enthralling look at the Quit India Movement or the Freedom Movement of the Indians against the British Empire in the 1940s.
Told in the perspective of a 10 year old privileged Indian girl; Anjali – who is secure in the knowledge of being a Brahmin kid, who gets the best dresses and is the apple of her parent’s eyes. Her best friend is Irrfan; a Muslim boy, and that makes okay for Islam doesn’t really have a caste system.
Everything in her perfect world starts to splinter when her mother leaves her cushion-y job with Captain Brent in the British Army – and decides to join in the Freedom Movement. Her confusion at the world around is easy to understand and definitely empathize with, for all that she has always taken at face value, the world she has believed to be right; is now slowly proving themselves to be wrong. It was amazing to see how Anjali took everything she has been told and to connect it with the world that she is now living in.
I loved how the author shows the growth of character in Anjali – from believing what she has always been told; to deciding what is right for herself through her own experiences – her confusion, her reluctance was as real as it gets.
This book is a definite recommendation for any young kid or even teenager (and I do believe, that some adults could also definitely use it!) to not only understand their legacy but also know that the path to be kind and humane isn’t easy; but it is definitely worth every second of struggle.
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