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A review by aklibrarychick
Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar
4.0
A well-written, timely and important book. This historical fiction follows the story of Anjali, whose mother is a freedom fighter trying to free India from British rule. She also is pushing for equality amongst the castes, particularly focusing on the Untouchables, or Dalits. Anjali is at first resentful of her mother's involvement and the fact that she has to give up her beautiful clothes for homespun. She is hesitant to take any interest in her work, but her naturally compassionate nature embraces the cause of the Dalits, and she comes up with the idea that her school should allow the Dalit children to attend classes with them. The book does not shy away from showing the ugly side of things - the nasty work of latrine cleaning, an unjustified hanging, and a deathly violent demonstration at a beloved leader's funeral.
Anjali's Ma and Baba, her Chachaji, her best friend, Irfaan, and her Dalit friend, Mohan are all well-rounded and important parts of the story. Even the "villains" of the tale are human and, like all people, are not completely bad.
At the beginning, there were a few passages that felt like proverbial "information dumps," but other than that it was a really well-paced and crafted book. I read it through in less than 24 hours. Highly recommended for all readers, and especially for teacher's doing units on social justice, non-violent resistance, or Indian history. Don't miss the author's note at the end. I also must mention the amazing cover art by Kate Forrester - it's so lovely that I couldn't even put the library bar code on the front and ruin it.
Anjali's Ma and Baba, her Chachaji, her best friend, Irfaan, and her Dalit friend, Mohan are all well-rounded and important parts of the story. Even the "villains" of the tale are human and, like all people, are not completely bad.
At the beginning, there were a few passages that felt like proverbial "information dumps," but other than that it was a really well-paced and crafted book. I read it through in less than 24 hours. Highly recommended for all readers, and especially for teacher's doing units on social justice, non-violent resistance, or Indian history. Don't miss the author's note at the end. I also must mention the amazing cover art by Kate Forrester - it's so lovely that I couldn't even put the library bar code on the front and ruin it.