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kitchenbeat10's review against another edition
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This setting is absolutely a rich one, and the setting was what excited me the most when starting the book. Malik is my favourite character, I'm sure many others feel the same too. But I detested Radha. If she had gone through all that hardship I simply cannot see how she grated on my nerves so much, but alas, she did. I did enjoy the story though. The idea of local medicinal remedies being applied with Henna was so novel to me. A good read.
rhealambe's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
bibliobrandie's review against another edition
3.0
Read this one for book club and it neither wowed me nor infuriated me (as last month's book did). I enjoyed the story and the characters. The setting, 1950s India, was new to me and I learned a lot about the history, the caste system, and henna art tradition. Those are the things that worked for me. What didn't was the ending, it felt rushed, and also Radha made me really angry and annoyed. Also, this was just a year! I had to keep reminding myself of that because it seemed as if so much more time had passed. Coincidentally, my student book club at school is reading The Bridge Home, which is also set in India, and reading the two at the same time has been really interesting.
nessia89's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
bpowlowsky's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
dreaminthepages's review against another edition
5.0
What a fantastic quick last read of 2021! Loved the vibes from this, the messages of women empowerment and loved all the characters!
fieldsandfeels's review against another edition
4.5
I love how the author really zooms in on the post-colonial identity crisis of traditional vs. modern. This is such a crucial period in Indian history, and to see it through the lens of not just a woman, but a “fallen” woman, who has only ever tried to get by in a very unforgiving society makes for such a beautiful and empowering story. I really really enjoyed Lakshmi and Radha’s journeys, both individually and together.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Misogyny
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Pregnancy
civilchick's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.75
This book started super slow, but by the end I was enthralled and couldn’t put the book down. I felt for the characters when bad things happened and was rooting for them when opportunities presented themselves. Overall, it’s a very well written story.
manon_duchatel's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
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
4.0