A review by thebookishtales
One Part Woman by Perumal Murugan
5.0
"There is no female without the male, and no male without the female. The world goes on only when they come together"
~
One part woman is the story of Kali and Ponna, a couple who is unable to conceive even after 12 years of being married.
As usually happens in society, everyone is cruel to Kali and Ponna just because they don't have children. Both bear the brunt of bring barren and impotent. They have left no stone unturned, doing whatever they can for a child. Relatives, neighbours and the village folk eye their land and property and make their life miserable.
Frustrated with everything, their last hopes lie in the chariot festival in the temple of "Maadhorubaagan", when on the 18th day of the festival, all rules are broken and any consenting man and woman can have sex.
This will test their loyalty, trust and faith in their marriage.
~
This book is simply brilliant! I was short of words after finishing it. It just takes you in its world and you can't help but get carried away by it.
Brilliantly translated by Aniruddhan Vasudevan, it's a very bold book and a must must read. Murugan has written with sheer brilliance about the double standards of society and how people ostracize others to hide their own frustrations. It is a beautiful combination of all the emotions a married couple goes through. I highly recommend this one. Read it if you're not uncomfortable reading a bold and an unflinching story. Thank you Mridula @ecstatic_yet_chaotic for gifting this book to me.
~
PS: I was reading this book while travelling and invited quite a few stares from people because of its bold cover!
~
One part woman is the story of Kali and Ponna, a couple who is unable to conceive even after 12 years of being married.
As usually happens in society, everyone is cruel to Kali and Ponna just because they don't have children. Both bear the brunt of bring barren and impotent. They have left no stone unturned, doing whatever they can for a child. Relatives, neighbours and the village folk eye their land and property and make their life miserable.
Frustrated with everything, their last hopes lie in the chariot festival in the temple of "Maadhorubaagan", when on the 18th day of the festival, all rules are broken and any consenting man and woman can have sex.
This will test their loyalty, trust and faith in their marriage.
~
This book is simply brilliant! I was short of words after finishing it. It just takes you in its world and you can't help but get carried away by it.
Brilliantly translated by Aniruddhan Vasudevan, it's a very bold book and a must must read. Murugan has written with sheer brilliance about the double standards of society and how people ostracize others to hide their own frustrations. It is a beautiful combination of all the emotions a married couple goes through. I highly recommend this one. Read it if you're not uncomfortable reading a bold and an unflinching story. Thank you Mridula @ecstatic_yet_chaotic for gifting this book to me.
~
PS: I was reading this book while travelling and invited quite a few stares from people because of its bold cover!