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howiliv's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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
3.0
becs_books456's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
bookishnerdyandcurious's review against another edition
3.0
I totally admit that when I saw the title of this come up in Libby while placing holds on various books, I was intrigued. So intrigued, I immediately checked it out and I'm not sorry that I did.
Nikki is a young Punjabi woman, living alone in Central London, unlike her sister Mindi, who is a nurse who lives at home with their mother. On an errand for Mindi, Nikki finds herself at the temple in Southall, where she is supposed to place a notice on the marriage board, as Mindi is looking for a traditional arranged marriage. While doing this, Nikki finds a flyer advertising a position: a teacher for a creative writing class. She soon finds that the women she is to teach are the (mostly) elderly, (mostly) illiterate widows of the community. She also finds that there's more to these widows than meets the eye.
Intertwined with Nikki's story (and the stories of the group she facilitates) is the story of her boss who had a daughter who died under mysterious circumstances and wants desperately to find out what really happened. However, she's stymied by certain people in the community at every step. While I found this storyline intriguing, in some cases Maya's story seems forced - as if the author realized she needed a thread to connect some of these women in a way more than just community. Once I got to the end where more of Maya's sad story is spelled out, I understood more of where it was going/why it was constructed this way, but it still seemed like it could have been told in a smoother way. That is the *only* reason I gave this a 3 star review - if not for that, it would have been 4 stars.
That said, the story moved slowly for me at first, however, once it kicked into gear, I did not want to put it down. Once I got to the end, I really wished it could have gone on longer, as I became invested in the lives of all these women, the community, and the way these stories changed their lives.
Nikki is a young Punjabi woman, living alone in Central London, unlike her sister Mindi, who is a nurse who lives at home with their mother. On an errand for Mindi, Nikki finds herself at the temple in Southall, where she is supposed to place a notice on the marriage board, as Mindi is looking for a traditional arranged marriage. While doing this, Nikki finds a flyer advertising a position: a teacher for a creative writing class. She soon finds that the women she is to teach are the (mostly) elderly, (mostly) illiterate widows of the community. She also finds that there's more to these widows than meets the eye.
Intertwined with Nikki's story (and the stories of the group she facilitates) is the story of her boss who had a daughter who died under mysterious circumstances and wants desperately to find out what really happened. However, she's stymied by certain people in the community at every step. While I found this storyline intriguing, in some cases Maya's story seems forced - as if the author realized she needed a thread to connect some of these women in a way more than just community. Once I got to the end where more of Maya's sad story is spelled out, I understood more of where it was going/why it was constructed this way, but it still seemed like it could have been told in a smoother way. That is the *only* reason I gave this a 3 star review - if not for that, it would have been 4 stars.
That said, the story moved slowly for me at first, however, once it kicked into gear, I did not want to put it down. Once I got to the end, I really wished it could have gone on longer, as I became invested in the lives of all these women, the community, and the way these stories changed their lives.
standardchaos's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
I just wish there was a bit more to Mindy's arranged marriage plotline, but besides that this book was great! Humor, romance, murder, mystery, this book has it all. I thoroughly enjoyed it and actually love hearing "old, not dead" type stories.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism and Suicide
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Rape
pukanu's review against another edition
5.0
Great book! I loved the blending of old and modern culture to form a unique one all it's own. The characters were relatable. I loved the mystery, the love story, and the personal growth stories. Great novel, would recommend!
carknapp's review against another edition
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
aokoppes's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-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
5.0
nsavoie's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
deschatjes's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyable tale of a group of Punjabi widows coming together ostensibly to learn to write English