A review by tristan_prather32
Women Who Misbehave by Sayantani DasGupta

4.0

I was very captivated by Dasgupta's prose. Her ability to seed tension into her characters translates into a dull and persistent ache. Each character holds within themselves a sense of longing that functions as the catalyst for the tension to build. The tension is only relieved when everything comes to a head and the tension is released in a few short lines, leaving the reader desperate to know what happens after the bomb has been dropped. I liked that Dasgupta played with using first, second, and third-person narration and that there was variety in these styles. Food was another theme that was enjoyable to follow in each story and certainly played a part in each; whether food was representative of a character's homesickness or their sense of duty to provide for their family, it was used as more than just a sensory device. There is great variety in these stories, from charming retellings of "Beauty and the Beast" to dinner party drama, there is something in here for everyone.

True to the title, "Women Who Misbehave" demonstrates a consistent challenge to the expectations imposed on women based on their gender and the rebellion against patriarchal influences is often subtle, but anything but absent or docile.