Scan barcode
keethebookworm's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
4.0
Spoiler Alert!
Cliffhanger ending but a heart wrenching story of two sisters and the fateful twists of life brought upon by society with slow but good plot twists and lots and lots of character building!
Cliffhanger ending but a heart wrenching story of two sisters and the fateful twists of life brought upon by society with slow but good plot twists and lots and lots of character building!
alpal330's review against another edition
5.0
so so sweet, heartwrenching, and pure. I love sudha and anju sm
kara_alexandria's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? N/A
5.0
bhnmt61's review against another edition
4.0
Two baby girls are born on the night their fathers die, a link that binds them throughout childhood. Sudha, beautiful beyond belief and quietly obedient, and Anju, a firecracker who will not be told what to do. THe descriptions of life in their all-female household in Calcutta are vivid and beautifully written, so that you feel keenly the precarious life of women in a male dominated society. The first half of this book, with everyone flagrantly sacrificing their own happiness for the happiness of someone else, was a little difficult to read. But once Sudhu and Anju are married, I was thoroughly engaged. Great story, although it was a bit frustrating that one major plot point was left dangling at the end. I actually looked to see if there was a sequel, but I don’t think there is.
rachelbpaul's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
3.75
hollysmith54's review against another edition
4.0
A beautiful story of sisterhood, cultural progression, and the battle of duties. I adored this.
tophat8855's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to this via Hoopla. It's an engrossing story of two sisters in Kolkata and how they grow apart and then back together over the courses of their childhoods and adult lives. Each chapter switches between the girls. There are family secrets and love and betrayal and hard times.
kathleenguthriewoods's review against another edition
4.0
I read this at least 10 years ago and it's been sitting on my "favorites" shelf till earlier this year. Now I remember why I saved it for a re-read: The writing is absolutely gorgeous. I feel I am living inside each of the two narrators as she tells her story, experiencing all the emotions as the events unfold.
If you can, I would recommend being connected to the Internet so you can look up terms as you go (I lost some details as foods and cultural terms and practices were unfamiliar to me). But even if you don't know all the specifics, you will still enjoy this extraordinary journey.
BTW, I'm inspired to now re-read her "The Mistress of Spices" and anything else she's written since. Suggestions?
If you can, I would recommend being connected to the Internet so you can look up terms as you go (I lost some details as foods and cultural terms and practices were unfamiliar to me). But even if you don't know all the specifics, you will still enjoy this extraordinary journey.
BTW, I'm inspired to now re-read her "The Mistress of Spices" and anything else she's written since. Suggestions?