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readingthroughinfinity's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
A really interesting, compelling memoir about Ruhi Lee's childhood growing up in India and her adult life in Australia. This was incredibly readable and I flew through most of it in one sitting.
Lee candidly discusses her own mental health and the outcomes of her therapy sessions, as well as commenting body shaming, misogyny, and societal expectations of young girls and women in India. She describes how she had a happy childhood at times, but one that was frequently fraught with physical abuse and beatings at the hands of her father and body shaming by her mother.
She also explains how her decision to attend therapy because of childhood trauma (her uncle sexually abusing/assaulting her) impacted her relationship with her parents (who initially tried to pretend it hadn't happened). Many of her reflections on her earlier life are made in comparison to the childhood she wishes her daughter to have; one free of judgement and happy and safe.
Lee candidly discusses her own mental health and the outcomes of her therapy sessions, as well as commenting body shaming, misogyny, and societal expectations of young girls and women in India. She describes how she had a happy childhood at times, but one that was frequently fraught with physical abuse and beatings at the hands of her father and body shaming by her mother.
She also explains how her decision to attend therapy because of childhood trauma (her uncle sexually abusing/assaulting her) impacted her relationship with her parents (who initially tried to pretend it hadn't happened). Many of her reflections on her earlier life are made in comparison to the childhood she wishes her daughter to have; one free of judgement and happy and safe.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy
Minor: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Car accident
thenovelbookshelf's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Good Indian Daughter will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, from laughter and love to anger, rage and disbelief.
Ruhi unpacks her life in this book, from sweet childhood moments with her parents, her struggles as a teen immigrant in Australia, to her almost independent life from her parents during pregnancy.
Women of all races will connect in some way to one part or another of Ruhis' traumatic journey through life. You may relive some of your own trauma and parent's disappointments in you, you may even cry and want to withdraw or rebel as you did back then.
I'm not brave enough to write how much of this book reflected my life as a half Chinese daughter coming to Australia, but by reading this book, maybe I'm not the only one now.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Abortion, and Pregnancy
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