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A review by bookishevy
The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"We can't just knock off everyone we don't like. This isn't Indian Idol."
Friends, I intended to travel to Puerto Rico through the #readtheworld challenge, but since it's Asian American Pacific Islander Month, I decided to travel to a remote village in India, where we meet Geeta, a woman whose abusive husband disappeared five years ago, and no matter how much she denies it, villagers believe she killed and disposed of him. Now that she has a reputation for getting rid of her abusive man, other women in the village are coming to her for help eliminating their own no-good husbands. Hilarity ensues.
This is the funniest book I've read this year so far. Chapter 14 alone deserves an award. The back and forth between Geeta, her ex-bestfriend Saloni, and twins Preity and Priya as they try to convince Geeta to kill yet another brute is comedy gold. That this coversation is taking place during Karwa Chauth, when Hindu women fast and pray for their men's longevity, makes it even funnier.
All jokes aside, this is messed up. These women are stuck in their abusive marriages. Throughout the story, there are examples of how village customs do not favor women. Villagers turn a blind eye to obvious signs of abuse because "that's marriage." Divorce is out of the question, so murder is the obvious option.
Other themes explored are casteism, particularly how poorly Dalits are treated, the isolation women endure while in abusive relationships and when they become widows, and "the joys of motherhood," which Geeta is not buying when her friends try to make her feel like she's missing out on something by not having children. I love how Shroff weaves Indian lore into the story to show how men create narratives to paint women unfavorably so that they can continue to put up with their bullshit. The underlying message is how platonic love should be nurtured as much as romantic love, if not more. Underneath all the secrets, lies, blackmail and extortion, these women have one another's backs.
I can't recommend this read enough.
Friends, I intended to travel to Puerto Rico through the #readtheworld challenge, but since it's Asian American Pacific Islander Month, I decided to travel to a remote village in India, where we meet Geeta, a woman whose abusive husband disappeared five years ago, and no matter how much she denies it, villagers believe she killed and disposed of him. Now that she has a reputation for getting rid of her abusive man, other women in the village are coming to her for help eliminating their own no-good husbands. Hilarity ensues.
This is the funniest book I've read this year so far. Chapter 14 alone deserves an award. The back and forth between Geeta, her ex-bestfriend Saloni, and twins Preity and Priya as they try to convince Geeta to kill yet another brute is comedy gold. That this coversation is taking place during Karwa Chauth, when Hindu women fast and pray for their men's longevity, makes it even funnier.
All jokes aside, this is messed up. These women are stuck in their abusive marriages. Throughout the story, there are examples of how village customs do not favor women. Villagers turn a blind eye to obvious signs of abuse because "that's marriage." Divorce is out of the question, so murder is the obvious option.
Other themes explored are casteism, particularly how poorly Dalits are treated, the isolation women endure while in abusive relationships and when they become widows, and "the joys of motherhood," which Geeta is not buying when her friends try to make her feel like she's missing out on something by not having children. I love how Shroff weaves Indian lore into the story to show how men create narratives to paint women unfavorably so that they can continue to put up with their bullshit. The underlying message is how platonic love should be nurtured as much as romantic love, if not more. Underneath all the secrets, lies, blackmail and extortion, these women have one another's backs.
I can't recommend this read enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Rape
Moderate: Sexism and Xenophobia