Reviews

i've had this book on my tbr for around a year now and i finally decided to read it - and i loved it! i thought the writing was beautiful and moving. i may be in the minority here but i really enjoyed both narratives. i felt the modern narrative was important in showing how the village and the farm had changed over the years and how what happened 70 years ago still impacts us today, even if only in the most miniscule of ways. i enjoyed reading about the narrator's experience growing up in england and i loved his descriptions of the village and farm, and i found his relationship with his dad so heartbreaking and poignant. i felt this narrative was also important in showing the juxtaposition of fighting against the british vs. moving to england and trying to create a life there as became common in the 60s and 70s. i was really invested in mehar's story too and kept hoping for a happy ending though i knew that would be unlikely.

i also have to disagree with some reviewers - i don't think the book romanticises child marriage/SA in any way at all. i personally felt that the men's desire to possess the women was accurately portrayed and it didn't matter that jeet or suraj may have felt in love with mehar - their love for her came through their desire to possess her and i felt that sahota was showing that it didn't matter that they loved mehar when regardless, her life would be a prison. additionally, the sex scenes to me were important in showing desire in a repressed society. yes there was abuse but none of it was romanticised, it just highlighted the mindset of men and how sex was an act of possession and ownership, something that was an act done for a man and done to a woman. it wasn't romanticisation, it was a realistic portrayal of desire and love and all the surrounding confusion in a society where those things are repressed.

overall, really loved this book. if it was longer it would have been 5 stars!

tbose22's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

readwithfrish's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

More...