Reviews

Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal

agmaynard's review against another edition

emotional inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Excellent tale of different kinds of intergenerational female solidarity and empowerment, wrapped in an at-times melodramatic package. Capably narrated by Meera Syal. While new teacher Nikki is the main focus, a shift in narrators to Kulwinder and others adds depth and interest. Recommended! 

intensej's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 stars

Nikki thinks she has been hired to teach an adult creative writing class; instead, she is supposed to teach adult literacy skills to the widows in her Punjabi community. The widows in her class are more interested in writing erotic stories than learning how to read and write in English. Balli Kaur Jaswal is not afraid to delve into more serious subject matter such as domestic violence. I enjoyed [b:The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters|40908064|The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters|Balli Kaur Jaswal|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552458838l/40908064._SY75_.jpg|63774527] more than this book. I wish that Kaur included additional scenes between Nikki's sister and mother to provide more closure.

cooliuscaesar451's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

julia1627's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

A beautiful portrayal of female friendship and mentorship. This book deals with parent child relationships, growing into an independent adult in a changing world, and aging and finding meaning after children are grown or husbands have died.

collectionoftimebeings's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced

5.0

kelliwho2's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

pnelson384's review against another edition

5.0

I loved this book! There is so much to discuss in book club next week! From themes around tradition and expectations versus freedom and new ideas, to women owning their lives and having a say in the direction it takes, to forgiveness, and more. If you are looking for a great read about a culture you may or may not know a lot about, this is a great choice!

I received this book for free as a member of the Book Club Girl Book Club from Harper Collins, and it was a great read.

grae's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

thndrkat's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-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? Yes

4.5

literaryolive's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.75