Read in December 2006.
This book reminds me how much fun I have reading authors of Indian descent. The stories always resonate with me in a special way. This story is about a girl coming of age at the turn of the century in northern India.
Desai writes the story in a dreamy language that evokes the mind to wander and paint the pictures she describes, and then want to spend time living in the dreams.
I found this novel a welcome change after reading non-fiction and self-help as the two last books. I know so little of Indian history (I’m working on it!) that I cannot speak to the validity of the history described in the story.
In another theme (almost discussed inwarndly and subtly that in your own thoughts at the reader does it strike you that the story is about ambition, pride, and the desire to improve our standing in society and in life. The story centers around a household and its various inhabitants, a 16 year old girl who searches for love and affection from a distant grand-father (a retired judge), their long-standing servant (and his son who is trying to make it in the US), and the new physics tutor with rebelllion on the mind.
I found the ending slightly abrupt, but I am not sure how I would have ended the story myself. A little dreamy, I recommend this as a great read. Read more about it here.
