A review by blearywitch
Difficult Daughters by Manju Kapur

5.0

I was born in the 80s and my family was very traditional which translates to strict rules, lack of freedom, high expectations in studies, and exhibit impeccable moral or die. I am molded to what girls can and cannot do - girls shouldn't climb trees, hang out/expose herself to the public unnecessarily, bare her arms, speak loudly, are among a few of the rules. That's not to say I didn't break away from those rules as soon as could - it was a transition, and some work was required to mold the way I think to match the way I act so I'm in sync with myself. I somewhat understood the suffocation Virmati felt but could only imagine the rest, and it was hard to believe there was once such a sad time for women. Unfortunately for her, there was also no balance or a chance for some rules to be slackened for the sake of her education, and personal growth like there were in several instances for me. Virmati's story also took place in 1930s India when women's education is still a highly debatable subject, and women working is still considered disreputable compared to marriage and childbearing. On top of that, we have a married man wanting her as his second wife. It is well-written, and touched my heart. Virmati could have been outrageously rebellious, but she isn't quite like that and yet she wasn't entirely without will either, and that endeared her to me.

I was in the mood for a book set in India by an Indian author so I picked this off my shelves and was not disappointed. If you're looking for a good read or a break from some heavy material, this would be a good pick.