The novel is particularly strong on setting and immerses the reader in the colour and vibrancy and the utter despair that underlies modern India at so many levels. It is a hard life and many must resort to creative strategies where they can. It is hard to overlook the many difficult societal issues that affect India when it comes to women and the author snappily confronts the rawness of life for many in the sisterhood. The real-life Bandit Queen, Phoolan Devi, is Geeta’s inspiration as she formulates plans to help support her fellow sufferers. Society at this level in India can be particularly cruel to women, it is patriarchal, and the author does a really good job of describing how the cogs in small villages turn – usually at the expense of the female inhabitants. Shunned for the most part by the other villagers, she has a real presence, which the author fleshes out, lending credibility to this unique character.īut then the tide shifts a little and she is approached by other women, who seek her advice on how to dispose of their own husbands. Did she, or didn’t she? As the novel opens she is a woman who seems content with her own company, slightly stand-offish and abrupt, clearly someone who has seen life and now keeps herself to herself. Geeta’s abusive husband, Ramesh, disappeared 5 years ago and everyone is of the opinion that she somehow killed him. This is such a competently put together novel and very evocative of India.
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