Scan barcode
aakash001's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kitchenbeat10's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The story follows Kali, a farmer and his wife Ponna, and how they live in their society as a couple who are childless. The time period is vaguely pre-independence India, but that does not matter at all when the situations that Kali and Ponna face are still present today. I felt that the different rituals and practices that people follow to get a boon or blessings from the gods, the comments that a childless couple often find themselves receiving, and the whole setting of the story itself was very well written. The book also shines some light on how caste system works too. I found myself struggling to set a timeline to the events happening because they are not linear and they are not specified of happening at some particular period in Kali and Ponna's life. I figured out the non linear format quite late, so that's on me.
What took me quite some time adjusting to was the style of writing in English, because I'm sure if I were able to read Tamil I wouldn't have felt this jarring sense of something a little off in the writing. I think this is because the translator has tried to be faithful to the original language style and that means the sentences don't feel as polished in original English books, because the grammar and sentence structure followed are different from normal. But, it also conveys that it is a Translation well, and I do appreciate that.
The ending was quite shocking and I was not prepared for it, but it felt true to the characters. I loved the book, because the rural Indian settings are fascinating, distinct and unique, and this was a wonderful ode to rural Tamil Nadu.
What took me quite some time adjusting to was the style of writing in English, because I'm sure if I were able to read Tamil I wouldn't have felt this jarring sense of something a little off in the writing. I think this is because the translator has tried to be faithful to the original language style and that means the sentences don't feel as polished in original English books, because the grammar and sentence structure followed are different from normal. But, it also conveys that it is a Translation well, and I do appreciate that.
The ending was quite shocking and I was not prepared for it, but it felt true to the characters. I loved the book, because the rural Indian settings are fascinating, distinct and unique, and this was a wonderful ode to rural Tamil Nadu.
michellelouise's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
khushboomathuria's review against another edition
It's so repetitive, my God. The same thing- again and again. The main plot of the book- they are not getting to it. Just the repetition of the setting of the premise 🥱
aswin_balamurali_nehru's review against another edition
4.0
Its about the couple ponna and kali who doesn't have a heir to them.
It literally deals with the people how they treat and react. This is one of the books which was been banner and then republished.
This book deals with the a temple festival, on the last day of the festival, the childless women are allowed to have sex with the people in the festival, they think the men who were ready to inherit an heir are equal to god.
But ponna and kali weren't interested in this ritual. Ponna's brother had lured ponna to accept it stating that kali had approved it.
Kali on the other hand he was been taken to a coconut farm to drink. When he had boozed and dozed off, ponna had been tricked to leave for the 18th day of festival.
When kali had regained his consciousness he had started to go back to home. But he found ponna wasn't there. He feels betrayed and scream that she had cheated on him.
It literally deals with the people how they treat and react. This is one of the books which was been banner and then republished.
This book deals with the a temple festival, on the last day of the festival, the childless women are allowed to have sex with the people in the festival, they think the men who were ready to inherit an heir are equal to god.
But ponna and kali weren't interested in this ritual. Ponna's brother had lured ponna to accept it stating that kali had approved it.
Kali on the other hand he was been taken to a coconut farm to drink. When he had boozed and dozed off, ponna had been tricked to leave for the 18th day of festival.
When kali had regained his consciousness he had started to go back to home. But he found ponna wasn't there. He feels betrayed and scream that she had cheated on him.
kumipaul's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty fascinating look at the "underbelly" of societal pressure on a couple due to infertility. Everyone around them was insensitive or pushy or downright annoying and insulting because they couldn't conceive. And everyone had crazy suggestions about one ridiculous superstition or another that would guarantee to fix the problem. To me, the fertility gods and silly attempts were sadly laughable, but to our main characters, they were serious efforts to crawl out from under the ridicule. Rather than provide spoilers, suffice to say that I found it to be an exaggeration of what childless couples often endure, with the tension growing and growing like a horror novel, leading to the big ending. As for that ending, however, I wish it went on for about 2 or 3 more pages and finished differently.
torvosaur's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
itsophieso's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Didn‘t realize this was written by a man when I picked it up. Was disappointed there wasn’t more in the book from Ponna’s POV seeing as it’s about fertility and childbearing. Felt very patriarchal but was an interesting concept. Hated the ending.