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A review by emmaraeempowered
The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
The Bandit Queens closely follows Geeta whose husband strangely disappeared a few years ago. Everyone in her village believes she killed him and she is shunned. Everyone is fearful of her so she keeps to herself and focuses on her jewelry making business. She interacts with a group of women in her loan group and that's about all the socializing she does.
Until-one of the women in her group, Farah, comes to her asking her to "remove her nose ring" just as Geeta has removed hers. (Meaning kill her husband the way Geeta killed hers) Geeta not wanting to let it out that she didn't actually kill him he just up and left one day agrees.
This story opens a door into abusive relationships and the way society can tell women to just be grateful and grin and bear it. The ways some women are overwhelmed with having to be a mother when they didn't want to ever be a mother, each of them whenever they express being tired or over it they have to perk up and express the "joys of mother hood! what a blessing!".
Geeta learns more about the women in her village as well as the men. She uncovers a lot of dark happenings within the town and even learns some secrets that were purposely kept from her.
Very heavy content warning for sexual assault. It is on page as well as talked about consistently.
By the middle of the book I started having a little bit of an issue personally with the pace of the book. I felt rushed and yet like things were dragging on. All of these things were important for the ending of the book, which I had suspected. I still enjoyed this book but figured I would mention it.
This is a hard book to read as it really shows different ways abuse shows up in relationships as well as how others around can also see it. It also talked a lot about the caste systems in India which I didn't really know much about. That plays a heavy part throughout this story and the interactions between characters.
While heavy topics are discussed in this book there was also a good amount of comedic relief. Geeta's sense of humor was enjoyable and the way she and her ex best friend would bicker back and forth was a welcomed release of tension.
Until-one of the women in her group, Farah, comes to her asking her to "remove her nose ring" just as Geeta has removed hers. (Meaning kill her husband the way Geeta killed hers) Geeta not wanting to let it out that she didn't actually kill him he just up and left one day agrees.
This story opens a door into abusive relationships and the way society can tell women to just be grateful and grin and bear it. The ways some women are overwhelmed with having to be a mother when they didn't want to ever be a mother, each of them whenever they express being tired or over it they have to perk up and express the "joys of mother hood! what a blessing!".
Geeta learns more about the women in her village as well as the men. She uncovers a lot of dark happenings within the town and even learns some secrets that were purposely kept from her.
Very heavy content warning for sexual assault. It is on page as well as talked about consistently.
By the middle of the book I started having a little bit of an issue personally with the pace of the book. I felt rushed and yet like things were dragging on. All of these things were important for the ending of the book, which I had suspected. I still enjoyed this book but figured I would mention it.
This is a hard book to read as it really shows different ways abuse shows up in relationships as well as how others around can also see it. It also talked a lot about the caste systems in India which I didn't really know much about. That plays a heavy part throughout this story and the interactions between characters.
While heavy topics are discussed in this book there was also a good amount of comedic relief. Geeta's sense of humor was enjoyable and the way she and her ex best friend would bicker back and forth was a welcomed release of tension.