asrazaidi2's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jennaw's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
heatherinjapan's review against another edition
I'm reading through my backlist of my huge tbr and this one just didn't stand out to me. I know theres more recent Sri Lankan literature that will hold my attention too and I'd rather get to those.
vrop's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bettyjowerthmann's review
Gave it about 100 pages but just couldn’t get into the story.
stories_by_sharanja's review against another edition
5.0
I don't think I will ever recover from reading this book. I've never read a novel that had as many tragic female heroines as Ru Freeman's "A Disobedient Girl".
The story alternates between the lives of two Sri Lankan women, one being the young mother, Biso, and the other, Latha, a servant girl who wishes to be more than that.
Biso is running away with her three young children from an abusive husband. We learn that her youngest daughter is also a product of an affair that Biso had with a fellow villager, Suri, who was the love of her life. Suri was murdered by Biso's volatile husband, and this is one in many factors that leads to Biso's leaving of him. She decides to head up-country to her mother's sister's house, where she hopes that she and young ones will be welcomed. But she does not know that this journey will be wrought with tragedy and hard-learned lessons.
Running alongside Biso's story, is the story of Latha, who we meet as a young servant girl in the home of the Vithanages. She is the same as the their daughter, Thara, and growing up they are very close friends. But Vithanages treat Latha like she is an object mean to slave for them, and Latha secretly despises them and their privilege. After discovering that the Vithanages have not been paying her for the years of work she has committed to them, and among other slights, she indulges in a betrayal that will haunt her for the rest of her life.
"A Disobedient Girl" deals heavily with the status of women in Sri Lankan - Sinhalese culture. It was interesting reading about their views on promiscuity, adultery, and social status. It was a little heart breaking at times seeing that regardless of what the main characters did, one of these things would always follow and affect their journey negatively.
When compared, I actually thought Latha's chapters were a bit more exciting to read, if only because her chapters had a lot more mobility going on. Most of Biso's storyline involved her sitting on a train and analyzing each of her children, with the exception of a few traumatic events.
This book also dealt with themes concerning wealth and privilege. One of the key things Ru Freeman seems to state is that the wealthy are careless, and have extreme disregard for those who serve them. This message rings true when applied to the relationship between Thara and Latha, the former only paying attention to Latha when it suits her own purposes.
I have to say that this book did surprise me in terms of plot. When reading Biso and Latha's story lines at first, you would think that the two weren't linked at all, but there is a reason why there perspectives are woven throughout the story. Their journeys are not only mirrored because of their tragedies, but because of the connection these women have between them.
All in all, I enjoyed reading this book very much. I was very satisfied with the ending, especially when Latha finally got herself out of the toxic situation she was in. This book was both liberating and sad for me.
The story alternates between the lives of two Sri Lankan women, one being the young mother, Biso, and the other, Latha, a servant girl who wishes to be more than that.
Biso is running away with her three young children from an abusive husband. We learn that her youngest daughter is also a product of an affair that Biso had with a fellow villager, Suri, who was the love of her life. Suri was murdered by Biso's volatile husband, and this is one in many factors that leads to Biso's leaving of him. She decides to head up-country to her mother's sister's house, where she hopes that she and young ones will be welcomed. But she does not know that this journey will be wrought with tragedy and hard-learned lessons.
Running alongside Biso's story, is the story of Latha, who we meet as a young servant girl in the home of the Vithanages. She is the same as the their daughter, Thara, and growing up they are very close friends. But Vithanages treat Latha like she is an object mean to slave for them, and Latha secretly despises them and their privilege. After discovering that the Vithanages have not been paying her for the years of work she has committed to them, and among other slights, she indulges in a betrayal that will haunt her for the rest of her life.
"A Disobedient Girl" deals heavily with the status of women in Sri Lankan - Sinhalese culture. It was interesting reading about their views on promiscuity, adultery, and social status. It was a little heart breaking at times seeing that regardless of what the main characters did, one of these things would always follow and affect their journey negatively.
When compared, I actually thought Latha's chapters were a bit more exciting to read, if only because her chapters had a lot more mobility going on. Most of Biso's storyline involved her sitting on a train and analyzing each of her children, with the exception of a few traumatic events.
This book also dealt with themes concerning wealth and privilege. One of the key things Ru Freeman seems to state is that the wealthy are careless, and have extreme disregard for those who serve them. This message rings true when applied to the relationship between Thara and Latha, the former only paying attention to Latha when it suits her own purposes.
I have to say that this book did surprise me in terms of plot. When reading Biso and Latha's story lines at first, you would think that the two weren't linked at all, but there is a reason why there perspectives are woven throughout the story. Their journeys are not only mirrored because of their tragedies, but because of the connection these women have between them.
All in all, I enjoyed reading this book very much. I was very satisfied with the ending, especially when Latha finally got herself out of the toxic situation she was in. This book was both liberating and sad for me.
lisagray68's review against another edition
5.0
It took me awhile to get into this & I did see the horrifying ending coming - but it was quite excellent.
scrutiny's review against another edition
3.0
I had mixed feelings about this book. It didn't start auspiciously - lately I feel like I have read too many books with dual plot lines that weave in and out between chapters, which is precisely what this book does and what I really personally don't have patience for. Obviously the plots and characters are intertwined in some way, and I spent the whole book waiting for that moment, which came right at the very end, although there were some hints along the way. I started really enjoying the book a quarter of the way in, because I really liked Latha, the younger/later protagonist. (She's got a lot of guts, that girl.) The story of Biso, on the other hand, dragged on for an eternity. The ending was disappointing too; it felt like the author had wasted so much time trying to convince everyone what a fantastic mother Biso is, and how courageous she is for escaping an abusive marriage... but then all of the sudden she gives away her last child and kills herself. I guess that was her last straw, but it just felt incongruous. I became impatient with the book again about two-thirds of the way in because it felt like being on Biso's train... neverending and slightly tedious. I wish that Latha spent less of her energy on her men; and I wish that Mr. Vithanage had played a bigger role in the book. His story would have thrown an interesting twist into the mix, but I see how there might not have been space for him. (And maybe I'm an ignorant sod, but whatever happened to the idea of contraception?!) Overall, I'm torn between giving this book an "it was ok" and "I liked it" rating, so I erred on the side of positivity and gave it three stars, though I'm still not too sure I could really say I liked this book. It is a well written book and well thought out - absolutely no objections on that front. As always, it's the plot that makes me go, "hmmm..." *hand wiggle*, but that's just me being nit-picky. Definitely read this if you are so inclined!
ebalon's review against another edition
3.0
Another book club read. I didn't really ever have the desire to pick it up, but when I did it was okay. Interesting to see how the caste system affected these people's lives. Although in some ways it seems like these characters got what they deserved.
libkatem's review against another edition
4.0
This book, told in alternating chapters by Biso and Latha, is a kind of parallel story of friendship, love, and mistakes. While one starts hopeful and quickly turns sad, the other is sad and turns hopeful. The pace is a bit slow, but as you read, you begin to piece together what Biso and Latha have in common. And it's heartbreaking.
I really liked this one.
I really liked this one.