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viveknshah's review
3.0
My first foray into Sudha Murty's world. I like her simple writing style, reminds me a bit of Malgudi Day feel as she tries to recreate rustic India feel in her book. Emphasizing on small town values of relationships over money , she poignantly captures the transition of emotions that play through the main protagonists as they first hand feel the transformation. This is a transition society is seeing as a whole so very relevant. I felt the book slowed down at stages where I felt like flipping pages over to see if it picked up later though she does end it with a high. The character development was good for a lot of the main characters which I felt was a strong point.
The verdict on Sudha Murty is still out for me and will probably read another of her books to make a better call.
The verdict on Sudha Murty is still out for me and will probably read another of her books to make a better call.
hanee's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
simranpradhan's review
3.0
Mridula is a young, talented girl from a small town in Karnataka, who meets a doctor Sanjan by the luck of chance. They fall in love, Sanjay starts his own hospital with the help of a friend after facing severe corruption in government hospitals while Mridula's teaching career flourishes. Yet, there are holes in the marriages she doesn't realise. House of Cards, as the name suggests, is a tale of just how fragile our support systems can be.
Sudha Murthy probably is my favourite Indian author. She doesn't analyse, neither does she underrepresent something. There are metaphors and juxtapositions that will melt your heart, there are tragic tales that will make you weep. House of Cards, especially, tells the ordeal of an Indian woman. While Mridula isn't an ideal woman in the modern world, one can still understand where she comes from, and in the end, she is the epitome of being a good person, teacher, mother, daughter and wife. Yet, she fails to provide for herself- and by the end of it you will be glad she starts doing it. I also love the concept of flawed characters- no character is perfect here, yet there are aspects you will agree on. If you want a white person to understand just how complex the dynamics of brown society are, just make them read a Sudha Murthy book.
Sudha Murthy probably is my favourite Indian author. She doesn't analyse, neither does she underrepresent something. There are metaphors and juxtapositions that will melt your heart, there are tragic tales that will make you weep. House of Cards, especially, tells the ordeal of an Indian woman. While Mridula isn't an ideal woman in the modern world, one can still understand where she comes from, and in the end, she is the epitome of being a good person, teacher, mother, daughter and wife. Yet, she fails to provide for herself- and by the end of it you will be glad she starts doing it. I also love the concept of flawed characters- no character is perfect here, yet there are aspects you will agree on. If you want a white person to understand just how complex the dynamics of brown society are, just make them read a Sudha Murthy book.
paperback_reader's review
4.0
Sudha Murthy as always portrays a serious issue in a simple yet impactful story. House of cards is the journey of Mridula, from being a happy young girl hailing from a small village to a married woman grappling with the ways of life in a metropolitan city. Stories like these are not uncommon in Indian society. The author has rightly hit the nail on how a woman’s sacrifice for her husband and family is considered a moral obligation, as if she lives her life for everyone but herself.
All of Sudha Murthy’s books teach you a lesson not like a self help book but by living it through her characters experiences like Mridula.
Simple writing style and a gripping story makes it a breeze to read her books.
All of Sudha Murthy’s books teach you a lesson not like a self help book but by living it through her characters experiences like Mridula.
Simple writing style and a gripping story makes it a breeze to read her books.
aleena1444's review
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kriti1d's review
4.0
Just like the house of cards life gets shattered and then it needs hard work, intelligence to start back, close the windows, position the cards correctly and built the house yet again. House of cards- Nice story but Mahaswetha s her best
poppingparry's review
4.0
I personally loved the ending, and whole the book! It helped me go through waiting in a Govt office :D
On more serious terms, this book was more complex than Mahashwetha or Dollar Bahu. It involved so many different characters that I often had to turn back my pages just to see who it was. And all those extra characters seemed dull. It seemed to be fast forwarded movie while I was reading. I taught me to value relationships more than money, and so many little things that we always find in Sudha Murthy's books. She has a clear idea of her concepts and somewhere, I felt it lacked as I start procrastinating if it's boring for me. But, as always, she was brilliant.
Sometime I wonder if Mridula was actually her 0.o
Maybe. I dunno.
On more serious terms, this book was more complex than Mahashwetha or Dollar Bahu. It involved so many different characters that I often had to turn back my pages just to see who it was. And all those extra characters seemed dull. It seemed to be fast forwarded movie while I was reading. I taught me to value relationships more than money, and so many little things that we always find in Sudha Murthy's books. She has a clear idea of her concepts and somewhere, I felt it lacked as I start procrastinating if it's boring for me. But, as always, she was brilliant.
Sometime I wonder if Mridula was actually her 0.o
Maybe. I dunno.
bookbegum's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0